A detailed comparison of two major Australian Managed Service Providers.
Feature
Datacom
Getronics
Overall Score
3.1
3.1
Type
Global Enterprise
European MSP
Employees
5000-6000
3500
Founded
1965
1887
Headquarters
Sydney, NSW (NZ HQ: Auckland)
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Revenue
Private
$600M
Salary Range
$75,000 - $160,000
$35,000 - $110,000
Specialties
Managed Services, Cloud Infrastructure, Data Centre, Application Development
Managed Services, Digital Workplace, Cloud, Cybersecurity, Modern Workplace, IT Infrastructure
Certifications
Microsoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, VMware Partner
Microsoft Partner, AWS Partner, Cisco Partner, ISO 27001
Green Flags
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
Strong European heritage and 135+ year history in technology services Deep Benelux market presence with good government relationships Digital workplace and modern workplace services are well-regarded Workspace 365 and digital workplace IP provides product differentiation
Red Flags
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
Financial instability β multiple ownership changes, near-collapse events Massive downsizing from peak of 28,000 employees to ~3,500 Private equity ownership churn creates strategic whiplash Brand reputation damaged by repeated restructuring and asset sales Limited geographic scope outside Benelux and UK
Worker Pros
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
Long heritage and established brand in Benelux Digital workplace IP (Workspace 365) is genuinely useful Good relationships with Benelux government clients Modern workplace focus aligns with market demand
Worker Cons
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
Multiple ownership changes create strategic whiplash Massive downsizing from 28K to 3.5K β shadow of former self Below-market compensation across most roles Limited geographic reach outside Benelux/UK
Both Global Enterprise and European MSP 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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