A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.
Feature
Computacenter
Datacom
Overall Score
3.7
3.1
Type
UK/European IT Services
Global Enterprise
Employees
21000
5000-6000
Founded
1981
1965
Headquarters
Hatfield, United Kingdom
Sydney, NSW (NZ HQ: Auckland)
Revenue
$7.5B
Private
Salary Range
$40,000 - $130,000
$75,000 - $160,000
Specialties
Managed Services, Cloud, IT Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, Digital Transformation, Hardware & Licensing
Managed Services, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Centre, Application Development
Certifications
Microsoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, VMware Partner, ISO 27001
Microsoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, VMware Partner
Green Flags
Strong financial performance β consistent revenue and profit growth FTSE 250 listed provides transparency and governance Good client retention rates driven by quality service delivery Acquisition strategy (Pinnacle, Crayon) demonstrates disciplined growth Strong UK and European market position with manufacturing/industrial depth
Privately held Γ’β¬β no PE pressure, no quarterly earnings Low offshoring (~20%) Γ’β¬β most work delivered locally Genuine work-life balance in most teams Rarely does mass layoffs Γ’β¬β stable employment Largest locally-owned IT company in Australia
Red Flags
Limited brand recognition outside Europe and UK Below-market compensation compared to US consulting firms Thin margins in hardware and licensing resell business Integration risk from ongoing acquisition strategy Managed services margin pressure from hyperscaler competition
Below-market salaries (A$85-95K average vs A$128-138K market) Career stagnation Γ’β¬β 'dead man's shoes' culture Internal politics favour tenure over talent Graduate program used as cheap labour pipeline Manager quality varies wildly between teams
Worker Pros
FTSE 250 transparency and financial stability Strong UK and European market position Good work-life balance compared to US consulting peers Consistent growth β stable employment Good client retention and long-term relationships
Stability Γ’β¬β private ownership means no restructuring cycles Work-life balance is genuinely good Local delivery Γ’β¬β your job isn't being offshored Good graduate programs with real mentorship
Worker Cons
Limited brand presence outside UK/Europe Below-market compensation for senior technical roles Hardware/Licensing resell has thin margins Acquisition integration can be bumpy Managed services margins under hyperscaler pressure
Salaries are 20-30% below market rate Career progression is slow Γ’β¬β 'dead man's shoes' Manager quality varies wildly Γ’β¬β your experience depends on your boss Innovation is limited by risk-averse culture Internal politics favour loyalty over competence
Both UK/European IT Services and Global Enterprise have strengths and weaknesses. Your choice depends on your priorities β whether that's career growth, salary, work-life balance, or technical exposure.
Use the side-by-side comparison tool for a deeper look, or check out individual profiles for detailed employee reviews.
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