Changing IT providers
Changing IT providers: what a good handover looks like.
Whether you’re thinking about a change or have already decided, the handover shouldn’t be the hard part. Here’s how it works when it’s done well, and what to have in hand before it starts.
The hard part
Why changing feels risky
The hardest part of changing IT providers usually isn’t the decision. It’s not knowing what the handover will look like.
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What it costs you
Every week you put off deciding, the same problems keep costing you time.
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What it feels like
You’re not sure what you actually own, who has the passwords, or what breaks on the day things change hands.
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Why it shouldn’t be this way
Your systems belong to you. Changing who looks after them should be routine — handled professionally on both sides.
First steps
Before you decide anything
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Talk to your current provider first.
Tell them plainly what isn’t working. Sometimes one honest conversation fixes it — and if it does, stay.
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Know what’s in your name.
Handovers rarely stall on passwords. They stall on whose name is on the account. Check each of these:
- Your domain name registered to your company, with your own login where it’s registered and where its DNS is managed.
- Email and Microsoft 365 or Google a top-level admin account that belongs to you, not only accounts your provider created.
- Software licenses billed to you, or bought through your provider’s reseller account? Reseller licenses have to be transferred, so find out early.
- Backups where they’re stored, whose account they’re in, and how you’d get your data back.
- Firewall, Wi-Fi and remote access admin logins for the equipment in your office.
- Business software the admin login and vendor contact for what your business runs on, like accounting, practice management or design tools.
- Documentation network diagrams, password records and setup notes your provider keeps about your systems.
What matters depends on your setup, and we’ll help you check.
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Read your agreement.
Find the notice period and what it says about handing things back at the end.
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Pick a date, not a gap.
If you do change, agree on one day when one provider finishes and the next one starts.
Who we are
How we handle a handover
We’ve picked up from other IT companies before, and most handovers are civil and professional. We contact the outgoing team, agree on what gets handed over, and work through it together. When that isn’t possible, we give you a clear list of what to request — and as the owner, you’re entitled to it. We hold ourselves to the same standard: if a client ever moves on from us, we help with that handover too.
One set date
One provider finishes and the next begins on the same day. No overlap, no gap.
Provider to provider
We work directly with your outgoing team whenever we can, so you’re not stuck in the middle.
Documented as we go
Everything we learn goes into documentation you own.
Priced before we start
Getting set up is quoted up front as part of your plan.
The first 90 days
What the first 90 days look like
The handover itself usually takes one to two weeks. The rest of the first ninety days is about making things better, not just keeping them running.
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Weeks 1–2
Handover
Admin access transfers, our tools go on every computer, and support moves over on the agreed date.
What you get One number to call from day one.
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Days 1–14
Discover
We list everything you have — accounts, computers, licenses, backups, network, vendors — and ask your people what gets in their way.
What you get A written picture of what you own and what’s exposed.
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Days 15–30
Stabilize
We close the urgent gaps first: sign-in security, backup checks, protection on every computer, and access that shouldn’t exist.
What you get The things most likely to cause your next bad week are dealt with.
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Days 31–60
Standardize
Support runs on a defined process. Updates run on a schedule. New hires and departures follow a checklist.
What you get Support that doesn’t depend on who happens to be free.
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Days 61–90
Plan
We sit down with you and turn what we found into a plan and a budget for the next year or two.
What you get A technology plan you can defend.
You’ll know it’s working well before ninety days. If the first thirty don’t visibly reduce what goes wrong, we want to hear about it.
Where to start
Where to start
The choice is yours. If you’re comparing providers, here are the questions to ask and what to ask for before you sign. If your IT person quit, here’s what to do first.
- Not sure a change is needed? We’ll look at what you have and tell you honestly. Book my free IT risk review →
- A team of 15 to 70 who want IT fully handled. Our Fully Managed IT Support Program →
- You have an IT person who needs support, not a replacement. Co-managed IT →
What success looks like
IT that just works again.
And a handover you barely noticed.
- One number to call, and someone who answers.
- Your passwords, documentation and data are in your hands.
- You know what you’re paying for, and why.
Questions about changing providers
How long does a handover take?
Usually one to two weeks from a signed agreement. The rest of the first ninety days is spent improving things.
Should we keep our current provider on for a while, just in case?
We recommend a single end date instead. When one provider finishes and the next begins the same day, there’s never a question of who’s responsible.
What if the handover doesn’t go smoothly?
Most don’t need anything unusual. If information is slow to arrive, we give you a specific list to request as the owner, and we keep things running in the meantime.
What should we have before we make a change?
Make sure the important accounts are in your name, not your provider’s: your domain, your email admin account, your software licenses and your backups. We’ll help you check before you say anything.
Does changing providers cost extra?
Getting set up is a separate, one-time cost, quoted up front as part of your plan. You’ll know the number before you decide. How our pricing works →
What if we ever want to leave Aweeba?
Your data and documentation are always yours. Our agreements run twelve months and commit both ways, and if you move on, we help with the handover.
Talk it through with us.
Start with a few questions about your tech, or book a free IT risk review and we’ll look at what you have now — whatever you decide. Either way, you keep what we find.