How To Switch IT Companies (A Practical Guide) | Book A Consultation

Everything You Need To Know About Switching IT Companies

In today’s day and age, there’s a major shortage of talent in the information technology realm. According to a recent CIO survey of over 3,000 technology leaders, 65% believe that hiring challenges are hurting the industry. This major shortage of talent, alongside an uncertain economy, leaves many organizations relying on their managed services provider (MSP) more than ever before. After all, despite the challenges they’re facing finding talent, there’s never been a more important time than now to embrace technology to the fullest extent. Why? Because technology is essential to:

• Growing your existing customer base
• Lowering operational costs and saving money
• Keeping your customers engaged through new channels
• Adding even more value to your existing customers

If you’re not getting the value you need from your partnership with your MSP, it’s time to make a change and find an MSP that’s able to deliver that value elsewhere. It happens to the best of us… You think your IT company is fantastic in the beginning, but somewhere along the way, they stop meeting your expectations in terms of service.

What Are The Signs It’s Time To Switch IT Companies?

You might have a feeling it’s time to switch IT companies, but how do you know with complete certainty that you need to make a change? Well, here are a few of the top signs it’s time to switch IT companies:

• They don’t get back to you within their specified response time that’s written in the service level agreement.
• They aren’t available when you need them most when problems arise on weekends or after-hours.
• They don’t sit down with you on a regular basis to talk about strategy, including a roadmap, budget, etc.
• They don’t fix things properly the first time around, and as a result, you’re experiencing the same issues over and over again.
• They don’t communicate with you when they’re working on a project, troubleshooting an issue or any time where you need updates.

Although this isn’t an exhaustive list of signs it’s time to switch IT companies, this should give you an idea of what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable from your partnership with your MSP.

What Should You Consider Before You Switch IT Companies?

When you’re ready to switch IT companies, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind beforehand:

Think About The Risks

First and foremost, you’ll want to consider the risks that may be involved with the transition. Typically, your new MSP will help you overcome any sort of risks and ensure a smooth transition with minimal stress or hassle. Here are a few risks to stay on top of:

• Make sure you have access to any and all documentation, including administrative access, login credentials, and other important details.
• Make sure you undergo a thorough security assessment to uncover any vulnerabilities left on the network from your previous provider.
• Make sure you have access to all copies of your backups beforehand so you’re not left in a situation where your data is held hostage.

Assess Your New Provider’s Capabilities

Next, you want to make sure you feel completely confident with your new provider’s capabilities in terms of helping you achieve your short and long-term goals. Review what you’re looking to achieve, what technical expertise is required, and any specific regulations you must adhere to, in order to ensure they’re able to assist you with compliance.

Double-Check That They’re Experienced With Transitions Like This

Lastly, double-check that they’re experienced with this type of transition as it’s a large-scale change that impacts you, your employees, your suppliers, and various other parties. Your new MSP should be prepared to handle the transition for you, which means they need to be able to handle:

• Planning
• Communication
• Training
• And much more

What Is The Ideal Process For Switching IT Companies?

4BIS is very familiar with the process of switching IT companies. After all, many of our clients come to us after having a bad experience with their previous provider. They choose to switch to us because we’ve been providing high quality IT services since 1996. We assist them through the entire transition from start to finish. Here’s how:

• We transfer all administrative access, including logins, passwords, and any relevant documentation, over to us and make sure our client retains copies of everything for themselves.
• We perform an extensive security assessment to uncover any vulnerabilities and/or backdoors that need to be resolved immediately and provide recommendations for improvements.
• We work alongside them to give notice to their current provider so we can work through any hiccups for them. This gives them peace of mind knowing that if things turn hostile, we’ll handle it.

Ready To Switch IT Companies?

Let us help you through the process. From the very start, our goal has been to provide enterprise-level IT solutions to the small business sector – with small business prices. We offer technical support, managed IT services, business continuity planning, cybersecurity, and much more. You can rest assured knowing we’ll make the transition smooth and seamless.

Plus, you’ll enjoy responsive, reliable support from a team of technology experts who truly care about helping you grow and succeed.

Click here to get started or call us at 513-494-4444 to schedule a consultation.