Signs It’s Time to Switch IT Support Providers

There are many reasons you may be considering a change to your IT support company. Common reasons include slow response times, poor customer service, outdated technology, and a lack of expertise to address the issues you’re experiencing.

Or your IT support provider may take a reactive approach to problems rather than a proactive one to continually manage your systems and recommend measures to prevent future issues. The latter approach can be far more valuable to a business as if you wait to get problems fixed, it may be too late.

Another reason could be that you’ve outgrown your IT company. As your business and system stack grow, so will your IT needs. It may be that your IT company is only set up to serve companies of a certain size and won’t be able to scale with you.

Choosing a New IT Support Company

You’ve made the difficult decision to switch; now it’s time to research your options. This is an essential part of the process, as contracting the right company can aid a seamless transition. Here are some tips for choosing a new provider.

Assess Your Needs

Before you explore your options, sit down to assess your business’s needs and what you are looking for and what you’re not looking for in an IT support provider. You’ll be able to use this checklist when evaluating your options to make sure you choose a company that is fit for purpose.

Review Technology Expertise

You should review a potential provider’s expertise to ensure their offerings integrate with your current systems. For example, some companies, such as Aztec, specialise in offering support for Microsoft O365 while other companies may have experience in other technologies.

Look at Their Reviews

Good (and bad) reviews can speak a thousand words about a company. Check out what other companies are saying; can they vouch for their expertise, service and response levels?  This is especially important if you’re switching IT companies. If the reason you’re switching is poor service, you want to make sure the company you’re switching to won’t offer poor service either.

Is Location a Factor?

While IT support can be managed remotely, you may still prefer to engage a local company that can be on-site if needed. Some companies offer local and nationwide services; check their coverage.

Don’t Forget to Check Your Current Contract

Before signing a new contract with your chosen vendor, review your current provider’s contract and remaining term to minimise any costs associated with the switch. Once you’ve decided to make the switch, talk to your current IT support company about what you can expect in a handover from them to.

Planning a Successful Switch 

Consider the Right Time to Do It

The optimum time to change your IT systems to the new provider will be whatever works for your business and minimises disruption. Consider the impact of system changes on your staff and business operations, and plan the timing accordingly. It may be best to switch during a period of downtime, such as the summer, when you have more staff on holiday.

Consider other business-critical tasks you have planned throughout the year; switching when several high-priority projects are underway may lead to a poor transition.

Communicate with Your Team

Communicate in advance what the switch will mean for your team. This could be through team meetings or email bulletins, but keeping your team informed about what is happening is essential for a seamless transition. A good IT support company will be able to tell you what to expect and how the impact will affect your staff and operations.

Introduce relevant team members to the IT support provider as well, and ensure they are clear on how to communicate with each other.

Speak to Current and New Providers

Not only do you need to communicate with staff, but you should also keep lines of communication open between current and new support partners to ensure everyone involved is aligned with the plan and is clear on roles and responsibilities.

Have a Transition Plan 

Creating a transition plan is critical to minimising disruption to business operations. It should include:

• Transition Team: Assign internal stakeholders and coordinate with both IT providers
• Timeline: Break the transition into phases with realistic deadlines
• Data Migration: Plan for secure transfer of files, configurations and applications
• Testing: Schedule a period to test services and systems before the full handover
• Backup Plan: Ensure full system backups before the migration begins

Document New Processes

Any switch will likely bring process changes that will impact your team. Ensure that any process changes are documented and that relevant staff receive training on any information they need.