How to switch IT support provider without losing a day's work

Switching IT support provider usually takes about a week of preparation and very little disruption, as long as you get three things back from your current provider before you leave: admin access to everything, control of your licences and domain name, and a record of how your systems are set up. Most switches that go badly do so because the old provider held something the business didn't know it needed, such as the only admin login to Microsoft 365 or the login to wherever the domain name is registered. The work is mostly checking rather than technical, and you can start it before you've chosen who to move to.

When is it time to switch IT support provider?

The usual reasons are slow responses, having to explain your setup again every time you get through, bills that are hard to predict and a sense that nobody looks at security until something goes wrong. A growing business can also outgrow a provider built around occasional call-outs, or a single person whose holidays become your downtime. If you're still weighing up proactive support against break-fix, that's worth settling first, because it decides what kind of provider you're looking for.

None of these on its own means you have to move. A frank conversation with your current provider about response times and what's included sometimes fixes it. If you've had that conversation and nothing changed, or the answers didn't add up, it's time to look elsewhere.

What should you check in your current contract first?

Start with the minimum term and the notice period, because together they decide your timing. Some agreements renew automatically for another fixed term unless you give notice before a set date, so find that date before you do anything else. Then look for early termination charges, any equipment you lease through the provider, such as a firewall, router or phone handsets, and any licences they bought for you on an annual commitment.

Finally, check what the contract says about leaving: whether the provider has to hand over passwords, documentation and data, how quickly, and whether they charge for it. If it says nothing, ask in writing for what you need well before your notice ends, while you're still a paying client.

What do you need to get back from your old provider?

The most important thing is admin access in your own hands. At least one person in your business, rather than your provider, should hold a full admin login to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, and the login to wherever your domain name is registered. Whoever controls the domain controls your email and website, so it matters that the domain is registered to your business and that you can log in to it yourself.

After that, gather the passwords for your router, firewall and Wi-Fi, access to your backup system along with confirmation that backups are current, licence keys and subscription details for any software you pay for, and a list of your devices. Ask for whatever documentation exists on how your network, logins and backups are set up. If your phones are hosted by your current provider, make a note of your numbers and who the phone contract is with, because they'll need moving too.

How does the handover work?

A well-run switch follows the same order. The new provider looks at your setup first, ideally while your notice is still running, and lists what they'll need. You make sure someone in your business has admin access to Microsoft 365, the domain and anything else important, then give the new provider their own admin access. Once they're in, they change shared passwords and remove the old provider's access, so only people you trust can get in.

If your Microsoft 365 licences were bought through your old provider, they don't need cancelling and buying again. Microsoft lets a new partner transfer the licences from the old one: you accept a request from the new provider, the old provider approves the transfer, and the licences move across with the same number of users. Your email and files stay where they are, because only the licences change hands.

Phone numbers move by porting, which normally takes about a week, and you keep the same numbers. On the day of the change, tell your team how to ask for help from then on, so nobody contacts the old provider out of habit.

How long does it take to switch IT support provider?

The handover itself takes days, but your notice period usually sets the timing. Switching a business over to us normally takes about a week from the first look at your setup, including moving phone numbers if they're with your current provider. If your notice period is longer than that, use the time to get the access and records sorted, so the change itself is quiet.

Are you ready to switch?

These questions show how much of the groundwork is already done. Each one is worth sorting even if you decide to stay where you are.

• Does someone in your business, rather than your provider, have full admin access to Microsoft 365?

• Do you know where your domain name is registered, and can you log in?

• Do you know when your contract can end and how much notice it needs?

• Are any of your licences, phones or equipment owned or leased through your provider?

• Is there a written record of how your network, backups and logins are set up?

Any "no" or "not sure" is the first thing to deal with before you give notice.

What should you look for in the new provider?

Ask for the response time in writing and who actually responds, since a quick acknowledgement from a call centre isn't the same as someone who knows your setup starting work. Ask what the monthly price covers and what's charged on top, and how long the contract runs, so you're not repeating this in a year with less room to move. Ask how they'd take over from your current provider and whether they've done it before. If your team works from more than one place, check they can support people remotely wherever they are, rather than relying on visits.

For comparison, this is how we work. We're a small senior team that supports businesses of 5 to 200 people remotely, wherever they're based. IT support starts at £160 a month for 2 hours, further time is £80 an hour, and there's no contract. Every client we've signed has stayed with us. If you'd like to see how your current provider measures up first, the IT support check on our Managed IT Support page takes about two minutes.

The short version

Switching IT support provider is mostly about what you get back: admin access in your own hands, your licences and domain under your control, and a record of how things are set up. With those in place, the change takes about a week and your team barely notices it. Start with the contract and the admin logins, because they decide how smoothly everything else goes.

Our managed IT support page explains what our support includes, how quickly we respond and how a switch from your current provider works.