Have you ever broken up with your IT company?  The process can be messy.  In a perfect world you get your passwords without issue.  Your backups are provided on the exact day you ask for them.  All services are retained under your company name and your former IT provider is removed as an authorized contact.  But the world isn’t perfect. And this isn’t how the transition usually goes.  Fire Your IT Company

In the real world you don’t get all your passwords, services are forgotten and left in the former provider’s name, and you never see your backups.  Why does this happen?  Because the current IT company is being fired for incompetency in most cases.  If they were incompetent when managing your infrastructure it stands to reason that they will fumble the transition as well.  So here are the essentials every company needs to make the transition as smoothly as possible.  

IT Company Transition Checklist

• Hold a transition meeting with your current IT company and the new IT company to discuss the transition plan and schedule
• Get firm dates and deadlines for all major milestones of the transition
  • Tie the deadlines with payments owed to the current IT company
• Make sure the current IT company provides a detailed network diagram with all IP addresses and hostnames displayed
• Get a full inventory of all technical equipment and software licenses before beginning the transition process
• Require a list of all administrator accounts and passwords for all equipment, systems, and services (i.e. internet provider, servers, email host, etc.)
• Get a new backup taken and delivered into your possession before beginning the transition process
  • You may want your new IT provider to take this backup.  Either is fine.  Just make sure you have a clean and tested backup before changing anything
• Most Importantly:  do not sign off on the transition or pay your final bill until your new IT provider acknowledges the receipt of all requested information

This process can make or break the impression your staff gets of your new IT company.  The last thing you want is for your new IT provider to stumble out of the gate and lose all credibility.  That’s bad for everyone.  This world is built around perception so make sure your staff perceives the new IT company in the best possible light.  It will make everyone happier in the long run.  

Contact Leverage for a comprehensive guide with specific details on each service, password, and equipment to check off the list.  Contact us here:  http://iwantleverage.com/contact/

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