Checklist: Switching MSPs

by Aaron Flack on 2025

<span id="hs_cos_wrapper_name" class="hs_cos_wrapper hs_cos_wrapper_meta_field hs_cos_wrapper_type_text" style="" data-hs-cos-general-type="meta_field" data-hs-cos-type="text" >Checklist: Switching MSPs</span>

Ready to switch to a new Managed Service Provider? Here's how to get it right.

Switching IT support providers is a high-stakes move. When your current MSP is underperforming with missing SLAs, providing reactive fixes, and using outdated tooling, leaping can feel risky. However, with the proper process, the switch becomes a clean break from what isn’t working and a clear step toward something better. Our MSP Switching Checklist provides the structure and clarity needed to manage the handover without disruption, data loss, or blame games.

What’s inside...

1. Step-by-step switching plan
From discovery to post-switch review, every stage is mapped with specific actions.

2. Responsibilities by party
Split tasks between you, your old MSP, and your new one, so nothing gets missed.

3. Common gotchas to avoid
Real-world “top hints” flag where transitions usually fall apart.

4. Live-use format
Use it as a collaborative document across internal and external teams.

How you benefit

Minimise downtime risk
Clear timelines and ownership prevent service gaps, account lockouts, or missed migrations.

Secure your data and access
The checklist ensures visibility over credentials, licences, and vendor-held assets prior to handover.

Avoid hidden costs
It flags licence traps, inherited risks, and tools still tied to your outgoing provider.

Get value from Day 1
New MSP onboarding is structured to deliver quick wins, not just settle in.

Why Use This Checklist?

MSP transitions often fail not because of the new provider, but because the exit was poorly handled. The MSP Switching Checklist helps you manage the crossover period with clarity and control. It removes ambiguity, reduces friction, and protects your business from the operational, financial, and security risks that typically surface during a switch. This isn’t theory—it’s the practical support that most companies realise they needed after the fact.

Jobs

Blog post: Why MSPs fail their clients

What starts as a trusted partnership often declines into reactive service, slow responses, and opaque pricing. This breakdown isn't always immediately apparent, but its effects can hinder business growth, compromise security posture, and escalate operational risk.

FAQ

Changing your MSP starts with a clear transition plan. You'll need to document your current IT environment, reclaim all credentials, and agree timelines with both your outgoing and incoming providers. Using a structured switching checklist ensures continuity, avoids security gaps, and keeps operations stable throughout the changeover.

The best managed IT support provider for your business depends on more than location. Please be sure to look for a partner with proven service excellence, embedded cybersecurity, and strategic capabilities, not just fast ticket response. Conosco supports organisations across the UK with embedded, forward-thinking IT support that adapts to your growth.

Switch when performance declines, support becomes reactive, or your current provider can no longer support your growth. Waiting too long risks greater disruption. Plan your switch around contract renewals or before making major technology changes.

All data, systems, and credentials should be handed over in full. Make sure your current MSP provides complete documentation, backup schedules, and administrative access. Your new provider should validate everything before they take over.

It can be if access is poorly managed or documentation is incomplete. Risks include expired certificates, shared credentials, and missed vulnerabilities. A structured checklist helps avoid these issues by flagging each task clearly and assigning ownership across all parties.

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