Close Menu
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing & Mental Health
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
Trending
  • Zen Internet celebrates 30 years – making it the longest standing independent ISP in the UK!
  • Is there a “right” time for staff to take holiday?
  • Tottenham’s Small Business Scene Doubles as Major Events Transform the Area
  • Transforming farming’s whiffy reputation – from manure to energy gold
  • ADHD Awareness Month: Supporting Neurodiverse Talent
  • Stockley’s Moves To New Purpose-Built Facility To Support Ambitious Expansionist Vision
  • BB7 joins CERTANIA to establish UK and Ireland Buildings & Infrastructure platform
  • Rebuilding productivity: How connected data can power British manufacturing
X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • News
  • Home
  • In Profile
  • Finance
  • Legal
  • Technology
  • Events
  • Features
  • Wellbeing
  • Marketing
  • HR & Recruitment
SME Today
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Events Calendar
  • Business Wall
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • 0843 289 4634
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
You are at:Home»Technology»What SMEs risk when their IT provider gets bought out
Cloud infrastructure. Managed service provider.

What SMEs risk when their IT provider gets bought out

0
Posted By sme-admin on September 2, 2025 Technology

As private equity firms continue to roll up UK MSPs, Espria warns of hidden risks for SMEs; from slower support to diminished accountability.

A wave of private equity-driven consolidation is sweeping across the UK’s managed IT services sector. While these deals are often marketed as a route to improved scale and efficiency, the reality for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is frequently quite different, with medium and small-sized businesses sharing only 10% revenue in comparison to the 74% share of larger firms. This high market concentration limits SMEs as they often lack the leverage, resources, or visibility to compete effectively.

According to Espria, a leading independent managed service provider, SMEs caught in the aftermath of an MSP acquisition often experience slower response times, reduced access to familiar support teams, and a breakdown in service accountability, all of which increase operational risk for businesses that depend on reliable IT.

“Acquisitions are usually framed as progress, but for many SMEs, they result in service degradation,” said Darren Waters, Centre of Excellence Director at Espria.

“The assumption that bigger is better doesn’t always hold true in IT support. Once a provider is absorbed into a larger group, priorities often shift toward financial outcomes rather than client service.”

The issue is especially acute for SMEs, many of which lack internal IT departments and rely heavily on MSPs for their day-to-day operations, regulatory compliance and cybersecurity needs. A delay in response or loss of relationship continuity can quickly escalate into costly disruption.

“To safeguard service quality, some providers are doubling down on transparency and accountability,” Waters continued. “At Espria, we’ve invested in platforms like HaloPSA that give SMEs real time visibility of service performance, SLA compliance and accountability. This means our clients can see exactly how we’re performing and have confidence, that as we scale, transparency and responsiveness remain at the centre of everything we do.” In a landscape where consolidation can mean abrupt changes to support models or the departure of experienced staff, Espria argues that visibility and stability are becoming essential differentiators.

Waters concluded, “Not every MSP acquisition leads to a decline in service, larger organisations can offer more resources and broader coverage, but for smaller clients, a shift away from personalised, relationship-led support often raises concerns about value and trust. Growth isn’t the problem. The problem is when growth comes at the expense of reliability and clear communication.”

As industry consolidation continues, Espria advises SMEs to be proactive, ask questions about ownership, understand your provider’s escalation processes, and monitor for early signs of service disruption. It is becoming very apparent that knowing who’s really behind your IT support has never mattered more.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Zen Internet celebrates 30 years – making it the longest standing independent ISP in the UK!

BB7 joins CERTANIA to establish UK and Ireland Buildings & Infrastructure platform

Rebuilding productivity: How connected data can power British manufacturing

Comments are closed.

Follow SME Today on Linkedin and share all the topics you find interesting
ISO/IEC 27001 roadmap: A practical guide for UK SMEs
ISO/IEC 27001 roadmap: A practical guide for UK SMEs
Are you a Company Director?
Are you a Company Director - Verify your identity
Personal Pension offer
Events Calendar
    • Marketing
    October 14, 2025

    Do You Need To Look Through ‘The Business Lens’?

    October 10, 2025

    What Does Whatsapp’s Ad Rollout Signal For Social Media And Messaging?

    • Finance
    October 14, 2025

    New energy service aims to lessen strain on SME budgets

    October 8, 2025

    An Online Test For Trying Out An Employee-Ownership Trust

    • People
    October 13, 2025

    Dr. Karim Bahou appointed Head of Innovation at Sister, Manchester’s £1.7bn innovation district

    September 30, 2025

    Allergen Free For The Win: Ceo Of Inclusive Food Brand Announced As Best Business Woman

    • Health & Safety
    September 18, 2025

    Lessons From Grenfell Are Still Being Learned

    September 2, 2025

    1 in 3 employees anxious about lack of first aiders at work

    • Events
    October 10, 2025

    Nominations Now Open for UK’s Top 100 Businesses – EB100 2026

    October 8, 2025

    The Solopreneur Awards 2025: The Audacity Era

    • Community
    September 18, 2025

    ClearCourse appoints new Chair of the Board, Simon Black

    September 18, 2025

    Raising Money Where It’s Needed: Westspring Pledges To Raise £50,000 For Charity

    • Food & Drink
    October 15, 2025

    Stockley’s Moves To New Purpose-Built Facility To Support Ambitious Expansionist Vision

    October 9, 2025

    Leading Allergy Campaigner Supports Call For New Food Allergens To Be Added To Uk’s ‘Top 14’ List

    • Books
    September 3, 2025

    New book on conquering fear of public speaking

    August 7, 2025

    Learning to Leave a Legacy in Business

    The Newsletter

    Join our mailing list for the best SME stories, handpicked and delivered direct to your inbox every two weeks!

    Sign Up
    About

    SME Today is published by the same team who deliver The Great British Expos’. We have been organising various corporate events for the last 10 years, with a strong track record of producing well managed and attended business events across the UK.

    Join Our Mailing List

    Receive the latest news and updates from SMEToday.
    Read our Latest Newsletter:


    Sign Up
    X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    Categories
    • Books
    • Community & Charity
    • Education and Training
    • Environment
    • Events
    • Features
    • Finance
    • Food and Drink
    • Health & Safety
    • HR & Recruitment
    • In Profile
    • Legal
    • Marketing
    • News
    • People
    • Property & Development
    • Sponsored Content
    • Technology
    • Transport & Tourism
    • Wellbeing & Mental Health
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact
    Copyright © 2025 SME Today.
    • ABOUT SME TODAY: THE GO TO RESOURCE FOR UK BUSINESSES
    • Editorial Submission Guidelines
    • Privacy
    • Contact

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.