Don’t Leave Your Data Protection Plan Behind

As more and more companies expand their digital strategies, data threat levels have continued to increase. Companies–both big and small–are vulnerable to these attacks, which has driven more investments in data security.

However, with the focus on security, VARs and MSPs that provide security services might be missing a critical marketing opportunity. Data protection can be more than just a routine task that helps mitigate the threat of ransomware or phishing attacks. Having a well-managed data protection plan can be a competitive differentiator for your clients.

Positioning backup and data protection in this way not only improves the message around these services, but also potentially positions the VAR or MSP as a trusted consultant when it comes to data security. If you’ve provided reliable protection to your clients, they should be trumpeting those results to their customers, as they will want to know more about the security infrastructure of the companies they do business with.

In a recent IBM Institute survey, it was discovered that 89% of respondents said that technology companies should be more transparent about their products. Further, 75% reported that in the past year they have become less likely to trust companies with their data. Additionally, 88% cited the emergence of technologies like AI as having increased the need for clear policies about the use of personal data.

Better Security Can Boost Business

With consumer concerns about data privacy increasing, there are several opportunities for your clients to leverage their security policies and solutions to gain some market advantage.

• Compliance: Many industries have specific requirements for data protection. The healthcare industry’s HIPAA compliance requirements around data security and access are a good example, but there are similar rules in banking, real estate, defense and other industries. Touting data security compliance can help those clients reassure their customers that their data is secure and that they are working with a competent and reliable provider.
• Reliability: Many smaller companies are forced to shutter after a cyber attack because they don’t have the resources to absorb the cost of recovery or the lost business. With a proven data protection system and plan in place, those SMBs can reassure their customers that the company (and its data resources) are always going to be available. That promise of business continuity in the event of an attack can reassure existing and potential customers.
• Privacy: Your clients’ customers also want to know that their data is not just available, but also private. A good data protection plan includes roles-based access privileges, robust employee training around data privacy and encryption. This ensures that the data will not only be accessible but also that the wrong people can’t view it.

Solutions like Barracuda Backup can ensure that data protection in the event of an outage or attack are easy to deploy and to manage. This can help provide clients with the level of near-continuous data protection that they and their customers need. MSPs can work with their clients to make sure that their customers know that their data is safe and secure.

Not every business may benefit from touting their security plan to customers, or they may not be comfortable making that information public. However, customers in both B2B and B2C environments are increasingly making data privacy and security an essential part of their purchasing decisions.

By working together, MSPs and their customers can turn a robust data protection plan into an essential piece of their strategy, leading to more business for the client and better referrals for the MSP.

Matt McCarthy is Director of North American Partner Management for Barracuda MSP, a provider of security and data protection solutions for managed services providers, and he plays a key role in the development and growth of partner relationships.

This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.