Managed service providers (MSPs) have navigated the pandemic well and their businesses reflect it. Sixty-two percent of IT MSPs expect 2022 revenue growth to come primarily from new business. This is up from 49% in 2021. These findings come from Wingman’s 2022 MSP Growth Survey sponsored by Zomentum, creators of the first intelligent revenue platform for technology partners.

To produce the report, Wingman Marketing, a technology sales and marketing agency, surveyed more than 125 global MSPs of all sizes about business performance in 2021 and strategies for growth in 2022.

Dave Sutton is managing director of Wingman Marketing.

“We polled MSPs anonymously to get honest input and insights about their business opportunities and challenges during the pandemic and beyond,” Sutton said.

For example, the survey found:

A Yardstick for Managed Service Providers

So, what factors drove new business for MSPs during the pandemic?

Wingman MSP Growth Survey

Wingman Marketing surmised that those with project revenue (from existing clients) are likely pandemic-driven projects. Clients switched to remote working, VoIP, cloud and possibly some cybersecurity compliance. Those with client seat growth – some businesses grew irrespective of the pandemic – may have expanded as a result of staff returning from furlough. Those with net-new clients were likely more proactive in capturing new market opportunities from SMBs that had needs only MSPs could service. Acquisitions also played a role as more and more MSPs bought smaller MSPs during the pandemic.

Zomentum’s Shannon Murphy

Shannon Murphy is chief marketer for Zomentum.

“The Wingman MSP Growth Survey is a great yardstick for MSPs to benchmark performance against their peers around the world,” Murphy said. “As we transition to a post-pandemic business world, it’s more important than ever for MSPs to understand their current position to focus on accruing more revenue.”