5 Telltale Signs You Need To Change Managed IT Services Providers

5 Telltale Signs You Need To Change Managed IT Services Providers

Written by Joe Cannata

Posted on June 15, 2020

Change Managed IT Services Providers

While business decision-makers can conduct thorough due diligence before entering into an agreement with a managed IT services provider, sometimes that relationship doesn’t quite work out.

In many instances, initial engagement feels like a honeymoon. But over time, you begin to see subtle differences in areas such a goal alignment and long-term expectations. Other times, red flags appear that indicate you need to make a substantial change in terms of outsourcing managed IT necessities. These are telltale signs the time has come to interview other providers.

Monthly Cost Overruns

Once you have worked through the budgetary process with a third-party provider and arrived at a reasonable monthly rate, it’s critical that number sticks. One of the benefits of outsourcing stems from the ability of organizations to cost-effectively integrate the service into a budget. But not every managed IT provider prioritizes client needs.

Like any industry, there will be outfits that have a tendency to either underestimate costs or seek to drive up their own profits. If each month you get a bill that exceeds your anticipated costs or the company presses you to upgrade the package, it may be time to move on.

Failure To Monitor & Improve IT Infrastructure

Companies commonly outsource portions or all of their managed IT needs to leverage expertise they might otherwise not be able to access. This typically means that the provider will conduct ongoing assessments of the hardware, Cloud usage, and cybersecurity, among others. A proactive provider reviews the state of your systems and considers it against emerging threats and technological advancements. There’s little reason to pay a monthly premium for someone to maintain systems that put your organization at a competitive or security disadvantage.

You Just Can’t Get Along

Collaborating with third-party contractors requires seamless communication and cooperative productivity. In many ways, managed IT providers act as an extension of your valued team members. They are entrusted with mitigating problems and helping workers move forward with company tasks. When your in-house staff or remote workforce cannot coexist with an independent contractor, it may be time for a divorce. At the end of the day, you need a partner who resolves problems, proves helpful, and keeps the ship moving forward without unnecessary friction.

Unexpected Data Loss

Protecting your digital assets ranks among the top reasons that organizations outsource managed IT needs. This business strategy often stems from the conventional wisdom that in-house technicians spend their time resolving glitches to keep workers on track. Decision-makers must either consider expensive new hires to accomplish strategic goals such as disaster recovery to outsource. When you bring in a third party to oversee strategic IT planning such as recovery and suffer a data loss, it may be time to consider whether your organization got the paid-for services.

Your Organization Got Unnecessarily Hacked

Industry leaders should expect that working with a managed IT firm that touts itself as a cybersecurity expert ought to deliver determined defenses. This is not to say that a cybersecurity specialist can protect your digital assets against all threats. But if you got hacked and are staring at paying a ransom, stolen data, or a bank account was drained, conducting a postmortem assessment can help you understand whether the breach was avoidable. If subpar defenses were the reason a digital thief penetrated your system, it’s time to upgrade to a true expert.

Choose Your Next Managed IT Services Provider Wisely

When selecting a managed IT provider to deliver the unique services you require, consider ways they are a seamless fit. Ask yourself pertinent questions and conduct some due diligence. Do the firm’s staff mesh well with yours? Does the outfit work with others in your industry? What do their past and present clients have to say? Selecting a compatible managed IT partner can lead to a long and fruitful relationship. Choose wisely.