There are, of course, other reasons why looking for a new IT Support partner could make sense, and these are:
Your IT Support Costs have Rocketed
As with all things, IT Support, software and hardware costs do go up over time – that’s inevitable. But if you see a big jump or even a consistent increase in fees and are not given complete transparency on why, it might be time to change your IT support provider. You’ll at least want to look elsewhere to make sure that the service and software/hardware costs you’re experiencing are competitive.
You’re Fixing more Things
One of the tell-tale signs that it’s time to switch your IT Support provider is when you start to see a consistent rise in helpdesk queries. We’re not saying that all other IT Support companies do this, but some are just reactive, meaning they only tend to respond whenever you have issues. Your IT Support provider should reduce the number of issues you have by proactively protecting your network at the perimeter and identifying issues before they become a problem.
Response Times have Dipped
If you’ve been with your current IT Support provider for a while, you may notice that the helpdesk is not as accessible and that they’re slow to respond. Obviously, there will be days when an IT Support company is busier than others. But if you’re experiencing a persistent pattern of slow response times, it’s a good idea to look elsewhere.
The Same Issues Keep Reappearing
This is a big one. If the same problems keep reoccurring, you’ll need to ask yourself why your IT Support team hasn’t resolved them. After all, the time you and your provider keep investing in fixing the problem will be costing you money. If an IT partner fails to find a solution and is only interested in patching the problem, it’s certainly a good time to change.
You’ve Outgrown your IT Support Provider
The IT Support provider you started with as a micro-business when you were in your first year or two of growth may not be suitable for you now. At the time, they may have been the ideal match, but they may no longer have the breadth of technical knowledge and people-power you need to grow.
You need more Experience
Many IT Support providers focus purely on providing first, second and third-line IT Support. There’s nothing wrong with this and for some businesses, that’s perfectly adequate. However, if you want to leverage technology to improve internal processes, support colleagues to be more productive and create efficiencies, switching your IT Support provider makes sense. Choose an IT provider who can offer you sound strategic advice. What we mean by this is the ability to look at your strategic goals and identify cost-effective IT solutions to help you achieve them.
Lack of Visibility
In our opinion, your IT Support partner should be completely transparent about the health of your IT infrastructure, the progress they have made, the vulnerabilities that exist and the solutions they recommend. They should also communicate this to you and other members of your team in a way that’s easy to understand (absolutely no technical jargon). If they’re not doing all these things, it’s time to reconsider their value to your business.
Don’t put off Making the Switch
We appreciate that it can be a big decision to step away from what you already know. However, poor IT Support can lead to several problems. It can:
- Leave your employees feeling frustrated
- Lead to lost time
- Decline productivity
- Cost you money
Switching to a trusted IT Support provider doesn’t need to be difficult. If you’re concerned about staying with an IT company that’s not quite right for you, Colchester-based Agile Technical Solutions can help. We’re not just a highly experienced Managed IT Support partner. We’re also IT Consultancy, Cyber Security, Cloud Computing, Business Continuity and Networking specialists.
Please do reach out to us to find out more.