There are some business owners and executives who will switch IT providers at the drop of a hat. And of course there are others who will wait far too long to fire an underperforming vendor, even when they feel like they are paying too much for below-average service.
In today’s post we want to explore an underlying question behind both of these tendencies. How important is continuity when it comes to staying with the same technology team from one quarter or year to the next?
Before we answer, it’s important to remember that every situation is different. If you have in-house employees, or rely on hardware and software that are very unusual, you might have to be careful about making changes. On the other hand, if your small business uses common tools and procedures, then it’s probably the case that any good IT vendor can help you. And so, you’re more free to shop around for the best deal.
With that little caveat out of the way, let’s look at a couple of things you should remember…
It’s Never Good to Switch If You Don’t Have To
We’ll start by stating the obvious: if you don’t have to change IT providers, at least in the short term, it’s a good idea not to do so suddenly.
There are a lot of reasons for this. It could be that you are relying on them for ongoing tasks like workstation setups, software updates, or even data privacy protection. And unfortunately there are cases where vendors have acted maliciously toward former clients and refused to hand over things like passwords after their contracts have ended.
That doesn’t mean you should never make a change, however. It’s just a matter of timing and tolerance. That brings us to our next point.
You Shouldn’t Settle for a Bad IT Provider
Technology is an important part of your company, and the bigger your company gets the more substantial your IT costs can be. Knowing that, it doesn’t make sense for you to stay with a provider that doesn’t give you the service you deserve – particularly over the course of months or years.
We have heard again and again from our clients that having the right kind of support can make all the difference. So, don’t decide to “stick it out” with your current IT vendor just because they know you. Hold them to the same high standards as you would any other service provider and look for alternatives if they aren’t providing you with the bargain and service you deserve.
The Best Outsourced IT Solution?
Obviously, the best idea is to find the right managed services provider the first time and stick with them for the life of your business. You should look for a partner with the capabilities you need today and the scalability to grow with you in the future.
If that’s not possible, however, your next best bet is to simply plan ahead. Unless the service you’re getting today is too bad to continue paying for, you could take the sensible step of transitioning from one IT team to another with a little bit of overlap. That way you’ll have someone who knows your business in place today and a better provider ready to take over in the future.
To get help planning for either of the scenarios we have described here, contact our sales team today to schedule a free consultation. The answers you’re looking for are closer than you might think!