7 Signs It’s Time To Replace Your IT Provider
When it comes to IT support, most business owners assume “good enough” is just that – good enough. But what if your IT provider is actually putting your business at risk with slow responses, poor communication or a lack of proactive solutions?
The truth is, you might not know how bad your IT support is until you see what great IT service looks like. If any of the following signs sound familiar, it’s time to start shopping for a new IT provider.
1. You Can’t Reach Them During Emergencies
When you’re facing a network meltdown or a cybersecurity breach, waiting on hold or leaving a voicemail isn’t an option. A reliable IT provider should answer your calls live or return them within 30 minutes, especially in emergencies.
Do you love phone menu trees? If you do, we’re not for you. We’ve engineered our company to answer all calls LIVE, and respond with “crazy fast response” times.
If your provider is MIA when you need them most, that’s a big red flag.
2. They Don’t Monitor Your Network Proactively
Your IT provider should be the one alerting you to issues – not the other way around. Proactive monitoring means they’re tracking your systems for downtime, breaches and inefficiencies, then bringing solutions to you before problems arise.
But monitoring is a small part of the equation. It’s all about response time by experts that counts.
Let’s say you wear a heart monitor and are experiencing a heart attack. It may do you no good if it takes over 4 hours for the EMTs to arrive.
If you’re constantly finding issues they’ve missed, they’re not doing their job.
3. Cybersecurity Isn’t Their Priority
“Cybersecurity” isn’t just a buzzword, it’s the backbone of modern IT. If your provider hasn’t created and implemented a comprehensive cybersecurity plan that includes ransomware protection and data backup, they’re putting your business at risk.
I’ve have never been asked to keep the computer hardware safe yet disregard the data. It’s all about protection, that is nothing more than a “fence”. Every year the fence has to get taller without killing the costs. The goal is with 5.2 billion Internet users every day, you shouldn’t be the lowest hanging fruit.
Great IT providers are always proposing new ways to keep you safe from the latest hacker tricks. If yours isn’t, it’s time to rethink your partnership.
4. Their Support Is Inconsistent And Hard To Use
Are they responsive even for nonemergency issues? Do they have a clear, customer-friendly ticketing system to log and prioritize your requests?
Inconsistent support usually leads to questionable invoices. Not only do we respond quickly, we document what we did and when we did it. And all of it shows up on the invoice so anyone can understand the work that occurred.
If your team is frustrated by long waits, unresolved problems or clunky processes, you’re dealing with a provider who’s not putting your needs first.
5. They Don’t Provide Clear Invoices
You should always know exactly what you’re paying for. If you’re getting vague invoices or being nickeled-and-dimed for every little service, that’s a problem. Transparency about costs is a hallmark of a great IT provider, and you deserve to know where your money is going.
We’ve spent the time to clarify and simplify our invoices in language you will understand with extreme detail listing every item you are being charged for.
6. They’re Not Testing Backups Regularly
Most people, including many IT service providers, think backup is a set-it-and-forget-it thing. It’s not! It’s the vital part of your business recovery. Backing up your systems is critical to your business survival.
If no one is testing those backups, you could be in for a rude awakening when disaster strikes. If your IT provider isn’t doing regular test restores to ensure your data can be recovered, it’s time to find someone who takes your backups as seriously as you do.
We take checking and testing backups by humans (not through a program) as the ONLY way to ensure you can sleep at night.
7. Projects Are Always Late And Over Budget
Does every IT project feel like a surprise party – with unexpected delays, hidden costs and zero communication? Great IT providers deliver on time and within budget (or at least keep you in the loop if things go off track).
Other than a computer failure or theft, IT projects should be well planned and costs understood, before you start. If you’re tired of constantly chasing them for updates, it’s time to look elsewhere.
Stop Settling For Subpar IT Support
Bad IT support is more than a headache – it’s a liability. If any of these signs hit close to home, it’s time to see what truly great IT service looks like.
Start with a FREE Network Assessment. We’ll evaluate your current setup, identify vulnerabilities and leave you with actionable steps to improve your technology.
Click here to book your FREE Network Assessment now or call our office at 610-590-4858.
Let us take the stress out of your IT so you can focus on growing your business.