Whatever the reason, if you're trying to switch managed service providers (MSPs), you should know what to expect. Change is scary- we’ve all been there.
To help ease this transition, here are some tips for switching managed IT providers.
How to Properly Switch Your Network Support Company
There are several reasons people decide to change their managed service providers, such as,
- Your company is growing larger than your provider can support
- The current IT provider can maintain your IT environment, but they are not enhancing it for future success.
- They don’t have a quick enough response time
- They don’t have cybersecurity services
- They don’t have the tools necessary for a remote work environment.
The best advice we'd give you is: don’t give up the keys to your old vehicle before first getting the keys to your new vehicle. When you are leaning towards switching to a different managed service provider, one of the most important things is making sure that you already have a managed service provider fully in place.
If you don’t, this can leave your company in an extremely sensitive position. If there is a delay between your old provider and your new provider, this opens up the possibility that suspicious activity could be occurring without anyone monitoring it.
If anything were to happen in that small amount of time, such as a breach, you wouldn’t have anyone to recognize it before it's too late or resolve it. There should be no downtime at all between transitioning providers to ensure someone is always keeping an eye on your IT infrastructure.
Get a Network Assessment From Your New Potential Provider
A network assessment is when your chosen potential provider takes a deep dive into your IT infrastructure to recognize any vulnerabilities or access points that could pose a threat.
When you switch providers, you must allow your new provider to do a full network assessment. This will enable the provider to locate any access points or information that your old provider has access to.
Keep in mind that many providers won't require you to sign on to an IT contract if you go through with an assessment. Make sure to ask about this when you speak to an outsourced IT manager.
If your old IT provider still has access to your system after you have switched it can pose risks of your sensitive information getting taken. The more people who can access your systems, the greater the chances of a data breach, accidental or not.
After the network assessment, they will give you this roadmap of your network. If you agree with the recommendations they provide, you might decide to continue the onboarding process. This kicks off the process of enhancing your IT environment.
Get Your Employees Trained ASAP
Make sure that you get all employees trained by your new managed service provider as soon as possible. This is because your new managed service provider will likely implement new programs within your network and you'll need to set employees up for success.
The managed service provider will send IT specialists into your office and provide full training to all employees to ensure everyone is up and running and can become the expert of their own devices. They will also train on cybersecurity best practices to ensure employees can recognize and avoid any suspicious activity.
Without training your employees they won't have the ability to use their new programs proficiently and follow the guidelines on cybersecurity protocol. Once your employees are fully trained, they can begin working in their new efficient, and secure environment.
Whatever the reason, here you are, trying to figure out how to make the switch but not knowing what to expect and how to go about it. To help ease this transition, here are some tips for switching managed IT providers:
How to Find Comprehensive IT Support That’s Your Perfect Match
You will want to be fully confident that you are taking three steps forward, not four steps back when you switch providers. Here are some questions that you should ask before switching to your new managed service provider.
Do they Offer Fully Trained IT Technicians and a vCIO?
When MSPs offer clients a Virtual Chief Information Officer (vCIO), it allows them to be more efficient and drive certain standards across all clientele. The vCIO can help formulate strategic IT goals for your company. To read more about vCIOs and their role in your business, check out our blog: FAQ's About Virtual Chief Information Officers (vCIOs)
What is Their Typical Response Time?
You don’t want an MSP who keeps you waiting when you’re in a crisis. Find an MSP with a large enough team to ensure you aren’t waiting long on service requests and avoid downtime between any incidents.
To read about the true costs of downtime, check out our blog: The Hidden Costs of Faulty IT Infrastructure
Do They Provide Fixed Costs? (Aside from Future Projects)
Getting one fixed cost for all the services allows you to budget accordingly for the future without worrying about fees that are unaccounted for. When you're looking at IT support pricing, ensure they offer fixed rates. This fixed cost typically does not include future projects.
Do They Offer Incident Response Support?
If a ransomware attack occurs, you want your MSP to have already set you up with a proactive incident response plan to move forward with. Having an MSP with a disaster recovery and incident response plan will ensure the problem is resolved as quickly as possible.
Check out some resources about incident response and disaster recovery plans below:
- Incident Response vs Disaster Recovery: What's the Difference?
- How to Conduct Incident Response Tabletop Exercises
- Key Players in Your Cyber Incident Response Plan
Have They Served a Company of Your Size Before?
If so, have them provide you with a case study or example of that servicing experience. You don’t want to be a test run. If you know the MSP has worked with a similar-sized company to yours, they have a reliable process to manage you.
Have They Served Clients in Your Industry Before?
This is important if your industry has to comply with specific regulations or standards. If they have worked with a company in your industry, they know the requirements that must be met.
Can They Scale Your Company?
If you are a start-up or growing business, you want to make sure they can continue to give you the support you require for future success.
These are some simple questions that you can ask to make sure you are making the right decision. Don’t make any quick decisions before you are confident that the managed service provider is the right fit for your business.
Find the Best On Demand IT Support for Your Business
To read a more in-depth guide on next steps once you've decided to make a switch, read our blog: “It’s Not You, It’s MSP”: How to Break Up with Your MSP
Now that you have a good understanding of what switching entails, you are ready to begin looking for your new managed service provider. An easy way to get started is to call a few network support service providers near you to get an initial consultation.
This is an easy way to determine how the new managed service provider would move forward with your specific environment and get you started on your journey.
If you want to discover more about switching your managed service provider, click the button below to set up a consultation.
