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10 Signs to Switch IT Service Provider

VBS IT Services

Signs Its Time To Switch Your Managed IT Service Provider

You signed up with a managed IT service provider thinking you would never have to worry about technology issues again. You were sold on the idea of someone else looking after your IT infrastructure to make sure it runs smoothly and secure, but things have changed.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that we hear from a lot of businesses who are unhappy with their current IT support provider. Much of it comes down to lack of commitment from your provider to deliver high quality service.

Why you should be highly skeptical of all IT support companies

You probably don’t know, what you don’t know

about IT. Does that make sense?

And why should you concern yourself with the latest tech news, software, and support updates? You’re too busy doing what you do best.

You probably already read your industry magazines, blogs, visit trade shows, go to conferences, and attend training… you’re an expert in your field. That’s what experts do. You certainly don’t have the time to do all of that for your IT too.

Would you expect your clients to know as much about your area of expertise as you do? Of course not. That’s why they hire you, isn’t it?

The same goes for us.

We totally absorb ourselves in the highly technical, high speed, rapidly changing world of technology. We genuinely love it and pride ourselves on having a level of expertise that most people don’t.

You’d be shocked how many people consider themselves IT experts, simply because they know their way around computers. However, in reality, great IT support companies operate on a completely different level – with better knowledge, tools, and systems.

The biggest problem when it comes to IT support is that it’s an unregulated industry. There’s no governing body that people have to pass through to be allowed to call themselves an IT support company. No industry standard that has to be met. No guidelines on how the business must operate.

Just about anybody… literally anybody… can set themselves up and say they’re an IT support company.

These are the top 10 reasons people want to make the switch

to a new and improved IT support partner:

Managed IT Services Buyers Guide

 

Download the full version Managed IT Services Buyer’s Guide or read the summary below.

Click here to download the full version eBook for more detailed information.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 1)

YOU’RE NOT SEEING BUSINESS RESULTS

Return on investment is everything. Especially right now. You need to  be able to see at a glance exactly how hard your IT partner is working  for you. And what benefit that work is bringing to your business.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 2)

POOR COMMUNICATION

This can cover a whole range of issues… from it taking far too long for them  to acknowledge problems… to them not letting you know when updates are taking place… or not getting back to you when they say they will…

IconREASON TO SWITCH 3)

THEY DON’T TAKE DATA SECURITY SERIOUSLY

Yes, you read that correctly.

There are some IT support providers – whose job it is to keep your data safe and secure – that don’t do the same thing within their own business.

They don’t make it a priority to keep themselves educated on the latest scams and  threats. They can’t keep you up to speed.

And they won’t go out of their way to ensure every last part of your data is as safe as it can be. Or that your software 100% up-to-date all the time.

I know… this scares us too…

IconREASON TO SWITCH 4)

THEY WON’T GO OUTSIDE OF THEIR CONTRACT

“Sorry, we don’t cover that.”

Ever heard that from your managed IT services support provider? Lots of businesses have. But so long as the request relates to your technology, it should be a red flag.

“We don’t cover that” suggests a real lack of concern for your business. And that’s  not what a partner is about.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 5)

THINGS TAKE TOO LONG TO FIX

Understandably, many problems can’t always be fixed immediately. Some issues take a while to get to the bottom of. Other problems are rare and may take a little more diagnostic work.

But in these situations, good communication is key.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 6)

THEY NEVER ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

When you take on an IT support partner, it’s vital that both businesses take responsibility for their side of the agreement.

Failing to do so causes a huge lack of trust. And means that the relationship is going nowhere.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 7)

THEY CONFUSE YOU WITH TECH TALK

If technology wasn’t complicated, everyone would be able to take care of their own business infrastructure without a problem.

However, the truth is quite the opposite. It’s full of strange words and concepts, and everything changes every 7 minutes! (it seems that way anyway).

IconREASON TO SWITCH 8)

YOU’RE NOT LEARNING

We’re not expecting your IT support partner to teach you their job. You don’t need to be an expert in IT – that’s what you’re paying someone to do for you. However, there should be a certain element of learning when you partner with an IT company.

For example, you need to learn about cybersecurity; how to avoid scams; and how to protect your data with regular cybersecurity employee awareness training.

If you’re told “Let us worry about that,” it should ring alarm bells. You can’t expect to keep your organization safe from a data breach or data theft if you don’t know what you’re trying to protect yourself from.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 9)

THEY’RE ALWAYS PUSHING NEW HARDWARE

Many of our clients complain that their previous IT support providers spent more time pushing new equipment than they did on the fundamentals.

It’s nice to have the very latest technology in your business, but it’s certainly not vital. There are lots of other things to consider before upgrading equipment and devices. Especially today when value for money and return on investment are critical.

IconREASON TO SWITCH 10)

YOU’VE OUTGROWN THEM

Now, this last one isn’t necessarily a bad reason to switch IT support partners. Sometimes, your business simply grows too big for a smaller IT company to deal with.

If you’ve ever felt any of these gripes, perhaps now is the right time for you to make the switch too?

When you place your technology at the heart of your business growth strategy, you see why it’s important to have a partner you can trust.

No business is perfect. Inevitably we get some things wrong for our clients some of the time, because we’re human too.

But because we have partnerships with our clients, we’re able to have adult conversations and change course quickly. We don’t have to spend unnecessary time repairing relationships; rather we can set the correct expectations and resolve issues quickly.

What to do next

I hope you’ve found this information useful, and it’s covered many of the questions you’ve had about choosing a new IT support partner.

Perhaps it’s made you look at your IT support in a different way?

Good news – we’re currently taking on new clients again. That’s why we wrote this guide.

I’d really love to talk to you about your business.

If you’re serious about working with a new IT support partner to improve your business and contribute to long-term growth, this is your next step:

Book a no obligation call with me. Click here to learn more.

Miguel Ribeiro 2022 face 
Miguel Ribeiro

 

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