MSP 501 Flashback: 2020 Triumphs, Curveballs with 2019 MSP of the Year Finalist ARG

Technology consultancy ARG was a finalist for the 2019 Channel Futures’ Managed Service Provider (MSP) of the Year award. The company won based on its ability to help its clients achieve IT clarity, expand its footprint beyond the Mid-Atlantic, and increase its portfolio to include IoT, eSim and advanced security solutions.

ARG’s Mike Shonholz

“ARG successfully navigated the transition from legacy networks to cloud offerings due to our established process for helping clients leverage technology to achieve desired business outcomes,” said Mike Shonholz, chief revenue officer, ARG. “Our ability to help clients achieve business value, drive adoption, and provide an amazing ongoing customer experience, is key. It’s something they want to repeat with every technology project that comes up. In addition to the client experience, ARG’s ability to aggregate data and deliver it in a meaningful way provides the clarity that organizations need to make data-driven, business decisions that enable our clients to exceed expectations and deliver results internally and externally.”   

Since Achieving MSP of the Year Status

ARG shared what it has done to build on the capabilities that made it a finalist for the MSPotY award.

In addition to increasing client resources, ARG has been funding cloud-focused startups with some of the industry’s top advisory talent. These companies are exclusive to the technology consultancy and are running their playbook for consulting and value realization. 

“We were thrilled to have Billy Stowe and Jake Jansen (formerly E-Plus) and Adam Carreno (formerly CDW) join our team,” said Shonholz. “These are top-notch players that bring a wealth of value to the marketplace. They are able to offer a better experience for their clients through the ARG delivery and value realization process. 2020 has also seen ARG launch an influencer-based business development channel that is introducing ARG’s business value to new markets.”

Business in the Time of COVID-19

This year has been a bit of a shake-up, to say the least. The onset of COVID-19 has thrown companies and entire industries into a whirl. ARG shared some thoughts on how it is navigating the weirdness of 2020.

“While 2020 has definitely delivered some curveballs, ARG was able to react quickly,” said Shonholz. “This involved sending our team home and reaching out to our clients with a variety of resources. These ranged from business continuity options for existing services to cost optimization, secure remote access, collaboration best practices and disaster recovery. Next, we ran a series of town hall meetings to review client challenges, how they were resolved, and offer resources for real time Q&As with their key stakeholders.”

In the months following, Shonholz says the technology consultancy helped clients move quickly to deploy the solutions required to remain productive. Now, the company is running another series of meetings designed to help identify the best future planning solutions. 

“June was the best month in company history. While change is still in the air, we hope to use this opportunity to help our clients speed their digital transformation and emerge even stronger in the post COVID-19 marketplace,” Shonholz continued.

Forging Ahead

Shonholz says COVID-19 has exposed how expensive that poorly done IT can be. Legacy technology is not a winning play in today’s environment.

“We are seeing companies take one of two paths; one is optimizing and reducing costs, and two is taking advantage of the situation and expanding/acquiring. In both situations, we are thrilled to be part of the change that will yield a stronger future.”