The old British saying, penny wise, pound foolish can be applied to many situations. It certainly is relevant to businesses who cut corners on outsourced IT service providers but pay dearly in terms of productivity, flexibility, security, risk management, and ROI.

If the primary reason you’re sticking with your current managed service provider is the low associated cost, you may be harming your chances of reaching your strategic goals.

The Wrong Way to Save Money

While cloud computing is being adopted at a growing rate, outsourcing remains a crucial option for companies looking to free up valuable IT resources. Partnering with an MSP lets your business operate at a more efficient, more profitable rate. But what if your MSP isn’t living up to promised standards or your expectations?

Poor communication habits such as calls not being returned and emails or texts not being responded to are obvious red flags. Here are some other signs it’s probably time to find a better outsourced provider, even if the initial cost is higher.

• Stagnation. Once the contract is signed, some lower cost MSPs reveal an inability to keep up with your organization’s goals and growth. Scalability based on your changing needs is nowhere to be found. To reach your goals, you need an MSP that understands your evolving budgeting, planning, and implementation strategies.
• Redundancy. If it seems your MSP does not have well-defined procedures in place, it’s duplicating work done by your in-house IT team, or appears overwhelmed with your company’s tasks, such as backups, it’s likely the provider is ill-equipped to deal with your organization’s needs. Likewise, if you keep having the same problems, it’s a sure sign your MSP isn’t good at solving the root of the problem. That means you’re getting band-aid solutions, not permanent fixes.
• Poor ROI. Whether you’re outsourcing managed IT to complete a project, to complement existing staff, or to make scaling easier, doing so should have a direct impact on tangible and intangible costs. Calculating ROI is not always a straightforward process, but if the bottom line is that your MSP is no longer saving you money, it’s time to switch to one that meets your needs, generates measurable results, and makes more financial sense.
• Technology gap. Does your current MSP help you adopt the latest technologies more quickly? Is it providing the timely assistance you need to make the transition to more cloud-based and digital apps and services? A good MSP uses cutting-edge technology diagnostic tools to keep your organization’s IT environments healthy and running smoothly. If you’re not receiving that level of support and your MSP is unable to scale IT services to your company’s requirements, you could face at a minimum disruption and at most, serious security risks.

Signs it’s Time for a Change

You probably spent quite a bit of time doing your homework before committing to your current MSP. That can make switching to a new provider more difficult to do. But if your dissatisfaction level has reached the point where you’re having second thoughts about whether you made the right decision, it’s worth investing time once more in finding an MSP who can better serve your needs.

When you choose a new provider, look for a partner who can help you reach your strategic goals. And if you’re still not sure change is the way to go, ask yourself this. Is keeping your staff focused on core mission strategies, gaining access to the latest monitoring and management tools, and keeping your data secure worth investing a little more on the front end so the returns are greater? We think the answer is yes.

Proactive, growth-focused solutions keep your network running efficiently and securely. The right MSP is one you can look to as a trusted partner and who you can rely on to help you streamline operations, maximize productivity, and attain your goals. Ideally, the provider you choose should treat your business as if it’s their own, learning the ins and out of its operations and IT needs before creating a customized solution that meets your requirements and budget.