When partnering with a managed IT services provider, ideally you have found the right fit and can leverage their resources for years to come. However, things don’t always work out this way, and you may need to reevaluate your relationship. If your business is feeling stuck with your current MSP, it might be time to make a change. Switching to another MSP can be the right answer. But what does that mean for your business? Read on to learn what switching managed services providers involves.
Finding a New Managed Services Provider
One of the important parts of switching managed services providers is selecting a good fit for a new MSP. Start with where you are – weigh the pro’s and con’s of your current provider, and pinpoint the technological issues or priorities your business has. Use this information when reviewing a potential new MSP’s Service Level Agreement. This will help you get a good understanding of whether they will meet your needs. Finding a good balance between your budget and the service level you are provided is your best bet. Be sure to be realistic about what your organization needs – it is likely that your old MSP was not serving you in some area that was essential, so ensure that your new MSP is able to address this adequately, or you’ll likely run into the same issue down the road.
Communication When Switching Managed Services Providers
As with the standard onboarding process, your new MSP will need to assess your environment so that they can properly understand its inner workings. Communication between your old and new managed services provider will help the process to move along more smoothly. Trust of your old MSP is key, both from you and from your new managed services provider.
Your former MSP should have a good understanding of what makes up your business technology, but your management team should also know what is involved so that your new MSP has all the information necessary. This means understanding what hardware and equipment you own, what your data storage looks like (is it all on-premises, all cloud-based, or hybrid?), what applications you use, and more. You should also fully understand what your old MSP controls within your technological environment, such as backups, servers, and applications. Your new MSP can use this information, along with the former management practices of your old MSP, and devise a plan for both how to bring you into their fold, and how to make improvements so that your technology can work to grow your business.
Security protocols are also important. While surely your old MSP’s members are trustworthy individuals, it is best practice to change passwords when moving to a new MSP, and to assess your network for any potential security weaknesses. The move to a new MSP is a great opportunity for assessing your overall environment, from a security and a general standpoint.
Your New MSP Taking the Wheel
Once your new managed services provider has gotten into your technological environment, assessed the inner workings, and made a plan to move forward, your company can now be managed by your new MSP. Your old MSP will be off-boarded, and your new MSP will begin providing you with service that is hopefully a better fit. While it can be a difficult decision to make the switch, if you find a service provider that is truly the right fit, you can use this as your guide to moving forward.
