How Hard Is It to Switch Fort Lauderdale IT Companies?

Most companies rely on external IT support companies for their IT services. Outsourcing from a third-party organization comes with a lot of benefits. However, having an incompetent IT service provider will have adverse effects on your company’s productivity and company-client relations.
Businesses are slowly starting to open up as most parts of the country lift their lockdown restrictions. The lockdown period presented an opportunity for IT support providers, to outdo themselves and improve service delivery. However, most didn’t hold up the end of their bargain. As a result, a lot of companies have made known their intention of switching IT service providers due to the following reasons:

  • Their company has scaled, and the IT provider is no longer capable of meeting the needs of your business.
  • The IT company did not adequately transition them to working remotely during the lockdown period.
  • The IT company continually takes long hours to respond to technical hitches and downtime.
  • They have been continually experiencing network outages.
  • Their current IT company was unable to provide IT support to their remote employees.

Although switching IT companies may seem like a daunting process, it provides your business with the opportunity to start again with a more reliable business partner. As a company executive looking to consult a new IT company, you’ve probably asked yourself some of these questions.

  1. How do I make sure that my new IT support company will adequately meet the needs of the company?
  2. How long will the transition take?
  3. What if my current IT support provider is hostile?
  4. What if I do not admin access to my IT documentation?

The truth is switching IT companies doesn’t have to be such a hassle. The effort you put into the process eventually pays out when you find an IT support partner that’s a good fit for your company. The trick is in being prepared. This way, you’ll avoid setbacks along the way.
Check out our latest video on YouTube where we discuss what you need to do to switch successfully:

Transitioning From One IT Company to the Next

The key to switching IT companies is doing it strategically. If your new support provider is capable of helping you in the transitioning process, then you’re in luck. The following are some critical steps to keep in mind as you transition:
Make Sure You Have a New IT Company Before You Cancel Your Current IT Company
Before terminating your contract with your existing IT company, it is vital to ensure that you find a new IT company that will accommodate you and help you during the transition process. This will permit your new supplier to begin working on your systems to smoothen the transitioning phase. With this arrangement, you’re assured of less downtime when you finally leave your current provider.
Ensure That You Have Full Documentation of Your Networks
Request for your company’s full IT documentation files from your current IT company and hand them over to your new IT support provider. This information should include all the data, accounts, usernames, passwords, network maps, hardware and software inventories, original software disks, and applications. This information will help your new IT company to identify problems in your systems and the challenges you face and implement solutions.
The success of your transition is determined by the smooth transfer of information from your current IT company to your new one. This transfer will be made easier if your current IT company is willing to provide all this information to your new team.
Get Access to All Your File Backups
Having a duplicate copy of your files is essential when moving files. This backup gives you peace of mind as you’re assured that your data will not be lost. When you decide to outsource IT services from a company, you provide them with access to all your data and systems. It is, therefore, expected that your documents would be stored on the company’s computer systems.
If your current IT company doesn’t support your shifting, they may decide to hold your files ransom. In extreme cases, they may lock you out of your systems. Once you’ve successfully moved all your data, you should ensure that you get all backups of your files from your current IT company and change system passwords to avoid such a scenario.

  1. Have Your New IT Company Conduct an Extensive Security Check on Your Systems: Your new IT company should carry out a thorough cybersecurity evaluation of your structures to identify vulnerabilities. The results from this assessment will enable them to come up with better security measures that will be integrated into your IT infrastructure and resolve these backdoors.
  2. Give Your Current IT Company Notice That You’re Switching Companies: Once you have successfully transitioned and your new IT support company is in place, you can cancel the service with your existing IT company.
  3. Inform Your Staff of the Change in Your IT Company: Ensure that you inform your team about the change in your IT support provider, and how they make use of the new service. Also, disclose the IT company’s contact information for support, protocols, procedures, and policies.

With the right IT support, switching IT companies is made seamless. The IT company will offer you hands-on, reliable, and efficient services to ensure a smooth handover and reduce downtime to ensure that your business remains productive.
Are you currently planning to switch your IT company but are worried about the transitioning process? Lan Infotech is here to help. With years of experience in servicing small and medium businesses in Fort Lauderdale and Florida, we are your trusted IT partner in managed IT services, cloud computing, and technology security.
Click here to get in touch with us and find an IT company that will meet the needs of your business.