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Should You Become an MSSP?
If you have managed services customers in highly regulated markets, becoming a managed security services provider is a natural evolution you should consider.
Job Title: Guest blogs such as this one are published monthly and are part of MSPmentor's annual platinum sponsorship.
If you have managed services customers in highly regulated markets, becoming a managed security services provider is a natural evolution you should consider.
Meeting customer expectations can help you retain clients, even with growing competition.
MSPs need to ask SMBs questions about cybersecurity that not only reveal their need for solutions but also their awareness of the growing risks.
A recent survey estimates that there are 107,368 MSPs, solutions providers, integrators, consultants, and systems builders in the United States. With so much competition going after new business–and maybe after business you already have–it’s important to effectively communicate your MSP’s value proposition to both customers and prospects.
One of the prevailing themes in entertainment this year was superheroes in conflict. These duels serve as a good example of the kinds of conflicts we often see raging in the IT world: on premise versus the cloud, laptops versus tablets, Macs versus PCs. While some of these rivalries are more a matter of personal preferences, sometimes there is a lot more at stake.
We’re all familiar with the cyber attacks on big-name companies and organizations that have made the news in recent years (e.g. Target, JP Morgan Chase). Although these scares may be effective at alerting other Fortune 500 companies to beef up their security, they tend to have the opposite effect on SMBs that often believe they are too small to make it onto cybercriminals’ radar.
Savvy MSPs are overcoming declining revenue from hardware and traditional software licensing by finding ways to add value to Office 365 sales.
Selling cloud-based IT solutions continues to be a serious challenge for some MSPs, especially those used to $10,000 Small Business Server and Exchange projects with monthly managed and professional services added on.
Like many MSPs, retailers are challenged with having to distinguish themselves from competitors primarily by fostering a positive customer experience. In fact, as recent Gartner research confirms, the customer experience is the new battlefield.
In today’s data-driven world, businesses of all sizes are finding themselves increasingly vulnerable to data breach and loss. Recent studies have shown, in fact, that cybersecurity attacks are on the rise, increasing in both frequency and intensity.
In today’s competitive business climate, data is king. Organizations, both large and small and across all vertical industries, rely heavily on data to stay in business. The fact is that any outage, whether caused by nature or man-made, has the potential to put a company out of business indefinitely–or, in some cases, permanently.
From snow and rain on the East Coast and across the Central Plains to the wild El Niño weather patterns out West, people all over the United States are bracing for what could be a tough winter. For businesses, especially, the winter months can be difficult. Hazardous road conditions make it hard to get to and from work, snow and ice can damage power lines and bring down technology infrastructure, and cold weather can lead to burst pipes and flooding, causing businesses to close for indefinite periods of time.
It’s that time of year when the industry pauses and reflects on what trends have emerged, what new technologies have arrived on the scene, and how business models have evolved.
As countless experts in the IT channel will attest, specialization is key to building a thriving business. With an increasing number of MSPs and solution providers heeding this advice, it is not uncommon to come across channel partners that are focused solely on serving clients in the healthcare, legal, banking or financial services industries. Now, those who already possess this vertical market expertise have an opportunity to differentiate themselves even further and grow their businesses by focusing on meeting a critical business need–compliance.
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and an excellent opportunity for MSPs and solution providers to educate their customers on how to protect their data, applications and IT infrastructure from cyber attacks.
As a managed services provider, you understand the benefits of the recurring revenue stream model. It provides predictable income, saves time and money, improves service levels, and boosts profitability, just to name a few benefits. But making the business case to your customers–especially those who’ve historically been on the “break/fix” invoicing model–may take a little more explaining.
As a whole, small businesses are tremendous economic engines–creating jobs, stimulating growth and fostering innovation. Unfortunately, their size makes them especially vulnerable to catastrophic incidents such as fire, flood and extreme weather events, as well as to more localized problems including equipment failures, theft, and cybercrime.
With an increasing number of workers using smartphones and tablets to do their jobs, businesses are more compelled than ever to provide their employees with access to solutions and services that support mobility, increase productivity, and enhance communication and collaboration with co-workers, business partners and clients.
There’s no shortage of advice telling IT solution providers they should be selling managed services and earning monthly recurring revenue (MRR). Yet, when it comes down to it, making the transition from project-based or break-fix IT services to managed services is hard.
Ensuring there is more than enough revenue coming in each month to cover expenses is a top priority for every smart business owner, including MSPs. If you are struggling to find the best way to price your services in order to hit your revenue targets, here’s a quick piece of advice: Take the time to evaluate (and potentially change) how you currently package and price your services. Is there a methodology? Do you offer bundles? Or, do you just pick a round number and roll with it?
#MSPs can help businesses deal with #cloudcomputing and #cybersecurity pain points, says @Dreamix_Ltd.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Chinese hacker group #HAFNIUM exploits critical @MSFTExchange Server vulnerability, could impact thousands.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
Our latest #Cybersecurity Roundup highlights #CPVirtual, @Huntresslabs, @Entrust_Corp and @InsightEnt.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
RT @Channel_Expo: A HUGE thank you to our amazing #CPVirtual sponsors and exhibitors! 👏 @ATTBusiness @DellTech @8x8 @lumentechco @telarus @…
.@okta acquiring rival @auth0 in $6.5 billion all-stock transaction. #security dlvr.it/Rtzwdp https://t.co/4LvHCJuwsR
.@MicrosoftTeams features are coming to @MSFTDynamics365, the company announced at @MS_Ignite. #MicrosoftIgnite… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
.@PreciselyData acquired by Clearlake Capital, @TAAssociates. #digitaltransformation dlvr.it/RtzbKg https://t.co/1rNYnTScxq
Thanks for attending #CPVirtual. Here's a Day 3 wrap and a look ahead to #CPExpo Homecoming in November!… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…