The Channel Futures Podcast No. 21: News and Insights about the MSP Community from Passportal CEO Colin Knox

This June, Passportal founder and CEO Colin Knox ventured to Austin, Texas, to attend DattoCon 18, one of the largest gatherings of MSPs, VARs and IT consultants in the industry.

At the event, Passportal dropped some important news. Before we get to that, it’s worth noting that Datto pulled out all of the stops this year. There were great parties, presentations from Richard Branson and others, and more.

Colin Knox

“More,” brings me back to Passportal. In this episode of The Channel Futures Podcast, we ask CEO Knox about the news his company dropped. We also asked Knox about emerging technologies that will make an impact on the channel, and challenges that MSPs will soon face.

As usual, Knox had a lot to say. Let’s start with the news.

At the combined event for partners of Datto and Autotask, Passportal made some news with the unveiling of new integrations with Autotask PSA and Datto RMM. In this podcast Knox explains why they matter.

Knox also mused about the technologies and business trends that offer MSPs and other channel companies opportunities and challenges. He also waxed upon the ultimate dream of many channel professionals – the much desired “single-pane of glass” that will make every IT services provider smile. The solution that will make managing customers’ assets and infrastructure easy.

We aren’t there yet, but we are inching ever closer. Herein Knox explains why. He also shares additional thought leadership – the kind that only someone who has spent time in the MSP trenches understands.

Among his observations:

• For the average 10-person MSP organization, Passportal can drive annual cost savings in the neighborhood of $150,000
• Unlike some of the latest innovations that have percolated up from the consumer world — think apps, new interfaces and Echo-like gadgets — he believes the next wave of innovation driven by AI, IoT and blockchain will be originate in the enterprise space
• For all the promise of new technology, MSPs and product companies alike can over-invest at the expense of operational efficiency and process optimization

“We are seeing more MSPs focusing on the ‘hardening’ of their business at home so they can better scale their businesses,” says Knox.

Here’s hoping you’ll enjoy this episode of The Channel Futures Podcast. If you’d like to be a guest on an upcoming episode or have a comment, drop me a line at tc.doyle@knect365.com. (KNect365 is the division at Informa that includes Channel Futures and our colleagues at Channel Partners.)

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