Maybe you have outgrown your companies existing IT support provider’s capabilities. Perhaps their service productivity and response times have declined in quality, and you need someone who has the experience to match your business’s growth objectives.
Regardless of your reasons, switching IT support providers isn’t unheard of — in fact, it can be the spark to light the flames of your companies success. But how will this switch impact your company, especially when a healthy IT infrastructure and systems are the backbone of most London firms in the 21st century?
Well, the answer varies, but we do know this for sure: the transition must be a cautious, strategised and thoughtful one. Without the right preparation, your business could see negative side-effects that’ll place a damper on your productivity and the support provided.
In this article, we’ll help you determine whether your business needs to switch its London IT support provider in the first place as well as determining whether you should change IT support provider – When the times comes, how to complete the process without the hassle to avoid problems.
Switch IT Support Provider: Are You Prepared?
It’s natural for humans to be resistant to change; It’s the reason why many businesses can find themselves stuck with a support company that isn’t thoroughly meeting their requirements.
Don’t be one of these businesses.
At some point, you’ll need to make changes to maintain momentum and ensure your workforce remains prepared for the future — especially when it comes to your IT infrastructure. But when’s the best time to move?
Look at the statements listed below and determine how true they are when applied to your current provider. The way you answer should grant you some clarity into your current relationship.
- My current support service provider satisfies all of my expectations
- Switching IT provider will better help my business grow and solve my current problems and poor response times.
- The new provider delivers more value for its price compared to my current support provider
- I understand how the transition will impact my business’s operations — both negatively and positively.
If you’re unsure about any of these, it means it’s time to learn a bit more information of your alternate support providers before taking the next step. But, if you’re 100% certain you know these details, it’s a good time to look into the next topic…
Making the Move: What to Accept and Avoid
Utilsing outsourced IT support as a managed service doesn’t mean your providers can’t be just as passionate about your business as you are. There’s no time to lose in a fast-paced market, and it’s your duty to discover more information of those who are ready to play the long-game with just as much vigor — if not more — as your workforce.
Regardless of who you partner with, your IT infrastructure should remain their priority. Fortunately, London has a diverse range of IT support partners who can fulfil this promise, but there’s never a wrong reason to double-check that they meet — or don’t meet — the following criteria.
Be Careful with Lengthy Maintenance Contracts
12-month contracts are generally the base for most IT providers — quite a long commitment for businesses to sign off on, especially for smaller operations. As such, your business shouldn’t agree to any lengthy contracts without a guarantee that the service provider is worth the commitment.
Its worth noting, at Sphere IT we take pride in the IT support we provide to our clients and are confident that you will be happy with our services – for this reason we offer our IT support plans on a 30 day rolling period to give you peace of mind.
If you can’t imagine signing a paper with such an extended amount of time on it, don’t. Regardless of what you might be told, there are always alternative options to fulfill your needs. Some IT support helpdesks offer shorter agreements ranging between 3- and 6-month contracts for the commitment-weary.
Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Pitfalls
Deceit and trickery are a sad truth when it comes to business support, and it’s one that the IT support industry is no exception to experiencing. As such, your business should keep a careful eye out for any “small print” on your contract that could cause issues in the future.
Searching specifically for a new provider that, even at first glance, is entirely transparent in all aspects should eliminate some of the lesser offerings. As always, maintain thorough communication with the potential support provider to ensure they’re the best fit for your business before making any hard agreements.
Ultimately, the contract you sign should be easily understandable, provide transparency, list service level agreements and clearly display all of your costs — without hiding any extra fees. Don’t forget to examine the length of your contract; you wouldn’t want to get tricked into any agreements longer than your preferred period or sign off on clauses that prevents you from breaking the contract if things aren’t going well.
Look for the Best Customer Service Possible
While your staff may pack up and head home around evening time, your IT infrastructure won’t take the same time off — it runs 24/7. As such, you’ll need an IT helpdesk that can guarantee high-quality service throughout the year and handle any issues — without a decline in that service’s quality.
At this stage, reviews and testimonials are what you need to search for. Client reviews are the social proof an IT support partner needs to prove their worth; if they’re worth your time, they’ll have plenty to display on their website.
Ultimately, the IT support provider you choose should have a track record of successfully handling a variety of constraints while still meeting all service level agreements stated in the contract. While things like ill staff members or downed networks will inevitably impact their abilities, the way they respond to such situations should be a clear indicator of their quality.
Find the Best Engineers and Response Times
London businesses of all sizes can thank downtime for lost revenues, decreased productivity and impacted business productivity. When it comes to issues involving your IT infrastructure, you need a support provider who can handle things quickly and efficiently — and no less.
Remember: It’s your money — and business — on the line.
To ensure your business continues rolling at full speed while facing an IT issue, your provider’s engineers need to be readily available. Search for a supplier with a 24/7 IT helpdesk who can assist you when you experience a problem or who can send an engineer to your physical location as soon as possible.
Of course, none of this means much if the staff isn’t qualified to the fullest extent. Your new outsourced IT service provider should have trained and incentivised engineers who consistently prove to be the best in their field. Without this promise, you might not see your service level agreements fulfilled to the appropriate extent.
Determine Their Experience
Your business wouldn’t employ a worker who doesn’t portray the most experience and proficiency in their field possible — the same goes for your new IT support partner. Their tech support engineers should boast a wide array of expertise in their area, both new and old, to keep your business “future-proof” and prepared to tackle any issues that arrive from the ever-changing market.
Regardless of their size, the IT partner you choose should be proficient in server support and maintenance, office applications, cross-platform content, hardware installations as well as expertise with support for your network in London. Not only that, but they should have a proven track record of evolving to any changes in the market.
Any potential new provider who strictly focuses on only a few IT pieces — rather than the whole picture — is one you want to avoid. Technology is always evolving, and you need the freedom to tell them where you want them to focus their energy, rather than the other way around.
Don’t Forget About the Rules
As businesses and technology continue to shape the face of London (ever heard of the East London Tech City), your firm needs to ensure it complies with the newest regulations set by the government — even if you utilise a service provider at present, you should understand the benefits with outsourcing your IT support and how such company can better assist you with this matter.
As the public grows more aware of subjects like privacy protection, you’ll need to pick a specialist who follows the rules; anyone who doesn’t could risk tarnishing your brand’s name or get you into costly legal troubles.
Any IT service without the proper accreditations or certifications should be wiped from your list, and the remaining options should be examined thoroughly to ensure they’re staying up to date with recent regulations and changes. Providers with ISO9001 and ISO27001 certifications are a good starting point, though it’s essential to keep the previous criteria in consideration; a compliant IT provider doesn’t always equal a worthwhile support provider.
Trouble Finding the Right IT Provider? Maybe We Can Help
Finding the right outsourced IT support desk can be a long process — switching providers can be even longer. We know the ins-and-outs of the process, and we’re determined to provide you with the IT assistance you deserve to keep your business prepared for whatever the future might throw at it.
With cost-effective pricing and premier customer service, our team can walk you through various IT infrastructure solutions from full-scale IT support plans to office IT relocation services. No matter how rigorous your requirements may be, our industry experts have the experience necessary to keep your operations running at full speed.
Don’t wait! Get in touch with one of our team members today and take the next step in future-proofing your business’s IT capabilities.
