Changing your IT Service provider is hard, especially if you’ve been with them for a long time. Moving to a new Managed Service Provider (MSP) can be time-consuming and stressful and that’s what causes many businesses to knowingly suffer through poor service for years. However, the inconvenience of change is a small price to pay for the overall sustainability, success, and growth of your business. Whether you like it or not, you have to eat that frog.
If you often wonder if you are really getting what you pay for, then it might be time to break off the partnership and switch MSPs. But, how do you know it’s the right time to move to a new MSP? Certainly, if you are going to invest time and money into such a big change, it’s got to be necessary. To help you with your decision-making process, this blog post shares the telltale signs that indicate it's time to change your managed IT service provider.
Telltale Signs That It’s Time to Change Your Managed IT Service Provider
1. You Have Experienced Multiple Security Breaches
Security failures should be absolutely non-negotiable. Even a small or apparently innocuous security failure can have a disastrous impact on your organization. So, if an organization has suffered multiple security breaches, it raises serious concerns about the effectiveness of its IT services provider. Of course, there are novel and sophisticated cyberattacks that cannot be completely prevented, but still, there must be adequate safeguards in place to mitigate the damage.
Most businesses tend to think that security is a one-time project, where you roll out security measures and then forget about it. This line of thinking is further reinforced if there have been no security incidents in the recent past. So, organizations can be lulled into a false sense of security. That’s where an MSP needs to play its part. It needs to guide the organization towards better security practices, educating it about the critical role of security, changes in technology, and emerging threats.
If an organization suffers more than one security breach in a short period, it is crucial to conduct a thorough review of its security posture and the effectiveness of its IT services provider’s security capabilities. This typically involves assessing the MSP's security protocols, investigating the root causes of the breaches, and determining whether the MSP is capable of addressing and preventing future security incidents.
If the review finds that there is a persistent pattern of security failures and insufficient action from the MSP, then it’s definitely time to switch providers. A security-conscious MSP consistently works to:
Weed out common cybersecurity bad habits,
Implement security best practices and standards,
Keep you updated with the latest developments in security,
Identify and fix known vulnerabilities before they are exploited, and
Educate your employees about security threats and preventive measures.
2. They Fail To Promptly Address Compliance Issues
Compliance is another area that should be non-negotiable because compliance failures can have serious repercussions on a business. Strict compliance programs are especially important for organizations operating in industries with specific compliance requirements, such as HIPAA in healthcare. Failure to address compliance issues in a timely manner can lead to loss of certifications, heavy regulatory fines, disruption in business operations, and more importantly, financial and reputational loss.
So, whether there have been multiple compliance issues or a few issues that have lingered on for too long, it’s probably time to move on.
3. There Is A Lack Of Transparency In Pricing And Services
When you sign up with an MSP, a predictable monthly cost is one of the most important things you look for in that partnership. The role of the MSP is not just to fix IT issues but also to help you prioritize, plan, and budget for IT spending. So, regular surprises in your invoice are not what you want from your MSP.
Lack of transparency is the most common reason for discrepancies in your monthly IT support invoice. Complicated pricing structures or gray areas in the scope of services can lead to lengthy, unexplained time charges that send your monthly bills soaring.
It is difficult for organizations to fully understand and identify the breadth of IT services they require and they need their MSP to bring clarity by explicitly communicating what’s covered and what’s not in their contract. So, if your MSP isn’t fully transparent about the services they’re providing, or if they are unable to explain lengthy time charges, then it’s time to move on.
4. Their Service Quality Has Deteriorated
You hire an MSP for their expertise, which should reflect both in their technical capabilities and the quality of their customer service. Maintaining high-quality service requires a combination of the right people, processes, and technology. If there is a deficiency in any of these areas, it compromises the whole service experience for you.
Here are some signs of poor service quality that you need to look out for:
Increased Downtime
Frequent and extended periods of downtime are, typically, caused by inadequate maintenance, poor management, poor security, or other technical issues. If your downtime is on the rise, it is a clear indicator of deteriorating service quality.
Slow Response Time
Frequent and long delays in addressing support requests suggest that the MSP either lacks efficiency or capacity to handle your IT requirements. Slow response, which negatively impacts your business operations, is another huge red flag.
Recurring Issues
Persistent problems that keep resurfacing are another red flag. If your MSP consistently fails to resolve issues effectively, it indicates a lack of expertise or a failure in their problem-solving processes.
Unmet Service Level Agreements (SLA)
Failure to meet SLAs is the most evident indicator of a decline in service quality. SLAs define the agreed level of service, and if your MSP consistently falls short of these commitments, it reflects a decline in their service quality.
5. They Are Reactive, Not Proactive
Firefighting IT issues means you are playing catch-up, consequently, your efficiency suffers and you will lag behind competitors. A good MSP will help you transition from a reactive to a proactive approach to IT services. This means that they not only fix IT issues but also prevent similar issues from reoccurring.
You can’t completely do away with reactive or “break-fix” IT support because every piece of technology will break down at one time or another. However, an MSP must actively work to stop preventable issues from reoccurring. They should have a robust troubleshooting methodology that helps them identify the root cause and suggest ways to prevent the problem from occurring in the future.
So, if your MSP is always busy solving the same IT problems, it is not a good sign for your business.
6. They Don’t Communicate Frequently
Are your employees experiencing difficulties in reaching your support provider? Are they struggling to obtain updates about the status of their requests? These are clear signs of a communication breakdown. Clear and timely communication is necessary to set the right expectations and prevent misunderstandings and frustrations.
Lack of communication can stem from a variety of reasons- your support provider is too busy to respond, your request has gone unnoticed, or the request is out of their wheelhouse. None of which is a good sign. Even if an IT issue falls outside their area of expertise, your support provider must let you know at the earliest. For any issue that is in their scope, they must see it through to resolution. There should be no room for finger-pointing and shifting blame.
The hallmark of a good MSP is their team’s high availability, ability to provide clear answers, offer actionable information, and genuine interest in helping. If any of these are missing, you aren’t getting the service you deserve.
7. They Don’t Keep Up with Technology
Outdated technology accrues technical debt and failure to keep systems up-to-date results in performance issues and security vulnerabilities. A good MSP will ensure that all of your systems remain current and optimized. All updates and patch rollouts must be planned and communicated in advance so as not to disrupt operations.
If your systems aren’t updated in a timely manner, you have to ask them for software updates, or updates are regularly rolled out without any advance notice, it’s time to find a new IT partner.
8. Their Service Lacks Scalability
The IT needs of most organizations, especially startups and high-growth companies, tend to fluctuate a lot. So your MSP should have the flexibility to adjust their services to your changing needs. While scaling up services is typically easy, scaling down is not so simple and often comes with a negative impact on your budget. This is especially the case with those MSPs that offer only long-term contracts with no wiggle room.
If your MSP doesn’t offer you a flexible contract or scalability - both up and down, you should definitely switch to a different provider. There are always many options available and shouldn’t have to put up with an MSP that is not flexible.
9. The IT Service Is Not Aligned With Your Business Objectives
In addition to addressing your immediate IT needs, your MSP must also provide you with strategic guidance. A good MSP will contribute to your long-term IT strategy by helping ensure that IT initiatives deliver the functionalities necessary to achieve your business objectives. Your MSP should also endeavor to deliver the maximum economic value on all IT services, projects, and initiatives.
In fact, this single characteristic is what separates good MSPs from mediocre ones. Good MSPs can effectively guide clients on everything from overall IT strategy to industry best practices, and security within the context of the client’s IT systems, business goals, and industry. Such strategic IT consulting is invaluable, especially for those business owners who are not very tech-savvy as well as for those looking for a third-party perspective.
So, if your MSP is not giving you timely advice on IT strategy, identifying inefficiencies related to your IT systems, or offering solutions to improve efficiency and productivity, it may be time to look for a new IT partner.
If you have decided to change your Managed IT Service Provider, here are a couple of blogs that will help you select your next MSP:
How To Choose The Right IT Service Provider For Your Business?
Comprehensive Guide to Managed IT Services Pricing, Plans, And ROI
Conclusion
Technology is the backbone of any business so it is never worth staying in partnership with an MSP that isn’t actively working to maintain and strengthen that backbone. Changing your MSP is a significant, sometimes draining, decision but sometimes an unavoidable one. Transitioning from one IT services provider to another can be stressful but if you choose the right MSP, it can be smooth and efficient.
Before you make a big decision, it is advisable to have open communication with your current IT service provider. Apart from absolute non-negotiables like security and compliance, if a little leniency helps get things back on track then it’s absolutely worth it. After all, everyone makes mistakes. However, if issues persist and the MSP doesn’t raise its standards to meet your expectations, it’s definitely time to look for a new managed IT service provider that is more capable and attentive to your requirements.
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About The Author
Hari SubediMarketing Manager at Jones IT
Hari is an online marketing professional with a focus on content marketing. He writes on topics related to IT, Security, and Small Business. He is also the founder and managing director of Girivar Kft., a business services company located in Budapest, Hungary.