The MSP Zone

Poor MSP Growth May Not be Due to Lack of Sales Ep 267

Poor MSP Growth May Not be Due to Lack of Sales
Many times, I hear MSPs complain about their stagnant or lack of growth. Now, regardless of whether you have a sales team and process or if you predominantly rely on referrals, lack of growth can frequently be caused by two general issues: inefficient process, and lack of customer focus.
Limited service catalog
Defined customers
With these two elements, you can develop an effective sales and/or referral program
Frankenstein Compliance
If your MSP practice is running around, chasing the latest framework, you may be setting yourself up for a difficult road ahead. We hear a lot of MSPs contact us because they want to be complaint with some new framework they've heard about.
While being compliant is not a bad thing, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about achieving MSP compliance.
Start with UCS; which will get you your own controls
Then, you map your controls to other frameworks
If you start with non-MSP frameworks, you will end up with a lot of confusion and potential for chaos. It'll also cost you time, resources, and money
MSP M&A Integration: What are your baselines? 
If you are an MSP considering merging with or acquiring another MSP, pay attention. Aside from all the other risks associated with M&A, there are some very easy steps you can take to radically lower your risk once you've completed your deal.
Develop your baseline
What is a baseline?
Baseline during due diligence

MSP Zone Spotlight on Halo PSO - Ep 266

About a year ago I started to hear MSPs talk about a new company, Halo PSA. It turns out, this company is not new, but they are doing some rather innovative things in the MSP ticketing space and being somewhat disruptive.
So, we decided to reach out and invite Tim Bowers, CEO of Halo PSA to join the MSP Zone and talk about his company and what they are doing.
What is Halo PSA?
Origins of the company
Being disruptive in the PSA market
Why are MSPs talking about Halo PSA so much?

MSP Zone Spotlight - Travis Springer Ep 265

In this MSP Zone spotlight Travis Spring, vice president of Sagiss, joins us to share his thoughts on the MSP market. We discuss a wide range of topics, from economics, labor, technical, AI, and other business issues which impact all MSPs.
 
Economy and its impact on managed services
The impact of AI on MSPs
Are MSPs using AI?
Labor challenges facing MSPs

Control Frameworks: Which is right for you? Ep 264

Modern lead generation is a racket
I receive a lot of "lead generation" cold calls and emails. When I say these solicitations are horribly bad, I am being generous. MSPs get hit up all the time to create or expand their cold calling efforts and if these same groups are soliciting them, this is crazy.
Does cold calling really work for MSPs?
Cold calling vs Inbound lead generation
MSP content must be a factor of your marketing and lead cultivation
 
Control Frameworks: Which is right for you?
A lot of MSPs today are struggling with where to start on their compliance journey. Usually, this confusion manifests itself in deciding on a control framework. But, what if there are multiple frameworks? What if your customers pull you into different control framework directions?
 
All reasonable questions and we'll give you some easy tips on how to start making sense of everything.
What is relevant to your customer?
Do it once, then translate
MSP controls are different from client controls
 
The MSP Business Plan
Most people don't like to hear this but the very first step you should take when deciding to become an MSP is develop and write a business plan.
 
Highlights:
Provides structure for your MSP goals
Prevents missteps and waisted resources
Eliminates a lot of effort downstream
Faster time to market
Identify relevant control frameworks sooner

Is MSP Growth Exaggerated? Ep 263

MSP Growth Exaggerated?
Canalys is doing some great work in analyzing managed services. Long overdue.
Disproportionate # of MSPs actually producing revenue.
Hardware/software influence (more on this in the next segment)
 
Do MSPs Impact Hardware Sales?
I recently saw someone promoting a webinar on the topic of MSPs increasing hardware sales, and it caught my eye. It's not a typical subject we see discussed these days, but it is still a relevant one.
Legacy role of MSPs and hardware
Modern day MSP and hardware Defensive (prevent encroachment by other MSPs)
HaaS
MSPs as hardware/software influencers
 
Co-Managed IT: Is it Possible?
I see a lot of websites promote co-managed services offerings. Given the sheer number of these offerings I assume that co-managed services is enjoying some measure of success these days. However, questions must be presented (and answered) before any MSP ought to proceed with a co-managed services offering.
Maturity of the client
Customer IT capabilitiesTechnical
Controls
Participation of client management
What does the agreement say?

MSPs Cautiously Optimistic about AI - Ep 262

Out of the Box MSSPs
This story came to us from one of our friends, Brent Watkins. At first, I thought it was a joke, but upon a second look, it wasn't. Completely serious promo from a security vendor…become an MSSP in 1 day! Unbelievable? I assure you it is not (the claim, not actually becoming an MSSP in a single day).
 
Talk to any legitimate MSP out there and they'll tell you being an MSP takes practice, focus, and execution of strategy. Claims like this one ultimately harm the MSP profession.
Why do vendors make these claims?
Am I anti-MDR?
How do customers view this type of messaging?
 
Still unsure about whether to call yourself an MSP?
In a recent episode I addressed a member email where they asked the question whether MSPs should still be using the term MSP and managed services. Just as we published that episode I saw this article about 4 reasons businesses should consider using an MSP. Need I say more?
Customers still use MSP and managed services
The name MSP isn't your problem
Companies afraid of the obligations associated with MSPs might want to avoid the term
 
MSPs Cautiously Optimistic about AI
In a recent webinar we discussed the pros and cons of artificial intelligence in a managed services practice. The real interesting stuff happened (as usual) in the Q&A where a lot of the MSPs said they were evaluating (or actually using) AI. But, there were a lot of restrictions about how they were planning on using it.
AI has legitimate use for internal MSP operations
Most MSPs hesitant about using AI in any customer interfacing way

SEC Adopts Cyber Disclosure Rule - Ep 261

SEC Adopts Cyber Disclosure Rule
The securities and exchange commission recently made news with an announcement of their cybersecurity disclosure rule. While this isn't the first governmental agency to announce such a rule, it should confirm to every MSP on the planet the direction in which we are headed and offer plenty of guidance for handling privacy and security incidents.
SEC rule explained
Purpose behind the rule
Impact of the rule on MSPs and clients
Failure to comply (i.e., lack of compliance)
 
MSPs Confused About Who They Are
I received a great email from one of our members asking me for an opinion. Now, I've discussed this topic a lot in recent years but its good to see MSPs still caring about this enough to email into the program.
 
My advice for MSPs wondering if managed services still has value left in it. 
 
Master MSPs Play Crucial Role in Certification
The role of the master MSP has definitely evolved over the past decade. The needs of partners evaluating a relationship with a master MSP has certainly changed. But, in one crticial aspect, the relationship between master MSP and partner MSP has not changed; that is regarding compliance.
 
As MSPs develop relationships with external service providers (i.e., master MSPs), these relationships must be examined from a risk/reward basis. Here are some questions you may want to consider asking with regards to your ESP relationships.
 
Managed service supply chain - how does the ESP impact this risk? Do they increase or decrease my risk?
Does any part of the ESP help me with my own MSP practice controls?
Does the ESP have its own compliance and certification house in order?
 

Is it better to be cyber secure or cyber resilient?

Is it better to be cyber secure or cyber resilient?
If you think this is a trick question, it isn't. There are many who believe that security is solely a matter of defense. While defensive measure are crucial to any MSP (or their customers), preparing for eventual attacks which are successful, is also crucial.
 
So, what is an MSP to do? Here are some simple measures every MSP ought to be doing right now to be both prepared for cyber-attacks, but also resilient to them if they are successful.
PlanningDocumenting your plans
Identifying where your risks are
Anticipating those attacks, and eventual breaches
TestingTest means test
Test, and often
Document your test results. Learn from them
MonitoringKeeping a watchful eye on your internal MSP network and IT assets
RMM isn't enough
 
More Fake MSPs
I no longer trust websites. When you hear this story you may not either. While this story is completely true, it is also, regrettably, a reality we must face as a profession and fix!
 
Urgent News for Break/Fix Providers
Three decades since the first MSPs were created, we still have IT organizations who are in doubt as to the business model around managed services. If these non-MSPs can't be persuaded based on the logic of the business model alone, perhaps we can present a very real economic motive for getting rid of your break/fix and reactive customers.
Remember, no matter how much your client's try and make you think that reactive IT services are the best for them, they are wrong!

Ep 259 - MSP Innovation: Why it matters

I often hear MSPs talk about innovation: but what does that mean? To get one answer, I invited an MSP CEO to join me in a conversation about the innovation that goes into being an MSP, and the impact such innovation has on the business and customers. I was able to do just that when Jimmy Puckett, CEO of SPINEN, entered the MSP Zone.
Being innovative does mean customers need to come along for the ride. What if some customers don't want what you are creating? Getting rid of problem clients, particularly those clients who do not embrace managed services, is not always easy. 
Jimmy and I spoke about why MSPs may want to fire their clients, particularly if they do not want to evolve as technology evolves. We talked about innovation in the managed services profession. We also discussed how MSPs rely on their vendor partners to continuously evolve and develop new technologies to help MSPs maintain success.
Highlights:
Who is SPINEN?
Why they fired 70% of their clients
Vendor relationships and how to keep them productive
Innovation involving artificial intelligence

Ep 258 - The MSP Generation Divide

The MSP Generation Divide
Time changes everything. That certainly seems like an appropriate saying when examining the managed services profession. MSPs seem to be getting younger and younger every year. Or maybe we are just getting older.
The point is, the generational divide amongst MSP professionals is increasing. We have older and younger members of our profession, and a lot of knowledge must be transferred between these generations.
 New MSP generation doesn't have preconceived notions of managed services
Younger MSP generations have a lot to learn
Younger MSP generations need access to the veteran MSPs
Vulnerability Scans Don't Do This
Many people believe vulnerability scans are a magic bullet, capable of solving lots of different problems. While vulnerability scanning technology is a necessary tool in the MSP tool belt, it is not a cure-all and should be utilized cautiously and appropriately.
Vulnerability scan use cases
Vulnerability scans: what they don't do
Vulnerability scanning isn't a business model
Why the MSP Name is Valuable
We have two examples of the "MSP" word being misused or misapplied. One example involves an end-user, the other example involves MSPAlliance.
End-user organization fooled by cyber consultant claiming to be MSP
MSPAlliance mistakenly believes organization is MSP despite clear language on their website