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Managed IT

Changing IT providers, without losing access or a working day.

Switching is mostly about handing over access, documentation and responsibility in the right order. Here is what that involves and how Guardian plans it with you.

Talk About My IT What to collect first

Is it time?

Signs your current arrangement is not working

Most businesses do not switch because of one bad day. They switch because, over time, it stopped being clear who is responsible for what.

If your agreement is up for renewal, it is a good moment to ask these questions, whether you stay or move.

  • Nobody can tell you when a backup was last restored.
  • You are not sure who has administrator access to your systems.
  • The same problems come back, and nobody owns fixing the cause.
  • You cannot get a clear list of what you are paying for.
  • Your setup lives in one person's head.

The access handoff

What your business should hold before anything changes

These belong to your business, not to any provider. Knowing where they are makes any transition calmer, and is worth doing even if you never switch.

Accounts that control everything

Administrator access to Microsoft 365 or your email system, your domain name registration and its DNS settings, and your website hosting.

Network and security equipment

Access to your firewall, Wi-Fi and any remote access, plus who supplies your internet service and phones.

Backups

What is backed up, where the copies are kept, who can restore them and when a restore was last tested.

A list of devices

Computers, servers, printers and network equipment, who uses each one and roughly how old it is.

Software and licenses

The business applications you rely on, who supports them, and the licenses you pay for and who holds them.

Vendor contacts

Account numbers and support contacts for your internet provider, phone system, copier and software vendors.

Please do not send passwords through the website or by email. When access is handed over, we agree a safe way to do it with you.

Who does what

Responsibilities during a transition

A clear split of responsibilities keeps the handoff from stalling. Your written transition plan confirms the details.

Your business

  • Decide who can approve changes
  • Give notice under your current agreement
  • Confirm that key accounts are in the business's name

Your current provider

  • Hand over administrator access
  • Share the documentation your agreement provides for
  • Remove its own tools and accounts once the handoff is done

Guardian

  • Plan the transition with you, in writing
  • Document what is received and flag what is missing
  • Coordinate with your vendors and bring systems under management one agreed step at a time

How Guardian plans it

From first conversation to steady support

  1. A short conversation

    A 15-minute introduction about what works today, what does not and when your current agreement ends. No passwords or remote access needed.

  2. A written scope and transition plan

    If there is a fit: what Guardian will cover, the order things will move in, who does each step and what it costs.

  3. Document, then change

    We write down your people, devices, accounts, backups and vendors first. Nothing is switched off or replaced without your approval.

See what ongoing support can cover on the Managed IT page, or read about Microsoft 365 support.

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Common questions

Do we need to tell our current provider before we talk to you?

No. Many businesses talk to us first so they understand what a change would involve. Before you give notice, read your current agreement for its notice period and what your provider must hand over when it ends.

Will our team lose a day of work during the switch?

The transition plan is built to keep your people working. Any change that could interrupt work, such as moving email or replacing network equipment, is scheduled with you in advance and explained before it happens.

What if our current provider is slow to hand things over?

Many of the most important accounts, such as Microsoft 365 and your domain name, belong to your business. We help you work out which accounts you can reclaim directly as the owner, and which need your provider to act.

Do we have to replace our computers or equipment?

No. We document what you have first. If we recommend replacing something, we explain why, what it would cost and when it makes sense, and nothing is purchased without your approval.

We do not have a provider at all. Is this still the right page?

The same steps apply. Instead of a handoff from a provider, the knowledge often lives with an employee, a former employee or a relative who helped out. We start by writing down what they know.

Thinking about a change?

Start with a short conversation, or call (430) 288-4710. You will leave knowing what a switch would involve.

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Prefer the phone? Call (430) 288-4710. Already a Guardian client? Go to Client Support.