Why having multiple external IT vendors doesn’t mean you’ll get better support

As your business grows, so do your IT needs. When you need an internet connection, you’d approach an internet service provider (ISP). When you need operating systems and office software for a new fleet of PCs, you’d get in touch with a Microsoft reseller. And when you want to make sure your data is secure when everyone is working from home, you’d call on a security specialist.

On and on and on it goes until you realize that you have quite the patchwork of IT infrastructure. While this mishmash of solutions has helped your business grow so far, you soon realize how complicated your systems have become and that you can’t continue to tack on service after service from different companies.

The challenge with having so many IT vendors

IT solutions should be integrated together to work as a cohesive whole, yet the IT services you receive remain separate and distinct from one another. You have to keep in mind that vendors:

• Have a very narrow scope of what they will provide support for. For instance, your VoIP provider might blame your ISP for choppy internet calls.
• Have their own interests at heart. When canvassing for a backup system, you might find that your Microsoft reseller would insist that you get Azure, whereas your cloud service provider would pitch their own solution.
• Specialize in their own fields and lack experience outside of these. A cloud migration specialist can recommend cloud backup solutions but have no clue when it comes to securing your network with a perimeter firewall.

Because of these attributes, it becomes difficult to resolve IT issues. When there’s a problem:

• It’s tough to be given the time of day if the issue is small.
• Vendors will play the blame game if the issue is huge.
• Vendors will struggle to coordinate their efforts if the issue spans across systems.

Ironically, the IT solutions providers themselves become the problem

With service providers having their own timelines, cost structures, and experience levels, you’ll have to act as their project manager. This can be very stressful on your part because you have your business to run, you have a limited budget, and you don’t have the IT expertise required to pull this off. As you’re wrangling multiple vendors to work together, you’ll realize that solving IT problems is supposed to be their job in the first place, not yours!

The solution: Partner with a complete IT services provider

Instead of making your head spin by having so many IT vendors, just turn to one: a full-service managed IT services provider (MSP). A professional MSP will:

• Streamline your IT infrastructure so that you only pay for IT solutions that support your business goals.
• Proactively maintain and monitor your IT systems to prevent problems from blowing up.
• Provide 24/7/365 expert technical support that immediately and effectively addresses your concerns.
• Coordinate its teams of specialists to achieve objectives in the shortest amount of time.
• Keep abreast of the latest IT innovations and regulatory developments so that your business is always ready to adapt to changes and capitalize on the advantages that such changes might bring.

Related article: Signs it’s time to upgrade from the “I gotta guy” IT strategy

Please note that MSPs are not created equal. The size of the provider directly relates to its capacity to serve your needs, the breadth of its experience in solving problems for clients, and the scope of its IT capabilities. Look for MSPs, like XBASE, that have “bench strength” — depth in the team of certified engineers and support specialists.This eliminates your concerns regarding an individual’s holidays or illnesses and how those will affect the support of your business.Our combined experience of 32 years, our deep team of 40+ members (and over 20 certified engineers), and our expertise across all areas of IT are what businesses in Toronto and beyond have come to rely upon to maintain their success.

To learn more about how our Exponentially Better™ IT services can help your business grow, download our eBook today.