Switching telecommunications providers is a big deal for any business. Not only do you need to be confident that operations will continue seamlessly during the switch, but you’ll also want to ensure that the new provider offers value and service that you’re not already getting.

For some IT professionals and CIOs, it can be easier to put up with sub-par service than dealing with the perceived headache of switching providers.

But whether your business’ information and communications technology needs are changing or you’re simply ready for a better customer experience, there are a few things to consider before switching providers.

1. Can you get timely, on-shore support?

Most people don’t care where their telco’s support services are based—until something goes wrong. The big telcos often don’t offer Australian-based support, preferring to outsource their customer service offshore. That can make it difficult to get the quality of service you need during critical, time-sensitive moments.

At Vocus, we offer 24/7, Australian-based support; when you need help, we’ll be there.

2. Are they recognised in the industry?

Clinging to the recognised names of the bigger players is one of the reasons businesses continue dealing with inferior service. And we get it —if you make a change to your telco and things go wrong, it’s your reputation as an IT professional that’s on the line.

At Vocus, we’re proud to call more than 200 government agencies and two-thirds of companies listed on the ASX200 as customers, providing security and service that’s difficult for other telcos to match. Don’t take our word for it, though. Check out why organisations such as the Port Authority of New South Wales and Brownes Dairy have made the switch to Vocus.

3. How secure and reliable are they?

Security and reliability are two key important factors when choosing your company’s telco provider. You can rest assured Vocus is a leader in both. We own Australia’s second-largest diversified fibre network and are the provider of choice for hundreds of government agencies, including the Department of Defence. We also offer service level agreements around uptime and fault resolution.

Depending on your needs, we also have solutions that suit, whether it’s security add-ons to our standard IP network or a fully managed, separated network for secure agencies.

4. Who do they partner with?

From our partnership with Google Cloud to our hundreds of channel partners, we work with a community of experts to complement our leading fibre and network solutions and provide you with a full ICT solution. Best of all, our solutions and deployments are competitive with the better-known telcos.

5. How do they approach problem-solving?

Most customers considering switching telcos have a specific issue — they may need a telco that can handle a transformational change, or they’re nearing the end of their contract with a current provider and want to explore what better options are available.

At Vocus, we don’t just focus on fixing a specific problem or pain point, because that’s not usually the whole story. Instead, we listen and take the time to understand your business objectives and future direction to offer a more holistic, tailored ICT solution. We want to help make your job easier, and we do that by being a trusted advisor.

If you’re ready to consider switching to a telco that delivers less ‘GRRR’ and more ‘AHHH,’ let one of our experts give you a call. We’re ready to listen.