Businesses in Utah and Idaho sometimes need to switch IT providers. And each has their own reason for doing so. Perhaps you want to switch due to lack of service from your current provider, or because your business has outgrown what they can offer. Changing IT service companies can be disruptive in the short term, but once everything is in place, your technology will be in better shape than it was before.
How To Make Switching IT Companies Easy
The trick is knowing what questions to ask and to be prepared for the transition. If you are thinking about switching IT support companies, ask these 5 questions first.
5 Questions To Ask When Interviewing A New IT Provider
1. How long is it going to take to transition?
One thing you need to realize is that they are stepping into your current configuration, meaning if you are up and running now it will have no downtime immediately. They will deploy a team who installs software that gives them full insight into your system.
2. What passwords do we need?
Most networks run on an active directory which means when they have an admin account, they can remove access of previous providers locking them out of your system. All they require is an account with admin permissions and network equipment passwords.
3. Should we be concerned about anything when switching to a new IT company?
There are very few things that should concern you. However, there are steps that you can take to alleviate any worries:
- Make sure that you own your domain name. Some IT companies register client domains under their names. This gives them “ownership” of the domain name. Although this doesn’t happen often, it can be challenging to address.
- Some companies will buy computers for you and register them in their company name. Make sure that they don’t. Again, this can be overcome, but it presents an additional challenge.
- Plus, consider these questions:
a. Are you under contract?
b. Does your it company manage your website domain?
c. Are you leasing any equipment?
4. When should we tell our old IT company that we’re switching to a new one?
Start with reviewing your contract or agreement with your current provider. You may get hit with another bill if you don’t give them the required notice–this is typically 30 days.
In the best scenario (and most common scenario), providers will give you all requested passwords and remove their software in order to facilitate the transition. If you’re concerned that they may be hostile, reach out to your new provider and they should be able to help you create a plan to get passwords and lock your old provider out of the system before notifying them. This can be done very quickly, and if required your new provider can reset devices to gain control if passwords can’t be obtained.
5. How long will it take for you to understand our network?
One thing to keep in mind is that every network has the same basic elements. There are different brands and devices, which do have varying interfaces. However, your new IT service company will probably be working with clients using your exact same equipment. Most often they will change passwords for security, and keep configurations working until they have had the time to evaluate your setup and are ready to make improvements. The impact on your business should be a seamless transition with no downtime and very little inconvenience to your users.
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