https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • Analytics
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud
    • Data Centers
    • Desktop
    • IoT
    • Mobility
    • Networking
    • Open Source
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Virtualization
    • Voice/Connectivity
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Best Practices
    • Business Models
    • Channel 101
    • Channel Programs
    • Channel Research
    • Digital Transformation
    • Diversity & Inclusion
    • Leadership
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Specialty Practices
  • MSSP Insider
    • Back
    • Business of Security
    • Cloud and Edge
    • Endpoint
    • Network
    • People and Careers
    • Training and Policies
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2021 MSP 501 Application
    • 2020 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2020 Hot 101 Rankings
    • 2020 MSP 501 Report
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Our Sponsors
    • From the Industry
    • Content Resources
    • COVID-19 Partner Help
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Reports
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • EMEA
  • Awards
    • Back
    • Excellence in Digital Services
    • 2021 MSP 501
    • Top Gun 51
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • Channel Partners Evolution
    • Channel Evolution Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
  • Channel Mentor
    • Back
    • Channel Market Intelligence
    • Channel Educational Series
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Digital Service Providers
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • CHANNEL PARTNERS ONLINE
 Channel Futures

From the Industry


Managed Services Sales: 25 Killer Qualifying Questions

  • Written by Nimsoft Guest Blog 2
  • December 9, 2010
Between end of quarter sales activity and the rum-pum-pum-pum of the holidays, Web 2.0 time is at a real premium. So help a blogger out.  Here

Between end of quarter sales activity and the rum-pum-pum-pum of the holidays, Web 2.0 time is at a real premium. So help a blogger out.  Here are 25 top of mind, discovery-type questions that I like to use in order to qualify potential sales leads. What about you?  What are your favorite customer probes?  Let’s go for 50 and help each other get ready for a killer 2011.

My starter list includes:

1.     What have you outsourced before?

2.     Tell me about your experience – good and bad – with MSPs.

3.     If you could change one thing in your current MSP relationship, what would it be?

4.     Give me the ‘top five” apps you run your business on.

5.     What is the killer “make money or save money” app inside your company?

6.     Who is your most important IT vendor?

7.     If you could get out of supporting one application, what would it be?

8.     What’s in your service catalog?

9.     How do you find out when systems go down?

10.   Has the CEO ever called you about an outage before you knew about it?

11.   Tell me about your last DR test.

12.   How do you monitor your stuff?

13.   Can I see some of your performance dashboards?

14.   How often do you apply security patches and updates?

15.   Tell me about the company leadership team? Who supports IT?  Who gripes about IT?

16.   When do budget?  How do you budget?  Who approves the budget?

17.   Did virtualization “pay off” for you?

18.   Are you getting pressure to do something “in the cloud”?

19.   Do the lines of business go around IT by purchasing cloud apps?

20.   In your opinion, what is the single most important project IT is working on?

21.   In the CEO’s opinion, what is the single most important project IT is working on?

22.   Does your help desk run 24X7X365?

23.   How many times have you been called after hours in the last 30 days?

24.   Are you hiring or firing right now?

25.   How can we help?

CliffsNotes Version:  If I have time for one and only one line of questioning, I will always qualify the opportunity with #1 ‘What have you outsourced before?’ The best prospects have outsourcing experience.  They have seen the good, bad and ugly of MSPs.  They know what they want and don’t want.  I have yakked about it before, let the analysts evangelize trends.  I want to sell managed services to active buyers.

Phil LaForge is VP and GM, service providers at Nimsoft. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of MSPmentor’s annual platinum sponsorship. Read all of Nimsoft’s guest blogs here.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs From the Industry

Related


  • Roaring 20s
    The “Roaring 20s” Are Coming
    2020 was a significant challenge, but the roaring 20s will come—thanks, in no small part, to partners.
  • supply chain security
    Three Ways MSPs Can Improve Supply Chain Security
    Prioritizing supply chain security defenses can also be a significant competitive advantage for service providers.
  • SASE-Security
    SASE: The Key to Mitigating Business Transformation Risk
    MSPs can leverage SASE to help clients mitigate new cybersecurity risks as they embrace cloud technology.
  • Public sector IT
    Public Sector IT Funding Outlook for 2021--and What It Means for Our Reseller Partners
    Public sector IT resellers must anticipate customers’ changing priorities to most effectively position offerings.

11 comments

  1. Avatar Mark Friedman December 10, 2010 @ 2:09 pm
    Reply

    26. When was the last time you reviewed your service level agreements?
    27. Which tech vendor does the single best job of meeting your business needs?
    28. What’s the one IT priority that never seems to get addressed around here?
    29. Can you (or the person in charge of IT) take a real vacation without worrying about IT?

  2. Avatar Phil LaForge December 10, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
    Reply

    Awesome Mark. I love your questions. Who’s next?

  3. Avatar Joe Panettieri December 10, 2010 @ 4:23 pm
    Reply

    OK, I’ll bite…

    30. If you had to chose three applications that can’t go dark in your business, which ones would they be?
    31. What was the single biggest IT disappointment you had this year, and why did you wind up disappointed?
    32. Let’s talk cost vs. value. What’s your single biggest IT cost that delivers the least value?

    -jp (proving that I’ve never sold anything in this industry…)

  4. Avatar Stuart Crawford December 10, 2010 @ 4:52 pm
    Reply

    Joe…

    Always a pleasure to read your stuff. I subscribe to Question based selling. Good Job.

    Stuart Crawford
    http://www.ulistic.com

  5. Avatar Joe Panettieri December 10, 2010 @ 5:01 pm
    Reply

    Stuart: Thanks for reading. I’d love to take all the credit (I’m good at that) but the author is Nimsoft’s Phil LaForge.
    -jp

  6. Avatar Phil LaForge December 10, 2010 @ 7:58 pm
    Reply

    Thanks Joe. Question #32 is brilliant. Fair notice. Stealing it.

  7. Avatar Todd December 10, 2010 @ 10:16 pm
    Reply

    Good list Phil, and contributors. My $.02

    33. Are you pushing your service provider on strategic improvements, or is your provider offering them to you?

    34. How much does an hour of downtime cost your business?

  8. Avatar Stuart Selbst December 13, 2010 @ 5:36 am
    Reply

    35. What would happen if you lost your top 1, 2, 3, 4 clients?

    36. How are you going to keep their business?

    37. Here is how we are different from the other guys.

    This list needs to be so much longer. I would like to see what other “power” questions get added to this list.

    Stuart
    Stuart Selbst Consulting
    http://www.stuartselbst.com

  9. Avatar Joe Panettieri December 13, 2010 @ 7:28 pm
    Reply

    38. What types of devices are your employees bringing to work? (i.e., the iPad, iPhone, Android, tablet question…)

    39. Do you officially support those devices on your network?

    40. What steps are you taking to ensure those devices properly access your network?
    -jp

  10. Avatar Zach Duke December 14, 2010 @ 7:52 pm
    Reply

    Great content. I would add a couple…

    What projects are you not able to get to today? Are they revenue driving?

    Is your IT Team able to look around the corner or is the main focus putting out fires?

    Does your current IT plan address your business strategic plan? (Growth, Customer Service, etc.)

    The big one – Who is involved in your decision process?

  11. Avatar Larry Riedl January 10, 2020 @ 8:22 am
    Reply

    Greetings,
    I recently changed careers from the retail hardware sales channel into the IT sales channel. I stumbled across this site and am so impressed. I now have several more questions that I did not have before

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • How the SASE Model Helps Secure Remote Workers, Branch Offices
  • What the Last 20 Years of Cyberthreats Have Taught Us
  • Tactics to Improve Your Lead Generation
  • New Year Means Time to Make Room for New IT Training

Galleries

View all

From The Second City: How to Use Improv as a Business Tool

March 3, 2021

Industry Perspectives

View all

5 Ways XDR Can Improve Operational Efficiency for MSPs

March 4, 2021

Multi-Cloud: Strategy or Inevitable Outcome? (or both?)

March 3, 2021

Backup Vulnerability: 4 Targets Hackers Might Utilize to Infiltrate Your Backup Solution

March 2, 2021

Webinars

View all

A Partner’s Perspective on Channel Success in 2021

March 23, 2021

XDR and Why it Matters to MSPs

March 24, 2021

Top Security Trends Impacting Technology Security Providers In 2021

March 25, 2021
  • 1

White Papers

View all

Why Fortinet for my MSSP?

March 2, 2021

Small and Mid-Size Business Security: 4 Steps to Success

March 2, 2021

How SMBs Can Secure Endpoints and Remote Workers for the Long Haul

March 2, 2021

Upcoming Events

View all

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

November 1, 2021 - November 4, 2021

Videos and Fastchats

View all

FASTCHAT: How SOAR Eliminates Security Challenges and Elevates Service Provider Revenues

January 6, 2021

Happy Holidays from Channel Partners & Channel Futures!

December 21, 2020

FASTCHAT: How Old, Unpatched Technologies Are Creating New Security Threats for MSPs and Their Customers

December 3, 2020

Twitter

ChannelFutures

Our latest #Cybersecurity Roundup highlights #CPVirtual, @Huntresslabs, @Entrust_Corp and @InsightEnt.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 5, 2021
ChannelFutures

RT @Channel_Expo: A HUGE thank you to our amazing #CPVirtual sponsors and exhibitors! 👏 @ATTBusiness @DellTech @8x8 @lumentechco @telarus @…

March 5, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@okta acquiring rival @auth0 in $6.5 billion all-stock transaction. #security dlvr.it/Rtzwdp https://t.co/4LvHCJuwsR

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@MicrosoftTeams features are coming to @MSFTDynamics365, the company announced at @MS_Ignite. #MicrosoftIgnite… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@PreciselyData acquired by Clearlake Capital, @TAAssociates. #digitaltransformation dlvr.it/RtzbKg https://t.co/1rNYnTScxq

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

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…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

.@Veeam announces six annual Impact Partner Awards, with @SHI_Intl, @LogicalisUS, more. #cloud… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021
ChannelFutures

#XDR can improve operational efficiency for #MSPs. @TrendMicro #security #endpoint #AI #threatintelligence… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

March 4, 2021

MSSP Insider

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Channel Partners Online

Want more? Find more channel news and analysis on our sister site, Channel Partners.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Online
  • Channel Partners Events
  • MSP 501
  • MSSP Insider
  • IoT World Today
  • Webhostingtalk

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X