What is an IT broker?

Definition: what an IT broker is

The intermediary role

The word "broker" has a general meaning. Merriam-Webster defines a broker as "someone who acts as an intermediary."

Applied to information technology, brokering means connecting two parties: the business that has an IT need and the IT services firm that will do the work. The IT broker receives the project description, reviews it to understand the need, then assigns the request to the IT services firm whose expertise matches that need.

At Courtier TI, this works simply: your request is reviewed by the Courtier TI team, then assigned to the IT services firm that will prepare your quote. That firm prepares the quote and carries out the mandate if you accept it.

What an IT broker does not do

An IT broker does not carry out the project itself. In practice, at Courtier TI:

• The technical work (development, installation, configuration, support) is done by the IT services firm the request is assigned to.
• The quote is prepared by that firm: it sets the scope, budget, timeline and deliverables with you.
• The contract for the project is concluded between you and the IT services firm.
• The decision is yours: receiving a quote does not commit you to accepting it.

This division of roles is useful to know from the start: you know who receives your request and why, and who will be your contact for the project.

How Courtier TI works, step by step

The process is the same for every project category. It follows three steps.

1. Describe your project

A guided form asks for the project type, budget, timeline, company size and region. You describe your needs once, in a structured format. Before you submit, the form asks for your consent to send the information provided to the Courtier TI team and to the IT services firm that will prepare your quote.

2. Your request is reviewed

The Courtier TI team assigns it to the IT services firm whose expertise matches your needs. The review is used to understand the request properly: project type, context, constraints and information useful for preparing an accurate quote.

3. Receive a proposal

The Courtier TI team first contacts you to clarify your request. The IT services firm then presents its quote. This is the step where scope, budget, timeline and deliverables are discussed and put in writing.

Which projects go through an IT broker

Courtier TI receives requests in several project categories, from websites to AI governance. You choose the project type at the start of the form:

• Web development: corporate and e-commerce sites, portals.
• Applications: mobile and web apps, business software.
• Cloud: Microsoft 365, Azure, AWS and backups.
• Cybersecurity: audits and penetration testing.
• Networking: cabling, Wi-Fi, firewalls and telecom.
• IT support and managed IT: user support and fleet management.
• IT projects: deployments, integrations and project management.
• AI governance: usage policy, tool inventory and Law 25.
• Hardware and licensing: computers, servers, network equipment and Microsoft 365 licences.

A need that is not on the list? The form also offers an "Other" option.

When to use an IT broker

Going through an IT broker is useful in several situations.

You are not sure what kind of firm to contact

A single need can involve several areas. For example, opening a new office may require cabling, a Wi-Fi network, a firewall, workstations and Microsoft 365 accounts. You describe the situation as you experience it, and the review of the request makes it possible to assign it to the IT services firm whose expertise matches your needs.

You want to describe your needs only once

An IT project calls on several areas of expertise. Instead of making call after call, you describe your needs once, in a structured format that allows an accurate quote to be prepared.

Your request needs structure before a quote

A quote is only as precise as the need behind it. If your project is still vague, the guided form helps you lay the groundwork: project type, budget, timeline, company size and region. To go further, the guide How to prepare an IT quote request explains how to write a requirements document.

Preparing your request

A few minutes of preparation make the request clearer and the quote more precise.

• Describe the need rather than the solution. Explain the problem to solve or the goal, even if you have no idea yet which technology to use.
• Give the context. Number of employees, number of workstations, software in use, locations and remote work.
• State your constraints. Planned budget, target date, hours when an interruption would be a problem.
• Flag personal information. If the project involves information about your customers or employees, say so. The guide Law 25: what Quebec SMBs must do on the IT side presents the obligations to know.
• Prepare your questions. For an ongoing support mandate, the guide How to choose an IT service provider in Quebec lists the questions to ask before signing.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Merriam-Webster, Dictionary, entry "broker"