Before you give notice: find out what you own
Most switching problems trace back to one thing: the outgoing provider holds something in its own name. Before any conversation about leaving, establish:
- Domain names. Who is the registrant and who controls the DNS? Check with a WHOIS lookup or our domain audit, which shows the registrar. If the provider is the registrant, that is the first thing to fix.
- Microsoft 365 tenant. Is there a Global Administrator account in your business's name that you control? If every admin is a provider account, you do not control your own email.
- Licences. Bought through the provider (a CSP) or directly? Provider-supplied licences can usually be transferred or replaced; know which.
- Backup. Where is it, who can restore it, and does it end with the contract?
- Firewall, Wi-Fi, server and line-of-business admin passwords. Documented, and held by you.
- The contract. Notice period, exit clauses, and any charges for handover.
Ask for a break-glass Global Administrator account in your name now, whatever else happens. A reasonable provider gives it without argument.
The handover, week by week
A typical switch takes four to eight weeks from decision to completion, overlapping with the notice period.
| Stage | What happens | Who does it |
|---|---|---|
| Week 0: decision and audit | The new provider audits what you have (read-only), lists what the old provider holds, and produces a handover plan. | New provider, with your access |
| Week 1: notice and ownership | Notice given with the plan attached. Domains, tenant admin and licences moved into your name if they are not already. | You, both providers |
| Weeks 2 to 4: parallel running | New provider deploys its monitoring and management tooling, enrols devices, sets up its helpdesk and backup. Old provider still answers the phone. | New provider |
| Week 4 to 6: cut-over | Staff get the new helpdesk details. Old provider's tooling and access removed; passwords they held are changed. | New provider |
| Weeks 6 to 8: settle | The quiet period where the new team learns the estate and fixes what the audit found. | New provider |
Where the old provider will not cooperate, the plan changes but the outcome does not: ownership of domains and tenants can be recovered through the registrar and Microsoft, it just takes longer. We have done it.
Not sure which of these applies to your business? Ask an engineer.
Book a Discovery CallThe worries, and what actually happens
- "We will lose email." Email lives in your Microsoft 365 tenant, not with the provider. With admin access in your name, nothing moves.
- "We will lose our data." Same answer for files in SharePoint and OneDrive. The risk is data on a provider-owned backup or server; the audit finds it and copies it out before notice.
- "Staff will be disrupted." The visible changes are a new helpdesk number and email, possibly new MFA or device prompts if security is being tightened. Everything else is behind the scenes.
- "The old provider will be difficult." Sometimes. The audit and the ownership fixes before notice are what make that a nuisance rather than a crisis.
- "It will cost us." Handover time is usually part of onboarding. Exit fees are a contract question; read it before deciding.
How Black Sheep Support handles a switch
Onboarding starts with the audit and the ownership checks above, because they protect you whether or not you go ahead. Then a written handover plan, parallel running while the old provider is still on call, and a cut-over date agreed with you. Your tenant, domains and licences are in your name from the start. [TO CONFIRM: whether onboarding is included in the monthly fee or charged separately.]
Read how to choose an IT support company if you have not decided who to move to yet.
Want a second opinion before you buy licences?
We will look at your tenant, tell you who would actually benefit, and what needs fixing first. An engineer, not a salesperson.
Frequently asked questions
How long does switching IT providers take?
Four to eight weeks from decision to completion for a typical small business, usually overlapping with the notice period so there is no gap in cover.
Can our old provider hold our data or email hostage?
Not if your domain, Microsoft 365 tenant and licences are in your business's name with an admin account you control. If they are not, fix that before giving notice. Where a provider refuses to cooperate, ownership can be recovered through the registrar and Microsoft.
Will we lose email during the switch?
No. Email stays in your tenant; the provider changes, the mailboxes do not. Disruption is limited to new helpdesk details and any security tightening you choose.
What should we ask the new provider before switching?
How they audit before notice, how they handle ownership, whether onboarding is included, and what they do if the old provider will not cooperate. Our choosing guide has the full list.
Do we need to tell our staff?
Yes, briefly: the date, the new helpdesk contact, and what (if anything) they will notice. Most switches need one email and a poster by the printer.
Plan your IT support move
We will audit what you have and what your current provider holds, and give you a handover plan you can use whether or not you move to us.
- What you own and what needs to move into your name.
- A week-by-week handover plan with no gap in cover.
- What staff will notice, and when.
- The cost, itemised.
What has changed on this page
- 10 September 2026Page published.
