The managed IT services landscape in Australia is undergoing significant transformation.
Gartner projects IT spending will hit AUD $146.85 billion in 2025, an 8.7% rise from 2024, while IMARC Group forecasts further growth to AUD $122.5 billion by 2033. This surge is driven by increased investments in cloud computing, cybersecurity, and AI technologies and underscores the escalating demand for advanced IT solutions and services.
In this evolving environment, many businesses find their existing Managed Service Provider (MSP) agreements inadequate. Traditional contracts, often focused on on-premise support and reactive services, fail to address the complexities of modern IT needs, such as cloud integration, proactive security measures, and flexible support models.
As cyber threats become more sophisticated and remote work becomes the norm, it's imperative for businesses to reassess their MSP relationships. Ensuring that your MSP is aligned with current technological advancements and business objectives is crucial for maintaining resilience and competitiveness in 2025 and beyond.
This isn’t about tearing up contracts. It’s about asking the right questions to ensure your IT support matches your business ambition.
Spotting the red flags in your IT Support
A support agreement should move your business forward, not just keep the lights on. If your current MSP model shows any of these warning signs, it’s worth a second look.
-
Reactive-only support
If your provider only responds to tickets but never flags issues early or suggests improvements, you’re not getting proactive IT. Prevention and optimisation should be part of the service. -
No visibility or reporting
Can you see what’s happening in your environment? A strong MSP offers service dashboards, regular reviews, and performance insights not just fixes when things break. -
Security is sold separately
Security should be foundational, not a bolt-on. If patching, MFA, backups, and account monitoring aren’t included, your risk is quietly compounding. -
No link to your roadmap
A good MSP does more than keep systems running, they help plan and shape your future. If they’re absent from cloud strategies or asset lifecycle planning, there’s a gap. -
Rigid SLAs that don’t match today’s needs
Hybrid work, mobile devices, and cloud-first systems need flexible support. Legacy SLAs often can’t move fast enough or adapt to new working models. -
Misaligned pricing models
A flat rate sounds simple, but are you paying for services you don’t use or missing out on critical support for Microsoft 365, Azure, or mobile device management?
A modern support model isn’t just a safety net. It’s a growth enabler. If your current provider isn’t meeting that standard, it’s time to re-evaluate.
What Modern Managed IT Services Should Look Like in 2025
IT support focusses on driving security, agility, and user experience. In 2025, a modern managed service provider should deliver more than reactive help. They should be a proactive, strategic partner embedded in your operations.
Here’s what to expect from a best-in-class MSP:
-
Proactive monitoring and remediation
Not just alerts. Your provider should detect, diagnose, and resolve issues before users even notice, minimising downtime and disruption. -
Security baked in
Essential protections like patch management, tested backups, MFA enforcement, and phishing defence must be part of the core service. -
Cloud-native support
Your MSP should comfortably manage modern environments including Microsoft 365, Azure, VPNs, and hybrid endpoints. Cloud fluency is non-negotiable. -
Strategic guidance
This includes quarterly planning sessions, roadmap alignment, and advice on software upgrades, renewals, and hardware lifecycle decisions. -
User experience focus
Fast, effective support is crucial. Expect streamlined onboarding and offboarding, remote support capabilities, and helpdesk SLAs that prioritise your team’s productivity. -
Tailored SLAs
Support hours, escalation paths, and response times should be shaped around your business needs and not a one-size-fits-all template. -
Reporting and transparency
From real-time dashboards to monthly insights and account management touchpoints, you should have full visibility into service health and trends.
How to Re-Scope Your MSP Agreement for More Value
Reworking your IT support doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. Often, it’s about asking sharper questions and aligning your agreement to today’s realities.
Here’s how to re-scope your MSP relationship for greater business value:
-
Start with a business impact review
Identify the pain points. Are there recurring outages, slow responses, or support gaps that affect users or operations? -
Map coverage against current needs
Does your MSP support the full range of your systems, including cloud platforms and remote devices? Are you still paying for services linked to on-prem hardware you no longer rely on? -
Audit alignment to modern risks
Are fundamentals like backup integrity, patch compliance, and incident response clearly defined in your agreement or are they assumed but untracked? -
Initiate a roadmap session
Ask your provider for a forward-looking planning conversation. A strong MSP will bring ideas for licensing optimisation, technology upgrades, and integration support. -
Review the pricing model
Consider whether your billing structure matches how your workforce operates today. Per-user pricing or co-managed models may offer better flexibility and transparency.
Should You Switch Providers — or Reframe the Relationship?
When your managed IT support starts to fall short, the answer isn’t always to walk away. If trust is intact and service is generally reliable, your current provider may be open to re-scoping. But you’ll need to lead that conversation with clear expectations and priorities.
Signs it may be time to switch:
- Ongoing SLA breaches or slow incident response
- No built-in support for cloud platforms or security fundamentals
- Your MSP hasn’t scaled support as your team, tools, or sites have expanded
However, if your provider still delivers well day-to-day, a renegotiated agreement could bring value without the disruption of a full transition.
The goal is to evolve from a transactional helpdesk model into a relationship where your MSP acts as a strategic partner, helping your technology stack support the future, not just the present.
The right IT support partner should help you do more than just stay online.
Use 2025 planning as a chance to rethink your MSP agreement - and reframe what value looks like in today’s IT environment.
Whether you need a full provider change or just a smarter agreement, The Missing Link is here to help.
Ready to reframe your support agreement? Talk to us about what modern IT partnerships should deliver now and into the future.
