How To Determine If You Need to Find a New Outsourced IT Support Provider

Outsourced IT support is quite common these days. It provides business owners with an affordable and effective way to keep their networks up and running. It also takes the stress out of making hiring decisions, especially when a business is still small and growing. If you’ve hired a Managed Services Provider or outsourced IT company, you should take the time to evaluate their performance occasionally. Here are some ways to determine whether your provider is doing its job effectively.

Does Your Company Experience Downtime?

One of the best ways to gauge the performance of an outsourced IT support company is through your company’s downtime. Your IT team should do everything within its power to ensure that your company experiences as close to 100% uptime as possible. If your servers are crashing, halting your office staff from working, or there are recurring issues reducing productivity, it’s time to look for another provider. For example with today’s technologies, businesses should not be impacted during working hours do to updates or by server crashes. If your provider isn’t keeping your company operational during business hours, it isn’t utilizing the latest technologies.

How Long Does It Take Your Support Provider to Respond?

When you have a problem, chances are good that the first thing you’ll do is call or message your IT support provider. After all, even a slight hiccup in the system can create problems and have a tremendous impact on your revenue. It is reasonable to expect that your problems will be resolved quickly when they do occur. If your current IT company takes too long to respond to support requests, that’s time and money out of your pocket. Your computer support company should respond quickly, and if you find yourself waiting for long periods of time, it’s time to find another partner.

Do they request monthly IT calls and quarterly meetings to provide overall status updates?

In any given month, a lot can happen from a technical perspective. A great Managed Service Provider or technology support company will want to speak with you monthly and meet with you quarterly in person. These monthly calls are ideal to make sure both sides of the partnership are on the same page and share expectations for the next month. It’s ideal to review support requests for the past month along with feedback on the services provided. These are some of the key performance metrics to discuss. The quarterly in-person meetings allow for review of upcoming projects, adjustment of services and an opportunity for your IT Support Provider to share what new technologies are available to benefit your business.

Does Your Chosen Provider Advise You or Upsell You?

Finally, it’s important for you to analyze whether your current outsourced IT support provider truly has your best interests in mind, or whether it’s simply out to make money off your business. Your provider should advise you and provide details about products and services that can benefit you the most, not simply sell you services that won’t benefit you to make more money. A good outsourced IT company will be able to present you with a bundle of services that makes sense for your unique needs, so if you feel like your company is upselling you instead of advising you, it’s time to make a switch.

Your outsourced IT support provider should be just as dedicated to your company as your on-site employees. They should offer you the products and services that can benefit you, and they should be there when you need them – not when it’s convenient for them. If you feel like your support provider is letting you down, it’s time to make a switch to a provider that truly cares about your success.

June 17, 2025
Meeting IT security compliance standards is crucial for businesses that handle sensitive data, particularly in industries such as healthcare, finance, defense, and e-commerce. Regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, CMMC, PCI-DSS, and GDPR exist to help ensure businesses protect customer information and maintain robust cybersecurity practices. Unfortunately, many organizations fall short of these requirements, often due to common, avoidable mistakes. These gaps can result in costly fines, data breaches, and reputational damage, which can significantly impact the business's bottom line and customer trust. 1. Failing to Conduct Regular Risk Assessments The Pitfall: Many businesses overlook the importance of conducting routine risk assessments. Without these, it’s challenging to identify vulnerabilities or evaluate whether your current cybersecurity controls meet compliance standards. How to Avoid It: Implement a regular risk assessment schedule. Work with a qualified IT provider to evaluate your systems, identify weaknesses, and document remediation plans. These assessments should be performed at least annually, or whenever significant changes to the system occur. 2. Inadequate Employee Training The Pitfall: Your employees are your first line of defense—and often your most significant vulnerability. A common compliance issue arises when businesses fail to train staff on cybersecurity best practices or on handling sensitive data appropriately. How to Avoid It: Invest in ongoing cybersecurity awareness training. Ensure employees understand how to recognize phishing emails, create strong passwords, and report any suspicious activity. Training should be updated regularly to reflect current threats and compliance requirements. 3. Improper Data Handling and Storage The Pitfall: Storing sensitive data in unsecured locations, failing to encrypt information, or retaining data longer than necessary are significant compliance risks. These practices are often flagged during audits. How to Avoid It: Adopt data classification policies that define how different types of data should be handled; encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit. Establish clear data retention policies and ensure that obsolete data is disposed of securely. 4. Lack of Incident Response Planning The Pitfall: When a security incident occurs, time is of the essence. Many businesses lack a documented incident response plan, or their existing plan hasn’t been thoroughly tested. This can lead to delayed responses, increased damage, and regulatory penalties. How to Avoid It: Develop a formal incident response plan that includes roles, responsibilities, communication protocols, and steps for containment and recovery. Run simulated breach scenarios with your IT team to ensure everyone knows how to respond effectively. 5. Using Outdated Software or Systems The Pitfall: Running outdated operating systems, software, or firmware is a common issue that can lead to compliance failures. Unsupported technologies are more vulnerable to exploitation. How to Avoid It: Keep all systems and applications up to date with the latest patches. Use automated tools to track software versions and receive alerts about end-of-life technologies. Schedule regular maintenance windows to apply updates and upgrades. 6. Insufficient Access Controls The Pitfall: Allowing too many employees access to sensitive data—or failing to revoke access when it’s no longer needed—can lead to data breaches and non-compliance. How to Avoid It: Implement role-based access controls and follow the principle of least privilege. This principle means that each user should have the minimum level of access necessary to perform their job. Regularly audit user accounts and permissions to ensure access is current and appropriate. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an additional layer of protection. 7. Neglecting Third-Party Vendor Risks The Pitfall: Businesses often overlook the fact that their compliance responsibilities extend to third-party vendors. If a vendor mishandles your data, you could still be held accountable. How to Avoid It: Vet third-party vendors carefully. Ensure they meet the same compliance standards as your business and include security requirements in your contracts. Conduct periodic audits or request compliance certifications from your vendors. 8. Failing to Document Policies and Procedures The Pitfall: Even if your security practices are strong, failing to document your compliance policies can result in audit failures. Regulators want to see evidence that you have formal processes in place. How to Avoid It: Create and maintain clear documentation for all compliance-related policies, including data protection, access control, incident response, and employee training. Make these documents easily accessible for audits and regularly review them to ensure updates are current. Conclusion Compliance with IT security standards is not a one-time project—it requires ongoing attention, regular updates, and a proactive approach to maintain effectiveness. By understanding and addressing these common pitfalls, your business can stay ahead of regulatory requirements, strengthen its security posture, and reduce the risk of costly incidents. This ongoing attention is crucial to maintaining your business's security and audit readiness. If you’re unsure whether your business is meeting current IT compliance standards, professional support can help. Contact SDTEK today to schedule a compliance assessment and learn how our IT services can keep your business secure and audit-ready. With our support, you can navigate the complex landscape of IT security compliance with confidence.
April 9, 2025
In today’s digital-first world, cybersecurity isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. Whether you run a small startup or a growing enterprise in Fort Wayne , protecting your business’s data, systems, and clients is essential for long-term success. From ransomware attacks to phishing scams, cyber threats are evolving every day, and the best way to stay ahead of them is by partnering with a reliable IT services provider that understands the unique needs of local businesses. Here’s why investing in professional business IT support is one of the smartest decisions Fort Wayne businesses can make—and how working with SDTEK helps protect your operations, your data, and your reputation.