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 Channel Futures

Networking


Seven Trends at CompTIA’s SMB Summit

  • Written by The VAR Guy 1
  • October 30, 2007

The VAR Guy has spent the past two days at CompTIA’s SMB Summit in Bonita Springs, Florida. When he wasn’t busy lounging by the pool and sipping cocktails, he did overhear some rather interesting attendee debates and discussions. Here are seven key trends for VARs to keep in mind as they attempt to maximize their SMB profits.

7. Real Estate Nomads: Need to find some sales pros fast? Former real estate agents — bruised by the housing market collapse — often make fantastic hires in the VAR market, noted Richard Cole, CEO of Geeks on Call America (aka 1-800-905-Geek).

6. Accounting Matters: Several attendees noted that they are now helping their SMB customers to better manage their annual business budgets. If you can convince a small business to open up their books to you, it’s far easier to design IT lease agreements and managed services contracts that fit that customer’s overall business needs.

5. Go Really Small: A few solutions providers said they now use managed services platforms (Kaseya, N-able, Level Platforms, etc.) to oversee super small customer settings, including home offices with only one to three computers.

4. Low Cost of Entry: Instead of outright buying MSP platforms, some VARs are using hosted third-party services as a low-cost way to extend managed services to their customers. One prime example: More and more VARs seem to be signing up for hosted managed services from SecureMyCompany.com.

3. Apple Who?: The VAR Guy entered one session with his MacBook Pro and iPhone. When he asked attendees if they recommend or promote Apple solutions, the answer was universal: It’s still a Windows world. The VAR Guy doesn’t entirely agree, but it’s difficult to debate a bunch of folks who make a healthy living cleaning up infected Windows machines.

2. Fifty Percent: During a quick show of hands, roughly half of the attendees said they currently offer managed services — and roughly 80 percent plan to do so in 2008. Several attendees who were PC resellers in the 1980s said they came out of retirement because of the MSP opportunities ahead.

1. What Is A Managed Service?: Lots of definitions are floating around. But attendees in one round table discussion agreed that managed services are any service — either remote or on-site — that you deliver as part of a monthly service contract.

Tags: Cloud Service Providers Digital Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Mobility Networking

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4 comments

  1. Avatar Introducing OpManager OnDemand for MSPs November 2, 2007 @ 3:44 am
    Reply

    […]In his post on the “Seven Trends at CompTIA’s SMB Summit”, the VAR Guy notes that..

    [quote]Instead of outright buying MSP platforms, some VARs are using hosted third-party services as a low-cost way to extend managed services to their customers. One prime example: More and more VARs seem to be signing up for hosted managed services..[/quote]

    We at AdventNet, had predicted such a trend some time back and had started work on a hosted MSP solution. And now, we are happy to announce the availability of OpManager OnDemand[…]

  2. Avatar Concerned VAR November 5, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
    Reply

    I heard that the some sales staff including the VP of Sales from Secure Resolutions was laid off last week. Does anyone know what the future is for Secure Resolutions? Where does this leave us as Channel Resellers?

  3. Avatar OpManager Blogs raquo; Blog Archive raquo; Introducing OpMan November 17, 2007 @ 6:28 am
    Reply

    […] his post on the #8220;Seven Trends at CompTIA?s SMB Summit#8220;, the VAR Guy notes […]

  4. Avatar Jason White February 12, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
    Reply

    Concerned VAR, Secure Resolutions is alive and well. They have a really cool new initiative around their technology. They changed their security platform to be modular and it fully supports Vista too. I was talking to them the other day and they can now snap-in any kind of security technology they want in very short order.

    It is geared completely to the VAR and MSP markets. We are a MSP that has worked with them for a few years now and were waiting for this. They are completely focused on the channel too which is great news for all of us. They make the best products and have a very clear vision. Give them a call.

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