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.
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?
If any of the above points ring true, it's likely worth assessing your options.
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.
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.
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.
Ed Hardie, Director
Ed's background is in software engineering, and while he still chips in with the odd bit of code for some automation here and there, these days his focus is across the business as a whole. He heads up the marketing team, oversees day to day operations, and advises our customers on their IT strategy. Read more posts by Ed HardieContact us