Signs You've Outgrown Your IT Provider

As your business grows, so do your IT needs. Your IT needs may evolve so much, in fact, that they creep outside the scope of your IT support provider. And you might not realize this until it’s too late.

Do you suspect you may have outgrown your IT provider? Well, below are the telltale signs to look out for.

Your IT Assets Keep Breaking Down

Are your employees or customers experiencing more IT breakdowns? That is usually the first sign that your IT is beyond the current provider’s capabilities.

Occasional IT issues are not alarming or even surprising. But once you start getting endless complaints about frequent breakdowns, you should look at your IT provider. The service provider might lack the capacity to handle your expanding IT infrastructure.

You’ve Descended to a Break-Fix Approach

A good managed services provider resolves IT issues as soon as they happen. But a great managed services provider strives to prevent IT issues from occurring in the first place—that’s part of proactive maintenance.

If you’re only solving problems as they happen, the IT provider is failing you. A break-fix approach to IT management is not only inconvenient but also disruptive and costly. In today’s business landscape, even brief IT downtime can set you back thousands of dollars.

IT Support Response Is Slow

Is your IT provider taking too long to address queries and support tickets? Perhaps they’re overwhelmed by your IT’s growing support demands.

You simply can’t afford to wait around for IT support, especially on urgent matters. So the only solution is signing a more responsive and capable managed services provider.

Your Systems Are Becoming Outdated

For the most part, newer tech is always better. Outdated software and hardware systems are slow, inefficient, and unreliable. They are also more vulnerable to cyberattacks.

Your IT provider must not allow your business to run on outdated systems. It’s their job to continuously phase out ageing assets or retrofit them with the latest devices, tools, and security patches. If you’re stuck with cumbersome legacy systems nearing obsolescence, it’s time to change IT providers.

There’s No Strategic IT Plan

IT management requires careful strategic planning that involves:

• Developing an IT roadmap that aligns with your business goals
• Striking the perfect balance between IT costs and performance
• Optimizing IT usage for maximum efficiency
• Identifying and addressing potential risks and challenges
• Building an IT infrastructure with future business growth and tech evolution in mind

An IT plan is essentially a blueprint for your IT investment. Without it, you risk making critical and expensive decisions that cause more harm than good. That’s why you need an experienced managed services provider to help you draw and implement a result-oriented IT plan.

You’re Struggling with Compliance

Any business handling customer or employee data must comply with one or more security regulations or standards. These include PCI DSS, PIPEDA, and PIPA to mention just a few.

A good IT provider ensures that your business meets the ever-mounting compliance demands. If you keep failing to achieve the required standards, it’s probably because your managed services provider is not knowledgeable or keen enough on matters of compliance.

Find an IT Provider Who Grows with You

Not all IT providers are created equal—some are more capable and flexible than others. While your current IT provider may have been sufficient in the past, they could be falling short of your expectations today. It might be time to look for the best IT provider to meet your growing tech needs.

Luckily, you don’t have to look far. Highway 99 Technology Solutions is here to take your IT to the next level and grow with you. We’ll provide IT solutions tailored specifically to your business, ensuring that your digital performance aligns with your growth trajectory.

Book a free consultation today and tell us about your unmet IT support needs.

Featured image credit: Image by jcomp on Freepik