Switching IT Companies In Calgary

When Is It The Right Time to Switch IT Companies? How Do You Go About It?

The technological world is evolving at a fast rate, making it hard for companies to keep up with the changes, and when you think you are at par, something new and better comes up.

Technological changes are making most companies “think out of the box” or without it all together and outsource their IT needs to managed service providers. These partnerships play a critical role in the running of everyday operations, from helping you access your data to communicating with clients. These services also offer companies a lot of benefits. However, if your IT company isn’t meeting the needs of your business, then the partnership isn’t beneficial to you anymore. It is, therefore, advisable to switch to a more reliable IT company.

But how do you know exactly when to change IT companies?

Signs That You Need to Switch to a Different IT Company

You may want to switch your IT Service provider due to the following reasons:

• You’ve been experiencing recurring technical glitches with no permanent solution in sight

• You’re planning to expand your business, but your IT company can’t meet your growing IT needs

• You’re always getting hidden fees or additional charges on your invoice due to upgrades and services that you aren’t aware of

• Your company is continually experiencing system downtime, and your IT company is taking long hours to respond

• Your IT company is failing to keep your systems up-to-date
• Your IT company isn’t offering you cyber-security solutions, or if they are, you are continually experiencing security breaches

Finding a New IT Support Provider

Switching to a new IT company is deemed a daunting task. It’s crucial to transition smoothly to minimize downtime and ensure that your business operations continue to run smoothly. The first step in your transition is finding a new IT company.

Factors to Consider When Choosing an IT Company

• The Services They Offer: The services provided by your IT company should be relevant to your company. These services should include; cloud-based services, data backup and recovery, cyber-security, strategic planning, network design, and integration.
• Their Portfolio: It is essential to get access to a list of previous clients, projects completed, testimonials, and reviews that your potential IT company has. This will enable you to assess their capabilities before signing up with them.
• Their Level of Expertise and Years of Experience: Your new IT company must present your company with a team of technicians who are experts in the IT field and have years of experience working in information technology.

How to Smoothly Transition While Switching IT Companies

Once you’ve found a new IT company that you’re confident in, the next step is transitioning.

The following are a few vital steps to take as you transition:

• Get Full Control Of Your Networks: When you outsource your IT services, you give your IT company full control over your systems. As a company, you become very highly dependent on them since most of your data is stored on their equipment.  For this reason, the first thing you need to do as you transition is to gain full control of your network and files. Although most MSPs make transitioning easy for previous clients, some may try to hold your information ransom by locking you out of your systems and changing passwords. Once you have moved to a different IT supplier, you need to change your passwords to prevent your previous IT support from accessing your systems.
• Acquire Your Entire IT Documentation: As you transition, you will need to get full IT documentation of your systems. This documentation will include a list of account credentials, usernames, passwords, network maps, and hardware and software disks. Give your current IT support provider access to this documentation as it will help them identify your main challenges and implement permanent IT solutions.
• Get Access to All Copies of Your Data Backup: Having a data backup system as you move data from your current IT company to your new IT company is vital as it helps prevent data loss.  You would need to get access to all copies of your data backups if your previous IT company was backing up everything. Having access to all these copies will help prevent a scenario where your previous IT company has access to your company’s information. This will make the transition process less stressful and give you peace of mind.
• Ensure Your New IT Company Performs An Extensive Security Assessment Of Your Systems: Your new IT company should carry out an extensive security assessment of your systems, especially if you’ve been experiencing security breaches. This analysis will help your new team identify areas of risk and system vulnerabilities that need to be resolved and will also enable them to recommend and integrate long-lasting security measures that will minimize risks.
• Set Up An Appropriate Transition Time: You need to set up an appropriate transition time to prevent you from incurring cancellation fees from your current IT support provider if you switch before your contract is invalid.
• Give Your Current IT Support Provider Notice: Once your new IT team is in place, it is only ethical to inform your current IT company that you are planning to switch to a new IT company. This notice will help them prepare for the transition and make the process easier for you.
• Inform Your Employees Of The Change: Once you’ve fully transitioned, make sure that you inform your employees about the change in IT suppliers. Also, tell them how they make use of the new service and share the IT company’s contact information for support, policies, and procedures.

Although switching IT companies may seem like a hassle, it’s more beneficial for your company to shift to a more reliable IT support provider if you feel that your current support isn’t meeting your needs.

Thinking of Switching to a Reliable IT Company and Leverage IT Benefits?

403Tech IT Solutions is here to help. With years of experience in providing IT support solutions for businesses in Calgary, we are your trusted IT company.

Connect with us now.