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always a big step, and although it may have been a good move at the time, there may come a time when you realize that your relationship with that MSP just isn’t working out. Maybe the provider isn’t keeping your system up and running. Perhaps they let too many security issues fall through the cracks. Maybe they’re satisfi ed with fi nding existing problems and fi xing them rather than helping you create proactive I.T. strategies. Perhaps they are not as mature and sophisticated as you initially thought. Whatever the reason you aren’t satisfi ed with a managed services provider, you don’t have to settle for inferior or unmatched services that are not helping your business to be successful.

You may feel that you can suffer through the contract until it reaches the end,

Trying to get out of any agreement is not encouraged, but even the best relationships can come to an end. This, of course, would be after communications to the MSP that expectations are not being met.

The interesting thing is that usually when one party recognizes that an agreement is not fruitful, the other party is often thinking the same thing. Generally, this is due to an unequal pairing in the operational maturity of each organization. You and your MSP at one time may have been equally mature operationally, and over time your organization could have matured more than the MSP has. In this scenario, the agreement is almost always a bad fi t for both parties. You may require a higher level of service, which they are not prepared to give to you.

Signing a contract with an I.T. provider is

In this article, I am broaching a topic that is full of potential land mines. I don’t write this to give anyone ammo to get out of an agreement unlawfully. A deal with an MSP is a vital agreement for both the MSP and the client. When properly executed and properly followed, it allows both parties to be successful, and any good business owner or executive would always want their partners to be successful.

GETTING OUTCONTRACT

BADof a

with a MSP/I.T.Provider

First published in the Arkan-sas Community Banker Magazine

By Todd Nielsen, Chief Strategy Offi cer, JMARK Business Solutions, Inc.

P E O P L E F I R S T . T E C H N O L O G Y S E C O N D .

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but that could be bad for several reasons. While you are waiting for the agreement to end, serious problems can inhibit your success, your security, your compliance, and your customer’s privacy. Many immature MSPs, knowing a contract is coming to an end, will only do the minimum required amount of work, and this inevitably results in a bad situation.

But perhaps the most signifi cant problem of living with a bad agreement is that you will fall behind your competitors and not reach the full potential of your company’s success. Managed I.T. services, when done right, bring compounding positive effects to every organization. When done right, productivity increases, collaboration increases, risks are reduced, and profi ts increase.

Let’s assume you have done all you can do and have given your MSP every opportunity to live up to your expectations, and things still are not working out. There are several ways to go about ending the contract and move on to better I.T. solutions that protect and optimize your business for success.

SLA ViolationsIf you have a contract with an MSP, you almost certainly have service level agreements (SLAs). SLAs are one of the most critical parts of your agreement. The I.T. provider should have guaranteed response times for your issues. If, for some reason, response times were broken, there may be terms in which you can end the agreement. Other components of the SLA might include defi nitions of services, the responsibilities of the MSP, their reliability, and their responsiveness to

your I.T. needs. If the I.T. provider fails to live up to any of these conditions, then there may be cause to terminate the agreement. You have every right to get out of the arrangement and look for an I.T. services provider who will fulfi ll their promises and make you more successful.

Hold Out a Carrot on a StickOne way to soften the blow in a relationship gone bad is to give them something at the same time as you say you want to end the contract. For example, you could tell them you’ll pay them for an extra month or two if they help make the transition to another provider smooth. This is a generous offer that can lighten the situation, andit is worth every penny for you to be able to move on to a partnership that will provide positive outcomes for your business.

Termination ClauseYour contract may also have a termination clause that outlines the provisions for ending the contract. It may say you have to give 30 to 90 days’ notice. It might also say what form that notice needs to follow and who should receive the notifi cation. If you’ve decided you want to end the contract and another way out isn’t available to you, follow the terms of the termination clause. Then, even if you have to stay with them for three more months, there’s an end in sight, and you can begin working on a successful transition to your new I.T. partner.

Sit Down with Them and Have a ChatMany business owners and managers are so convinced they can’t get out of their contract with an I.T. provider that they

For three decades, JMARK has been providing innovative I.T. solutions to organizations of all sizes. With all that experience comes expansive expertise. We understand the challenges that modern businesses face and know how to maintain continuity in the midst of the continual changes that occur in technology needs and expectations—and we work diligently to bring that expertise to our clients.

Most importantly, at JMARK we put people before technology. Everything we do, every service we offer, is a refl ection of our

Time is money, as the old saying goes.It matters. Holding onto a bad contract only makes things worse for you, your employees, and your customers, both today and in the long term.

Todd Nielsen is Chief Strategy Offi cer for JMARK Business Solutions Inc. in Springfi eld. He can be reached at tnielsen@jmark.com. ©2020. JMARK Business Solutions.

THREE DECADES OF INNOVATIVE I.T. SOLUTIONS

don’t think of the most obvious solution: talking to the MSP. In many cases, all you have to do is to sit down with them and explain that the relationship isn’t working for you. Tell them you’d like to work out a plan to part ways on friendly terms. I know some of you are asking, “Is that really possible?” Yes, it is. The truth is that no one wants to be in a bad relationship. They probably don’t either. So, there’s no harm at all in trying to solve this problem amicably. Sometimes, you can be free of the contract as easy as that.

SummaryTime is money, as the old saying goes. It matters. Holding onto a bad contract only makes things worse for you, your employees, and your customers, both today and in the long term. Whatever you do, it’s essential that you don’t delay. After all, you can’t reach new heights of success unless you have the best I.T. services and strategy for your business.

If you’d like to work with an I.T. provider with outstanding credentials and a 30+ year history of reliably meeting clients’ I.T. needs, we’d be happy to explain our services. JMARK is a managed services provider serving Missouri and Oklahoma businesses, and clients around the United States. You can call us at 844-44-JMARK or send a quick email to JMARKIT@JMARK.com. We are happy to answer your questions and help you get back on track to better I.T. and the greater business success that comes with it.

People First, Technology Second philosophy. Because while we love technology, we also understand that I.T. is only useful inasmuch as it serves to empower people and enhance the work they do; work that, in turn, should facilitate growth, spur innovation, increase opportunity, and open up new paths to success.

Contact JMARK today and let us show you what our I.T. services can do for your fi rm.