Switching Managed IT Providers: Root Canal or Day at the Spa?
Many businesses are apprehensive about changing their IT service provider. The relationship between a company and its IT operations support team can range from trust and positivity to an exercise in patience and tolerating mediocrity.
Sometimes, switching IT providers can feel like undergoing a root canal—necessary but expected to be painful, inconvenient, and seemingly beyond your control. Other times, it can be more like a day at the spa, where you can relax, let the experts take care of everything, and enjoy a stress-free experience. In reality, the process usually falls somewhere between these two extremes.
Chortek has a proven system for delivering the spa experience. This article explains how Chortek’s EnjoyIT process makes switching managed IT service providers a positive and seamless experience.
How to overcome common challenges switching IT service providers
Getting caught in the middle of the new and old providers
If you’ve ever had the “root canal” experience of changing IT providers, you may dread this process, especially if the old provider is uncooperative or unprofessional.
Set clear expectations and timelines early to prepare for potential delays or resistance. Communicate openly with both parties to lessen conflicts and manage expectations—particularly during the one-month transition period when old providers may be inclined to disengage. Encouraging collaboration during this time facilitates a smooth handover of responsibilities and minimizes disruptions to your business operations.
Sticking your neck out to make a change to a new provider
Deciding to transition to a new IT provider feels risky, especially when dealing with the familiar “devil you know” scenario involving your current provider. Take a critical look at all aspects of your current IT management. While the old provider may have standout technical expertise, they might lack responsiveness, team cohesion, or the ability to operate independently.
At Chortek, we’ve designed our services to overcome these concerns. Our proactive approach includes a local support center with a 2-minute response time and a strong emphasis on building a collaborative “hive mind” through thorough documentation collection. These processes remove the need for a business’ managers to oversee or micromanage IT issues, allowing them to focus entirely on their core responsibilities.
Being held hostage by your current IT provider
Making the switch painful can sometimes be used as a sales technique. As people avoid switching dentists due to discomfort, businesses often delay changing IT providers for fear of operational disruption.
Chortek believes in maintaining client loyalty through continuous, reliable responsiveness and effectiveness rather than creating barriers. This approach ensures continuous, live, and secure access to your company’s documentation. Our EnjoyIT approach is opposite our competitors, one of accountability and open conversation about our performance as your outsourced IT department.
While your current IT provider or internal staff may seem irreplaceable due to their familiarity with your systems or business software, Chortek understands that every business has unique IT needs that require personalized attention.
Our comprehensive managed IT approach is designed to alleviate IT headaches and enhance technology effectiveness. We want your team to focus entirely on achieving your organizational mission.
What does the transition process look like?
1. Preparing for the switch
Before switching, review your current service agreement to understand cancellation terms and potential early termination fees (ETFs) and provide the necessary notice. Establish clear objectives and expectations for your new provider, aiming for key performance indicators (KPIs) surpassing your existing partner. Conduct a thorough assessment of your IT service needs and ensure all stakeholders are aligned on these requirements before identifying and meeting with potential new providers.
2. Finding potential managed IT service partners
Compile a list through comprehensive online searches, word-of-mouth referrals, and industry-specific research. Evaluate each candidate based on their ability to handle your data volume, how quickly they can set up services, and their demonstrated expertise in your industry. This approach ensures you select a provider that meets your specific IT needs.
3. Doing demos and audits
Enter each audit with a scorecard to track how well potential providers meet your requirements and standards. Schedule demos and audits to evaluate their capabilities, industry experience, and strategies for handling compliance issues. Doing this will provide a thorough assessment of their services.
4. Evaluating and vetting managed IT providers
Select your new IT-managed services provider based on reliability, scalability, and industry expertise. Utilize a checklist to verify their ability to deliver on key aspects—such as rapid response times, guaranteed uptime, and support for business continuity.
Check references and case studies to confirm their track record, and trust your evaluation process to choose the provider that best meets your objectives and expectations.
5. Onboarding the new provider
Begin with an in-depth kickoff meeting to align expectations, goals, and timelines. Establish clear communication channels and designate points of contact on both sides.
The new provider should have thoroughly assessed your current IT situation, including an inventory of hardware and software, documentation of network configurations, and identification of critical business processes impacted by proposed system changes during onboarding.
The new provider should set up monitoring tools, implement security protocols, and migrate data if necessary. Regular status updates and feedback loops are crucial during onboarding to address issues promptly and ensure a seamless transition.
6. Offboarding existing provider
Schedule an exit meeting to coordinate knowledge transfer and finalize documentation handover.
The new provider should securely revoke access to systems and data, conduct project reviews to prevent potential disruptions, and maintain open communication with your team and incoming provider.
Testimonials from Chortek’s managed IT customers
National consulting engineering firm headquartered in WI
The firm initially managed IT internally before transitioning to a well-known Milwaukee-based company as their first Managed Service Provider (MSP). Later, recognizing their evolving IT needs, they switched to Chortek.
With multiple locations and several line-of-business applications, the firm found Chortek’s tailored solutions and proactive support pivotal in its growth. They have been pleased with the results and continue to benefit from Chortek’s reliable IT management services.
Turn-Key Solutions
Turn Key Solutions transitioned to Chortek following significant business growth through an acquisition. Chortek was crucial in strategically integrating its IT systems, providing “seamless integrations” and “unparalleled support.”
According to Scott Etzel, President/Owner of Turn-Key Solutions, choosing Chortek was a game-changer due to their expertise, dedication, and proactive approach.
“They’ve consistently gone above and beyond to ensure our systems run smoothly. Chortek isn’t just a service provider; they’re a trusted partner, and I can’t recommend them highly enough.”
Menasha-based commercial and industrial roofing contractor
This 40+ employee company relied on Chortek to transition its custom-written software and enhance its IT infrastructure, ensuring reliability and efficiency critical to its operations.
Ogden & Company
Ogden & Company transitioned from their previous IT provider to Chortek, managing diverse IT needs across multiple business units, processes, and locations. According to Peter Ogden, President & Chairman of Ogden Real Estate, “If I had to describe Chortek in one word, it would be trust.”
He also emphasized, “Chortek came to us with a simple, straightforward proposal, and the follow-up and communication we have received has been unbelievable.” Chortek remains committed to delivering reliable and effective IT solutions tailored to their needs.
Conclusion: Chortek makes switching easy
Switching IT service providers is a scary transition. Businesses face challenges such as navigating contract terms, setting clear expectations, and aligning stakeholders during preparation.
Finding a suitable provider involves rigorous evaluation based on industry expertise and scalability. Onboarding requires comprehensive assessments and clear communication to ensure seamless integration. Addressing common hurdles like uncooperative old providers requires proactive management and collaboration to minimize disruptions.
Chortek stands out as a global managed IT provider, and we have made the switch easy. We redefine IT services with a “day at the spa” experience, focusing on your business success. At the same time, we handle the intricacies of IT management—from workstations to servers and everything in between.
Our experts ensure your systems run smoothly with a team-driven approach and exceptional standards, including a 2-minute response time and a 94 percent satisfaction rate among over 2,000 users. Our quarterly check-ins and strategic discussions guarantee ongoing alignment with your evolving business needs.
Experience IT support that empowers your productivity and security—contact Chortek today for unmatched reliability and response times for managed IT services.
