IT support for Townsville tradies: phones, quotes and invoices that work from the ute
Tech TroubleShooters looks after IT for builders, electricians, plumbers, air-con techs and other trades across Townsville and North Queensland. That’s the office computer, the phones, email, job apps, internet, website and backups. We keep the paperwork side running so you can get on with the job, and when something breaks, you ring Kelly or Carisa, not a call centre.
The stuff that actually goes wrong
- “A customer paid a fake invoice with our logo on it.”
- “My phone got smashed on site and every photo and quote was on it.”
- “The apprentice left, and he’s still got the work email on his phone.”
- “My partner does the books at night and the office computer’s on its last legs.”
- “Calls to the office go nowhere when we’re all out on jobs.”
You didn’t get into the trade to fix computers. But these days the money comes in through email, the jobs come in through the phone, and the proof of your work lives in photos. When any of that stops, you’re losing jobs or chasing payments, and that’s time you’re not on the tools.
The rules, the short version
For most small trade businesses, there’s no IT rulebook you’ll be audited on. Here’s what does apply, in plain words. It’s a summary, not legal advice.
The Privacy Act depends on your size. Businesses with more than $3 million turnover are covered, and that includes your customers’ names, addresses and phone numbers. Most smaller trade businesses are exempt. Your customers still expect you to look after their details, though.
Paying a ransom has to be reported if you’re over $3 million. Under the Cyber Security Act, a business with turnover above $3 million that pays a ransom or extortion demand has to report it to the Australian Signals Directorate within 72 hours. Better not to be in that spot at all.
The government’s checklist is free, and it’s good. The Australian Cyber Security Centre’s Small business cyber security handbook, published 7 October 2026, covers the basics that stop most trouble: two-step sign-in, updates, backups, staff awareness, and checking payment changes. ASD Essentials, the successor to the Essential Eight, launched on 15 October 2026 for businesses that want to go further. The Essential Eight is still valid during the changeover.
The real risk for a trade business is less about fines and more about money and time. A redirected payment can wipe out a job’s profit, and a dead office computer with no backup can take years of quotes and invoices with it.
What we do about it
Make fake invoices much harder to send in your name. We set up your email so scammers have a much harder time pretending to be you, and filter out the fakes coming in. Add one habit: if anyone asks to change bank details, ring them on a number you already had. See email security and DMARC.
Backups of the files that matter. Quotes, invoices and job files saved to the office computer or your work storage are backed up, encrypted and kept in Australia. See data backup.
Access that leaves when the person does. When an apprentice or subbie finishes up, we remove their email and app access once you tell us they’ve gone.
Office calls that still get through. A phone system hosted on our secure Australian servers means that if the office loses power or internet, calls can go to your mobiles instead of ringing out. See cloud phone systems.
Job files from site. Get to plans, quotes and photos from the ute or the site without carrying a USB stick around. See remote access for field workers.
An office computer that’s watched, not just hoped about. Managed IT clients get monitoring, updates, drive health checks and security that stops ransomware by watching behaviour, not shop antivirus. You’ll also get a plain-English report each month of what we fixed and blocked before you noticed. See managed IT.
Your website and business internet sorted too, with websites hosted by us on secure Australian servers. See web hosting and internet and NBN.
Straight talk
We won’t sell you a server you don’t need, and we won’t tell you a two-person crew needs the same setup as a fifty-person builder. If calling us when something breaks is all you need, that’s fine. If you’d rather have a fixed monthly price for the everyday stuff and pay by the hour for extras like a new laptop, that works too. No lock-in contracts unless you ask for a set term.
Who you’ll talk to
Kelly Hunn has been fixing IT for more than 30 years, and Kelly and Carisa have run their own business since 2006. It’s Kelly or Carisa, every time. Usually one of us answers straight away. If we’re driving or on a job ourselves, we’ll call or text you back, usually within the hour.
Managed IT clients get 24/7 support at no extra charge, so a 6am problem before the crew heads out is covered. Not a client yet? Call any time. After hours we’ll get back to you as soon as we can, but we can’t promise to start straight away.
We look after trades from Bushland Beach to Alligator Creek, and out to Ayr, Ingham and Charters Towers. Plenty gets fixed remotely, so you’re not waiting for someone to drive over.
Questions tradies ask us
How do we stop fake invoices being sent in our name?
We set up your email domain so it’s much harder for scammers to send emails pretending to be you, and add filtering so fakes coming in are caught. It also helps to put a line on your invoices saying you’ll never change bank details by email, and to confirm any change by phone.
What happens if I lose my phone on site?
Call us. We’ll help you get your email and work accounts onto a new phone and change the passwords, so the lost one can’t keep using them. Anything saved to your office files or work storage is still there. Photos saved only on the lost phone may be gone, so it’s worth saving job photos to your work storage as you go.
Does the Privacy Act apply to my trade business?
If your turnover is over $3 million, yes. Most smaller trade businesses are exempt, unless they fall into a special category. Either way, your customers expect their details to be kept safe, and a leak hurts your name around town.
What happens to office calls if the power or internet goes out?
With a phone system hosted on our secure Australian servers, calls can go to your mobiles instead, so you don’t lose the job to the next tradie on the list.
Do I need managed IT for a small crew?
Not necessarily. A small crew can do fine calling us when something breaks. Managed IT starts making sense once you rely on the office computer every day, have staff on email, or would struggle if your files disappeared. We’ll tell you which fits.
The faces on this page are the people who answer the phone. Odd thing to have to point out, really.
The same two people look after every business we work with. So in month six, you're still not explaining your setup to a stranger.
Carisa
The calm voice on the other end when things go wrong.
Kelly
30+ years fixing IT. Has seen most problems before, some of them twice.
Usually one of us answers straight away. If we're driving or on a job, we'll call or text you back, usually within the hour.
Managed IT clients get 24/7 support at no extra charge.
We put our own mobiles on the website. Most IT companies would rather not. That's sort of the point.
Tell us what's bugging you.
Talk it through with Kelly or Carisa. They’ll ask about your email, phones, backups and office computer, and tell you straight what’s worth fixing and what isn’t.
No lock-in contracts. If we stop being good, you're free to go. We'd rather you didn't.
Leave your number and Kelly or Carisa will call you back, usually within the hour, and within one business day at the latest.
Busy? We'll ring you.
Leave your number and tell us what's not working. We'll take it from there.