5 Signs Your IT Company Is Coasting On Your Contract

You pay them every month. But are they actually earning it? Here's how to tell if your IT provider has quietly switched to autopilot.

You've been with your IT company for years. The monthly invoice arrives like clockwork. But when was the last time they actually *did* something proactive?

If you're struggling to remember, you might have a coaster. Here are the five warning signs.

Sign 1: You Only Hear From Them When Something Breaks

Good IT support is proactive. They spot problems before you do. They call to say 'we noticed your backup failed last night, we've fixed it' or 'your server is running low on space, let's plan an upgrade'.

Coasting IT support waits for your call. They're reactive. By the time you know there's a problem, it's already affecting your business.

What good looks like: Quarterly reviews, regular health checks, proactive alerts about potential issues.

Sign 2: Response Times Have Quietly Slipped

Remember when you first signed up? They answered the phone on the second ring. Issues got fixed the same day. You felt like a priority.

Now? You leave voicemails. Tickets sit for hours. 'Urgent' has become a relative term.

This happens gradually. The service degrades so slowly you barely notice. Until one day you realise you're waiting 4 hours for something that used to take 15 minutes.

What good looks like: Under 15 minutes for urgent issues, under 1 hour for standard requests, with tracked SLAs.

Sign 3: The Same Problems Keep Happening

That printer issue? You've reported it three times this month. That slow PC? 'Have you tried restarting it?' has become a running joke in your office.

Repeating problems aren't normal. They're a symptom of an IT provider who fixes symptoms, not causes. A proper engineer investigates *why* something keeps failing and implements a permanent solution.

What good looks like: Root cause analysis, permanent fixes, declining repeat issues over time.

Sign 4: Your Security Feels Stuck in 2019

The cyber threat landscape changes constantly. Ransomware tactics evolve. New vulnerabilities emerge. Compliance requirements tighten.

But when did your IT provider last review your security? Are you still running Windows 10? (Support ended October 2025.) Is MFA enabled everywhere? When did you last have a phishing simulation?

Coasting providers don't want to rock the boat. 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it' is their mantra. But security *is* broken if it hasn't evolved.

What good looks like: Annual security reviews, proactive patching, regular training recommendations, Cyber Essentials guidance.

Sign 5: They've Never Challenged Your Spending

When did your IT provider last save you money?

If they're billing you for licences, they probably aren't auditing them. Unused Microsoft 365 seats, redundant software subscriptions, overspec'd hardware renewals - these cost you money every month.

A provider who genuinely partners with you will flag waste. They'll say 'you're paying for 30 licences but only using 22' or 'you don't need the premium tier for that software'.

What good looks like: Regular licence audits, cost-saving recommendations, transparent billing.

Why IT Companies Coast

It's not malice. It's economics.

Managed IT contracts are recurring revenue. Once you're signed up and paying, the *least* effort that keeps you happy maximises their profit.

The good providers resist this. They know long-term relationships require continued value. But many slip into 'good enough' mode because it's easier.

The Questions to Ask Yourself

Be honest:

• When did my IT provider last contact me about something that *wasn't* a problem I reported?
• Do I know what my IT provider did for me last month? Can they show me?
• Have my response times gotten worse?
• When was my last security review?
• Am I paying for things I don't use?

If you're unsure on any of these, it's worth a conversation. A good IT provider welcomes scrutiny. A coasting one will get defensive.

Holding Them Accountable

Schedule a review meeting. Ask for:

• Ticket statistics: Average response time, resolution time, volume by category
• Proactive work log: What have they done this quarter that wasn't requested?
• Security posture report: Current state, recommendations, outstanding risks
• Licence and cost review: What are you paying for, what could be optimised?

If they can't produce this, you have your answer.

When It's Time to Move On

Switching IT providers feels daunting. The devil you know, and all that.

But the cost of coasting is real:

• Security gaps that become breaches
• Productivity lost to slow response times
• Money wasted on unused services
• Strategic opportunities missed

The transition is less disruptive than most people fear. A good new provider handles the migration.

The Quick Check

We've built a quick scorecard that asks the questions your IT provider should be answering. It takes 2 minutes and gives you a clear picture of whether you're getting what you pay for.

Take the IT Provider Scorecard

You might discover everything's fine. Or you might discover it's time for that difficult conversation.