Have you found that your current managed IT support provider simply isn’t meeting your company’s needs and evolving requirements? Change happens, and it’s an all-too-common scenario when businesses find their current MSP’s services are lacking – yet the business is stuck in a contract. However, that signed piece of paper doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stuck. There are avenues available to you, and it’s important to know the next five steps to transition seamlessly from one MSP to another that works better for your organization.
1. Evaluate Your Current Managed IT Support Relationship
In some ways, it may be evident that your current MSP partnership isn’t working for you. You might face long wait times to get answers to questions – if you get answers at all. You could have noticed a slow response time to a perceived threat inside your network.
Other issues may not be so obvious, but they could pop up at crucial moments. Your company may be experiencing a growth period, but your MSP is unable to offer the solutions and services that scale with that growth. This can hamper your operations and even your potential.
If your current MSP is failing to meet expectations, you are likely frustrated and facing a service gap. To move forward, your first step is to identify those exact gaps and review your contract. What did the original contract promise in the way of services, flexibility, and support?
We’ve helped customers in your shoes before – see what we did for them.
2. Consider the Benefits of Migrating to a New MSP
With your contract review in hand, your next step is to determine if making the switch is right for you and what that transition entails. By recognizing your MSP’s limitations with your evolving needs, you can determine exactly what your needs are going forward.
Migration can be a strategic choice, so organizations have to understand the unique benefits of the transition. What will a superior service alignment deliver to your brand? It could be enhanced efficiency, access to advanced technology, lower costs, or something else.
Here are 7 signs that show you’ve outgrown your service provider and it’s time to make a switch.
3. Navigate the Contract
Now comes the tricky part. Terminating a contract prematurely is rarely cut and dried. There are mid-contract challenges that you need to be aware of, and they could be specific to your partnership. To better understand the penalties and costs, it’s beneficial to seek advice from an IT attorney expert. Usually, however, the long-term benefits will outweigh the short-term costs.
Of course, once you’re out of that MSP contract, you’re going to need to sign a new one with your new partner. When it’s time to sign, make sure you’re negotiating. You want the contract to have clear termination clauses and transition support should you have to change providers again in the future.
4. Know What To Look for in a New MSP
Before you sign that contract, though, you’ll want to be sure you’re partnering with the right managed IT support provider – or you could be making the switch again before you know it! Three things you should look for include:
A Vision for the Long Term
Will the new MSP that works for you today work for you tomorrow? Companies looking for a new partnership need to work with a provider that offers services beyond what they just need today. In addition, businesses and MSPs should work together to craft a technology strategy that works into the future. Will the new managed IT support team be able to uphold that strategy?
Scalability and Growth Potential
Another question to consider: Will the new MSP be able to scale with your company as you grow? As with your vision for the long term, you will want to know if they are able to offer additional services that change and evolve as you grow. By ensuring they have capabilities to scale, you can be confident you have found an MSP that actually helps you grow rather than acts as a roadblock.
A Focus on Cybersecurity Services
A good MSP will go beyond just being an IT help desk for you. It’s important to find a provider who offers cybersecurity services, such as quality disaster recovery plans, cybersecurity training, compliance management, managed EDR, and more. If they don’t offer transparency before you partner with them or offer to help you build up a cybersecurity culture, they may not be the best option for your privacy and security.
5. Ensure a Seamless Transition
When you’re ready to make the switch, you will need to have a collaborative mindset and approach to the exit strategy. Transitional support during the disengagement and a comprehensive transition plan will help to migrate services with minimal disruption. By getting everyone on the same page, you can get out of a contract that isn’t working for you and partner with an MSP who can get you on the road to success.
By working with Nortec for your contract and MSP transition, business leaders can make more informed choices about their IT. The right approach can balance service quality and contractual obligations. And the provided foresight can be key to developing an MSP contract from day 1 that is capable of adapting to business needs. Where will you go with your new managed IT services contract?
Work towards a seamless contract transition with us – book a consultation today.
