Last Updated on September 5, 2024 by Sereno Admin
Don’t let the fear of switching and changing IT providers prevent your team from receiving the services they deserve at a reasonable price.
But “Better the devil you know,” you might say? Well, not anymore…
Staying with a poor IT provider because you’re afraid to move away is no longer an acceptable excuse. In this article, we debunk 9 myths about switching IT companies and you’ll learn that how changing IT providers is a much simpler process than you think — it takes little time and has no impact on your employees.
Preying on your fear
There are many reasons why businesses stick with their subpar unreliable, or exorbitantly priced IT service provider, but the main and fundamental reason remains: the fear of switching.
This is because changing IT providers is often seen as a daunting task that’s not worth the trouble. It would require a considerable time commitment, disturb employees, and result in downtime for business systems.
This very fear is what your current IT provider preys on, to continuously get away with poor service experience whilst increasing their prices year after year.
The reality of the IT support market
Something that most people don’t realise, and IT support companies might not want you to know, but….
The IT industry is in fact a “switch market.”
The primary source of new business for IT support companies comes from businesses who have previously outsourced their IT but are wanting to switch providers (typically due to subpar service and bad advice), instead of businesses looking to outsource IT for the first time.
The IT support business model therefore relies on easy onboarding processes for new clients, and the offboarding procedures follows suit.
Company ‘wind ups’ and other business synergies, like mergers and acquisitions (M&A), can create some client turnover among support providers, which means preparing a customer for departure is an integral part of the service and is not something you should fear.
Keep in mind that this IT service is a “support service” to aid what you already have in place without taking ownership of your data, licenses, or critical business systems.
This means that a provider will never own your data, or your core system licenses from Microsoft or Google; they will only have administrative privileges to manage them. When you leave, this access is easily transferred to the new provider, and you retain the credentials and ownerships throughout.
If you have a separate agreement with your IT provider for Managed IT services like Internet access, telephones, or security monitoring in addition to the support agreement, that’s fine too. When you move away, they will just become another third-party with whom your new IT company communicates with, just like Microsoft, Google, BT, and other essential service providers.
Changing IT provider and moving away – the why?
In today’s busy business environment, there is almost no workflow that doesn’t involve IT. Irrespective of the size, businesses now rely entirely on tech to function and operate efficiently.
Ensuring your systems are fit, your company is secure and thus the reliability of the services you provide, can only be established by having an efficient IT support partner.
But, your systems health and your business cyber security, is just the tip of the iceberg…
Negative effects on employee retention and satisfaction, business productivity and financial performance among others, are just a few of the many problems that can arise from using a poor IT support provider. Having a trustworthy Managed IT partner is a necessity for your company.
Let’s take a closer look at when you should consider switching IT providers:
You’re getting inferior results for high costs
It goes without saying that a quality service comes at a high price. However, if you pay a lot of money and don’t get a smoothly-running IT ecosystem with everything continuously maintained and issues promptly resolved, start looking for a new IT service provider.
Your team is experiencing poor communication and slow response time
Do poor communication and literally chasing your IT provider for assistance ring a bell to you? If yes, you shouldn’t take it for granted. If your current provider fails to support a positive working relationship and promptly respond to your enquiries (which can potentially cost you losing time and income), it might be time to switch service providers.
Your existing provider isn’t proactive
Preventing issues is a million times better than sorting them out, agree? This rule works with service providers, too. A reliable IT partner is on top of your IT infrastructure at all times, anticipating issues before they occur and developing a disaster recovery plan to be always ready to promptly respond to unplanned incidents. If being proactive isn’t about your existing IT provider, maybe this is your sign to change IT support company?
Your IT provider is lagging behind your growth
Ideally, your IT support company should be able to prepare your IT systems for your business’s expansion. If your IT provider fails to implement necessary changes to accommodate your growth, you risk missing out on an exciting growth opportunity, which is obviously a sufficient motivation to switch IT provider. The simple reasons behind an IT service provider’s inability to support your growth usually boil down to lack of expertise and limited access to necessary tools and technologies.
Your current provider doesn’t provide cyber security solutions
In a world where cyber attacks are as common as coffee in the morning, partnering with an IT service provider that can’t take care of your business’s cyber security is a big mistake. Data breaches and other cyber risks can lead to disastrous consequences, including financial and reputational losses and legal penalties. So in case your current IT support company doesn’t provide cyber security services, it’s time to find a new IT partner.
Your business simply cannot afford bad IT.
And thanks to the cutting-edge IT solutions that have been developed recently, a lot of the traditionally time-consuming processes are now streamlined, consequently increasing the overall dependability of service delivery. IT support is now available at a fraction of cost, but many businesses are not reaping these benefits yet. Check out 9 ways Sereno improved IT service while saving you cash.
Ultimate IT Switching Checklist
For a stress-free transition, download our handy IT switching checklist. Here we outline everything you need to prepare before changing IT provider, what to expect during the switch, and how to ensure success afterwards. It will ensure that you are fully prepared for a painless transition to your new and improved IT support partner.
Busting 9 concerns – Switching Fears vs Reality
Now that we covered why it’s worth reconsidering a subpar IT company, we outline common myths and debunk 9 switching concerns that most of our current clients face when changing their old IT providers. The realities are much simpler than you think, so don’t let these fears influence your decision.
My staff and I will have to devote significant time to managing this.
The entire process, including liaising with the old provider, will be managed by the new one. One point of contact will need to confirm and provide details for the staff, but that’s it. Expect 3-5 hours maximum during the typical 3-month transition process, most of which will be agreeing on the new processes with you.
My employees will be disrupted.
The only ‘disruption’ should be about 10 minutes per employee to train them on how to use the new service and introduce them to members of their new support team. We suggest doing this in an already scheduled monthly.
The risk of downtime or losing access to key business systems.
The ‘onboarding process’ includes a discovery phase before any services or administration access are handed over. Systems reliant on the old provider will be reviewed ahead of time, and a plan will be implemented. In almost all cases, this is a simple transfer of management control rather than a drastic cutover or service disruption.
The risk of data loss.
Any system holding data will simply be a management control handover because you already own that system. In the rare event the old provider hosts one of your services or online environments, it will be discussed in the discovery phase and a plan will be agreed upon well in advance.
Switching IT provider is expensive.
To cover the costs of this process, some providers charge an ‘onboarding’ or ‘migration’ fee. You should not pay more than a month’s worth of support fees for this process.
Sereno currently does not charge new partners an onboarding fee in 2024.
The risk of losing years of knowledge about our IT system.
Over 90% of your system information is documented and will be made available to the new IT service provider. Another 5% will be found in a comprehensive investigation and discussion during the onboarding phase. The remaining 5% will be discovered and documented and would be a risk even if you stick with your current provider, because there is no guarantee the engineer who has this knowledge will remain employed with your current IT support company.
They provide us with other services outside the support contract that we still need or are in contract so we cannot move.
Most IT providers have comparable services outside the support contract, meaning a business owner is out of contract, the new provider can offer a similar alternative.
Suppose you are under contract for these services; that is no problem. They simply act as another third-party provider and your new IT company will work with when needed, like Microsoft.
The old provider will be upset, uncooperative, or make switching IT support disruptive.
If you settle your outstanding invoices, this is extremely unlikely to happen. Most businesses understand client turnover is inevitable, and treating employees and customers with respect during the migration process will protect their brand in the long run. When done correctly, the onboarding process will make your old providers’ involvement as minimal and straightforward, to reduce your reliance on them as much as possible.
What if the new provider is worse?
Hopefully, you have done your due diligence effectively enough to get a good understanding of your new IT provider’s capabilities. However, look for a well-planned onboarding as an example of their professionalism and contracts with service guarantees.
At Sereno, we offer a 30-day rolling notice in the first 12 months to reassure our new partners and a Partner Experience Guarantee for the rest of our partnership.
Download our switching checklist here to ensure a smooth and pain-free switch.
What to look for when switching IT provider
At Sereno, we know the switching, or ‘onboarding’ process, is one of the most important projects we will do as a company.
We will oversee everything and ask for the minimal information we need so that everything moves forward without a hitch
The main goal of switching IT partners is improving the quality of IT services you’re currently getting, so your new IT provider should have qualities and offer services that can ensure the best possible performance of your IT infrastructure that will help you achieve your business goals. Here are some tips on what to focus on when looking for a new managed service provider:
Experience and expertise. Apparently, you’ll want to switch to an IT provider with experience and experience in your specific industry.
Comprehensive services. Make sure your new IT provider offers a full suite of IT services, including network management, cybersecurity, cloud services, etc.
Reputation. Opt for a partner with positive feedback from clients.
Response time. Ensure your IT provider offers clear SLAs that guarantee prompt response and resolution times.
Cost. Choose a company that offers a clear, transparent pricing structure without hidden fees.
Communication. Consider providers with a reputation for clear and effective communication.
Sereno’s Approach
At Sereno, we know the switching, or ‘onboarding’ process, is one of the most important projects we will do as a company.
We will oversee everything and ask for the minimal information we need so that everything moves forward without a hitch.
- An onboarding engineer will be introduced and assigned to you as your single point of contact throughout the onboarding and the initial weeks of support.
- We have a well-documented 6-stage transition plan that includes the internal steps necessary for our engineer and another external one with any actions requiring your involvement, so you know exactly what is expected from the start.
- We’ll send you brief email reports on our progress and set up a few check-ins as the launch date approaches to reassure you and keep you in the loop.
- Our team doesn’t assume; instead, we verify all access and information in advance and record the results for future reference.
- We will visit your office at least once to take pictures, draw up a network diagram, verify the accuracy of the data given, and get to know your staff so we can better address any problems they’re experiencing.
- During the transition period, our engineers assess your entire environment to ensure it is up to industry standards, covering everything from network reliability to data security. Within the first two weeks of support, we conduct a Technology Assessment Review where we will share what we have learned and heard and discuss any problems or opportunities for improvement.
- We will also offer in-person or online training for employees on how to make the most of our service, ideally within 15 minutes of a scheduled company meeting. All future employees will be introduced via a training video that we produce.
- Our next step will be to discuss your company’s short- and long-term goals and objectives, after which we will incorporate the resulting improvements and actions into an adaptable IT Road Map.
This is not a one-and-done procedure but rather a regular part of our dedication to you, so we will review and re-evaluate it every quarter.
If you are looking to switch to a new IT provider and would like to know more about how we ensure your stress-free transition to a better service, please contact Sereno at 0203 089 01 41 or at hello@serenoit.co.auk to speak with one of our knowledgeable advisors on how we can help!
