When is the best time to change IT providers?

Moving IT providers is a big decision, and even if you've decided that you want to explore the market, figuring out when to start making the switch is a difficult task.

In this post we'll explore what the considerations to make when changing IT companies are, and how to determine when the right time for your organisation to make the switch is.

Making sure you're ready to change IT providers

Before you do anything though, it's important to be sure that changing IT company is the right thing to do. So, why might you want to change IT providers?

• Poor service. Sadly, feeling let down by an IT company is common for many business owners across the country. It happens, companies change and evolve, and what was once a great fit might not be the case any longer. If you're no longer feeling the love from your current IT provider, then it's probably time to re-evaluate your options.
• Cyber attack or data loss. Keeping you secure should be top priority for your IT provider, so if you've recently been victim to a phishing attack, scam, ransomware, or other cyber incident, don't wait for it to happen again. Find a company who can keep your staff and your data safe.
• Friction with technology. You invest in your IT for it to help your staff get their work done, and to help you be more productive and efficient as a business. If your IT company is introducing changes that cause friction and hassle, you're moving in the wrong direction. 
• Runaway costs. Hidden costs, project work that always seems to cost extra, equipment and services you're not sure you need. Sound familiar? If it is, you might be able to save money by looking elsewhere.
• Lack of focus and strategy.  Your IT company should do more than just fix computers when they go wrong.  They should be there to help you leverage technology in the best way possible to help support your business goals and future growth.
• Old school thinking . The future is the cloud. If you're still spending money buying servers and dialling a VPN to access files it could be a sign that your IT company is stuck in the past. You might be able to benefit from the advantages modern IT can bring.

If any of the above points ring true, it's likely worth assessing your options.

Preparing to switch

Once you're sure you're ready to change IT providers, it's worth doing a small amount of preparation before you start approaching IT companies. This information is good to have on hand regardless of when you're planning to move companies.

• Review your current contract. Find out how long it lasts, and whether you can break out without penalty.
• Find out what you're paying. Use the information gained to establish a rough budget. Try to gauge whether you think you're getting value for money with your current provider.
• Find out if you own your hardware. Some companies lease computers and servers, which can factor into a potential move.
• Establish how many IT users you have. This will help you get an accurate indication on pricing when you approach IT companies.

Determining the best time to approach other companies

In an ideal world, you should be approaching other IT companies 9 - 6 months in advance of the end of your current support contract.

However, we appreciate that the world is often less than ideal.

The real answer to this question is any time.

Worst case scenario, you're locked into a contract that you can't escape for a number of years, and even in that case, it's worth getting a sense of the different options out there.

Should you decided you like the look of any of the potential options available, the more time to prepare, the better. When given lots of time to prepare, an IT company that's taking over can plan prepare, and do things like calculate when the optimal time to renew or end license agreements is. All this will result in a smooth transition, and sometimes even significant savings if things can be planned properly.

So, to answer the question in the title of this post - when is the best time to change IT provider? The answer is, start looking now. Start prepared, but start looking as early as possible.

Impelling IT Support

If you're reading this post because you are thinking about changing IT support providers, then we would encourage you to take a look at our own service offering.

Our Managed IT service is designed to give businesses and the tools and the strategy to thrive in the modern digital world. We handle all aspects of IT, and make sure we're oriented with your business goals in order to support growth and success.

If you're like to find out more, or arrange a no obligation IT health check, get in touch today.