How To Transition to a New Managed Services Provider

 

The relationship with your Managed Services Provider can encounter rough patches – there may be times when your current IT Managed Services provider leaves you feeling more frustrated than the peace of mind they promised. Sometimes, ending that relationship by walking away will save the company money & time. The lack of attention to service tickets, network interruptions, software & patches not getting installed, data access is limited or defunct, firewalls not being updated are just some of the issues that can hamper a business into the red and just can’t be ignored anymore.

Drafting a RFP for a new service provider and an endless rounds of meetings seems fruitless and more trouble than their worth. What is the best way to have a seamless transition with the least amount of disturbance to the team?

With over 20 years of industry experience in the IT industry – we have helped many companies make the switch over to a new provider. Although the transition process may feel cumbersome work to a few key staff members – a continuous disruption into the business operations can cost more.

List Your Managed Services Provider Concerns:

To ensure that the successor will go beyond the level of expectation for service – make a detailed list of where the current incumbent is lacking.  Performing a very top level inventory & network audit will help convey any issues you may have with the current environment to the new suitor.  The benefit will be the new suitor will be able to craft a solution that will address the issues the network / infrastructure might be having.

Additionally – Make sure the service provider is a cultural fit for your organization, this will ensure that the problems you encountered in the past will not make a comeback. For example – if the response time for tickets & critical network issues was not addressed in a prompt manner; ask for a SLA. What are the guaranteed response times for every level; from ticket submission to business critical?

Going Forward:

After listing your concerns and future needs, you need to know what you expect from your potential new service provider.  Request a consultation with your potentially new IT provider. This should be an easy task as there are countless firms offering free consultations. But even so, make sure to evaluate them accordingly and that their services match up to what you need.

Look for trust indicators to make sure you are in safe hands. As you know what software you use, choose service providers whose team has skills and certifications with that specific software, or has partnership with the brand. This way, you know you will be 100% supported with concerns relating to that.

Make The Manged Services Switch:

Give the required notice according to your existing IT contact and then let your new provider handle the handover process from your old contract. Just make sure that the whole process aims for a smooth transition, with the most minimal of service interruptions.

There may be some platform changes, or in other cases, little or no back-end changes will be called for. Whatever the case may be, your new IT firm will have this all laid out in the transition plan, including measures that they will do to address any drawbacks that might occur.

 

Speak with our team to learn more about how we can help
info@gripit.ca | 416 907 8181 x 3052