Built to solve problems.
Your UK Fractional IT Director for SMBs and non-profits
True Team’s story
The right IT expertise shouldn’t be out of reach for smaller organisations.
True Team was founded by Chris Cranie in 2023, after more than 20 years working across IT leadership, security, projects and data in a range of organisations.
Chris made a deliberate choice to focus on SMBs and non-profits. Smaller organisations rarely have access to senior, independent IT thinking, and that gap has real consequences. Decisions get made without the right expertise behind them. Technology costs more than it should. Risks go unnoticed. And when something goes wrong, there’s no one internally with the experience to put it right.
We’re on your side, with the breadth of skills to cover what your organisation actually needs.
Independent. Experienced. Engaged.
True Team doesn’t operate as a ticket desk. We work as an extension of your organisation – understanding your goals, your constraints, and your existing setup – and then applying the right expertise to move things forward.
Every engagement is scoped clearly from the outset. You know what you’re getting, what it costs, and what good looks like. No long-term lock-in, no hidden extras, no surprises.
Honest advice. Clear reporting. No agendas.
We work independently of your suppliers, which means the advice you get is based entirely on what’s right for your organisation. Not what’s easiest to sell, not what generates the most recurring revenue for a provider.
You get transparent reporting on security, performance and progress and we’ll regularly review progress so our engagement stays aligned to your needs as your business changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does True Team do — and how is it different from our current IT support?
Most IT support arrangements, however good, are still fundamentally a supplier relationship. Your MSP or IT provider has their own products, their own preferred solutions, and their own commercial interests.
True Team is different because we’re independent. We don’t sell hardware, software, or support contracts. That means the advice you get is based entirely on what’s right for your organisation and not what’s on someone else’s price list.
We bring senior expertise across IT leadership, security, projects, data and business analysis, and can also bridge technical support gaps if you have them. Whether that’s working alongside your existing provider, helping you evaluate whether they’re delivering value, or taking on broader IT oversight, you get experienced, impartial thinking applied to your specific situation.
What does “fractional IT” mean?
Fractional means access to experienced IT professionals on a structured, part-time basis.
Rather than hiring full-time staff or outsourcing entirely to a ticket-based MSP, organisations gain managed capability aligned to their needs, whether leadership, operational delivery, or specialist expertise.
Is a Fractional IT director the same as a Virtual IT director?
The terms are often used interchangeably. A Virtual IT director typically refers to the remote delivery of IT leadership, whereas Fractional refers to the part-time, flexible nature of the engagement and can combine remote and on-site working.
If you’ve been searching for a Virtual IT director for your UK business or non-profit, a Fractional IT director is exactly what you’re looking for.
How do we get started — what does the first conversation look like?
It’s straightforward. We have an initial call (no preparation needed on your part) where we listen to your situation, ask a few questions, and give you an honest view of whether and how we can help. There’s no sales pitch and no obligation.
If it feels like a good fit, we’ll propose a clear scope of work based on what we’ve heard. If it doesn’t, we’ll tell you that too.
What’s it like to work with a Fractional IT Director?
For most SMB owners and FDs, it’s the first time they’ve had a senior IT person genuinely in their corner. In practice that means having someone you can call when a technology decision needs thinking through, someone who can sit in a meeting with your MSP or a software vendor and ask the right questions on your behalf, and someone who gives you regular, plain-English updates on where your IT stands.
It’s less formal than hiring a full-time IT Director, and more involved than a one-off consultant. Most clients describe it as having a trusted senior colleague who happens to know a lot about IT.
Do you work remotely or on-site?
Primarily remote. The majority of what we do – IT governance, reporting, security monitoring, Microsoft 365 reviews/administration, and most day-to-day IT oversight – is delivered remotely. This keeps response times fast and costs proportionate.
Where it adds value, we’re happy to come on-site. Strategic sessions, key reviews, or situations where a physical presence makes sense can be arranged as part of the agreed engagement. But for most clients, most of the time, remote works well and is more cost effective.
We’re a small business. Are we the right size for this?
Almost certainly yes. True Team was built specifically for SMBs and non-profits, organisations that need senior IT expertise but don’t have the budget or the need for a full-time IT Director or a large internal team.
If you have between 10 and 150 people, are spending money on IT without full visibility of what you’re getting, or simply aren’t sure whether your technology is in good shape, you’re exactly who we work with.
We have internal staff. How would you work alongside them?
Very comfortably, and in many cases it works better that way. Internal IT staff are often strong on day-to-day operations but lack the experience or bandwidth to drive strategy, manage suppliers effectively, or handle specialist areas like security or data.
We work alongside your team to fill those gaps by providing the senior oversight, independent challenge, and specialist expertise that complements what they already do well. Your internal staff stay focused on what they’re good at; we handle what’s beyond their remit or capacity.
Not sure where to start? Let’s talk.
Book a free initial call to understand your situation, answer your questions, and work out whether we can help. No sales pitch, no obligation.