MyOfficeBundle Software Suite Pursues Entire Channel

ConnectWise, LabTech Software and Quosal are perhaps best-known among managed services providers (MSPs). But the software trio, working together, has sharpened its focus around MyOfficeBundle — a business management and automation software suite designed for the entire IT channel. Here’s the background.

Predictably, MyOfficeBundle includes:

• ConnectWise, a business management software platform that includes PSA (professional services automation) capabilities. It’s positioned mainly for MSPs, IT services providers, systems integrators and software developers.
• LabTech Software, a remote monitoring and management (RMM) software platform that allows channel partners to remotely maintain customers’ PCs, servers, notebooks, tablets, smartphones and more.
• Quosal, a quoting and sales proposal system that allows customers to pursue — and, ideally — win more business more rapidly. Quosal is designed for all types of sales teams in any vertical market, though the ConnectWise and LabTech relationship means Quosal is most closely associated with the channel.

ConnectWise Capital, launched three years ago, poured the foundation for the software suite when it invested undisclosed sums in LabTech and Quosal. ConnectWise has also continued to integrate with third-party RMM and sales quoting software systems.

Admittedly, the MSP software industry has experienced some “competitive friction,” as The VAR Guy likes to call it, since ConnectWise Capital launched. But overall most players in the market have continued to grow, including the ConnectWise, LabTech and Quosal trio.

Fast forward to 2013, and ConnectWise has organized its sales team to sell and support all three products. That is, channel partners can now have a single sales rep for all three products in the MyOfficeBundle. And the bundle is positioned for at least a dozen types of channel partners — including partners that specialize in:

• Managed services
• break-fix
• consulting
• software
• custom development
• telephony
• reselling hardware
• system integration
• point of sale integration
• IT solutions
• reselling software
• And audio-visual professionals

So how is the suite performing in the market? The VAR Guy doesn’t have exact numbers. But Jeannine Edwards, director of community for the three software companies, offered up this anecdote:

“Today, 9,400 partners are a part of the My Office Bundle community. Of that community, 30% are using multiple products within My Office. In December [2012] alone, the My Office Bundle platform added 300 partners to the mix and 30% of those utilize multiple products. The message behind My Office Bundle is a strong one – people want (and need) critical business applications to work seamlessly together. We get excited when our partners choose multiple products within the My Office Bundle because with common (and converged) roadmaps we can best influence their path to success through best practice, great software, world class support, education, consulting, and community.”

Within the managed services software market, the software bundle concept is gaining momentum. But will all types of channel partners jump on the bandwagon? ConnectWise certainly hopes so. As does Torchy…