ALPHA

April 15, 2022

Article

6 important signs you need a new IT partner

Any type of relationship takes work. When it comes to business relationships, don’t allow a tarnished one to get the best of you. Breaking up is never easy, but in business it’s practically inevitable. 

An IT provider may be your Managed Service Provider (MSP), hardware procurement partner and more, however, if you are questioning the relationship, read on to learn some of the telltale signs you need to move on. 

1. They don’t understand your wants and needs  

As your business partner, an IT provider should understand your businesses’ mission, vision and values. Their duties should be more than responding to your ticket requests or answering questions when asked. The right IT provider should fully understand your business goals and provide you with the best IT solutions to help you achieve them. If your current IT provider does not meet those requirements, it’s time to find someone who understands you. Choose an IT provider that takes a proactive and prepares your business for change.  

2. Poor communication skills   

Communication is a critical component of all relationships. However, if you are experiencing communication issues with your current IT provider, such as not receiving updates about current support tickets or strategic advice, it may be time to open yourself up to new opportunities. An IT provider should ensure that clients are putting in minimal effort at all times. If a critical issue arises, it should be your IT provider notifying you, not the other way around.  

3. Delayed response times 

Your business deserves to be put on a pedestal. If you have a question, you should get an informed answer in a timely manner. If you are noticing that you are receiving slow response rates from your current IT provider, you should not accept it. For critical issues, it’s standard practice for IT companies to have a response rate of 1 hour or less. Anything more than that is not worth your time or investment. However, it is important to note that response times can vary based on each Service Level Agreement (SLA). Each SLA should outline what kind of service and priority you will receive.  

4. You’ve outgrown the relationship

As your business needs change, so will your IT needs. If your current IT partner is not providing strategic advice related to IT procurement, network security and how to properly scale your business to meet your goals, it’s time to find a provider that will. Although it may be a difficult conversation to have, it’s important that you and your IT provider are aligned and have an understanding of what your organization needs to move forward.  

5. Lack of cybersecurity measures 

To ensure a long-lasting and secure partnership, your IT provider must have robust cybersecurity measures in place in order to protect the integrity of your organization’s data. The right IT provider will ensure that you have establish industry-standard requirements well as provide training and education to inform your team of the importance of cybersecurity and what to do in the event of a phishing, malware or other type of cyberattack. 

Are you ready to secure your perfect match? 

ALPHA’s humble team of IT experts are here to fulfill your business dreams. With the desire to understand your business goals, aspirations and pain points, our IT specialists are in it for the long run. If you’re on the fence about your current IT provider and are interested in exploring other options, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us for your free 30-minute discovery call today!