Having the right IT provider can fuel your business growth, ensure security, and give you peace of mind. The wrong one can halt the growth of your business and leave you open to cyberattacks.
When it comes to growth, your IT provider should be on the same wavelength as you. If you’re fine with your business staying the same size and you’re not bothered about innovation, then an IT provider that isn’t trying to grow isn’t a big deal. If you’re a company with big growth plans and an appetite for innovation, then your IT provider needs to grow with you.
Let dive into a few tell-tale signs that could mean that you’ve outgrown your IT provider.
1. Slow response times and poor support
The main thing that you want from your Managed IT Support provider is support — specifically support that’s reliable, responsive, and quality support. Response time, resolution speed, and call wait times are more than just metrics — they reflect how much your provider values your time.
At Techcare, for example, we aim for under 15 minutes for average response time, under an hour for average resolution time, and under 15 seconds for average call waiting time.
If you start seeing these metrics increasing, then you’re waiting longer to be answered and for your problem to be solved — which has a significant impact on the day-to-day running of the business.
2. Security concerns and compliance risks
If you’ve outgrown your IT support provider, then it’s likely that they’re dropping the ball when it comes to cybersecurity. Outdated security measures put your business at risk financially and reputationally. and can mean that you’re not meeting compliance requirements for your industry. A cyberattack can ruin a business, so it shouldn’t be an afterthought.
3. No strategic guidance
The key to a great IT support provider is proactive maintenance — instead of simply reacting to issues. You should be able to work with your provider to draw out a roadmap for future IT developments that go hand-in-hand with the overall business strategy.
4. Limited scalability
The inability to grow is one of the top signs that you’ve outgrown your IT support provider. They’re not offering solutions that align with your business goals, they’re not talking about cloud solutions, automation, or emerging technologies, and they’re not participating in your growth journey. In short, your IT company should be growing alongside you, that way, they understand what scaling up really takes.
5. Frequent downtime or performance issues
Unplanned outages and slow systems cause disruptions and business downtime but also signify that your IT provider is struggling to resolve issues. Your IT provider is there to provide peace of mind and keep everything online and accessible, so as soon as service starts to dwindle in this department, the red flags start waving.
6. Lack of industry-specific knowledge
Any 3rd party supplier should have a basic understanding of how your business works. If the supplier has a great impact on business — like managed IT support — then they should ideally have a good understanding of what’s happening in your industry and how things work. Even if they don't specialise in your sector, your IT provider should have taken the time to understand your industry's needs.
7. Rising costs without added value
If your costs are increasing but the service is remaining the same, then it’s easy to question where you’re getting your value. Aside from inflation, people want to know what a price increase is going to get them — whether that’s increased cybersecurity, higher quality devices, or priority support.
If this sounds familiar, it might be time to switch to a provider that’s focused on your growth. These are just a few warning signs that could be telling you that it’s time to look for a growth-focused MSP.
For more information about our IT support services, then visit our website.
