By Dan Berthiaume

real time dashboard

The dashboard includes access to a resource center which features continually updated educational and marketing tools, sales collateral, co-branded email templates and product guides. Through the program, MSPs can offer SMB clients 24/7 access to full range of Carbonite backup solutions and services for any number of computers or users. The program also allows MSPs to offer home office versions of Carbonite for the smallest of SMB clients.

Vendor Partnerships Make Sense

All too often, MSPs find themselves in direct competition with IT vendors when it comes to offering managed technology services. Vendors create large internal hosting/managed services/consulting operations that attempt to capture every cent of revenue possible from a systems implementation.

From a strict profitability view, this strategy on the part of vendors is understandable. After all, they are the ones sinking the time and effort into developing IT solutions, so why not also receive all the ancillary revenue? But taking a broader viewpoint, this approach often does not make sense, particularly in the SMB vertical.

First, MSPs can serve as an excellent additional sales channel that IT vendors do not have to spend any money or only make minimal investment into operating or maintaining. While programs such as the Carbonite Reseller Program are valuable add-ons that can more than return the investment made in them, IT vendors can simply make their solutions available to MSPs with basic support services if they choose. And MSPs also represent skilled professionals with specific knowhow in terms of implementing and delivering solutions that vendors do not have to pay to keep on staff or hire as consultants.

Furthermore, the SMB market is a highly specialized niche with specific user needs and limitations. It often may not even be cost-effective for a larger IT vendor to scale their implementations or offer specialized services to the level required by SMBs. But MSPs can step in and easily offer the pricing, breadth and depth of implementation, and support SMBs require. More vendors should look into offering programs like the Carbonite Reseller Program, and more MSPs should look into joining them.