MSPmentor

As consumers and Wall Street continue to worry about the broader U.S. economy, many managed services platform providers remain upbeat about their business prospects heading into the second quarter of 2008.

The latest example: Autotask CEO Bob Godgart says his company is seeking to fill at least 17 positions, and new customer acquisitions in Q1 has continued to increase. Read More >

The VAR Guy, a blogger from our sister Web site, has written a four-page guide to managed printer services. It shows VARs how they can potentially generate recurring revenue through multi-function printers (MFPs), assessment tools, workflow services and entry-level document management.

In case you’re not familiar with The VAR Guy, his writing style is anything but traditional. The VAR Guy’s Guide to Managed Printer Services includes six tips for getting started, and six pointers for finding more info about hardware as a service (HaaS).

If you’re interested, you can download The VAR Guy’s Guide to Managed Printer Services from the MSPmentor Resource Center or The VAR Guy’s Resource Center. It’s free but registration is required.

Microsoft. It’s one of the few companies that could potentially change the managed services competitive landscape overnight.

For months, pundits — including MSPmentor — have wondered if the software giant would start to buy up MSP platform providers. But for now, Microsoft continues to partner in the MSP space. The company’s latest move involves an expanded relationship with N-able.

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Imagine if you’re a managed service provider in New York, and you want to find an MSP to help you with a project in California. With that challenge in mind, Autotask is prepping a ticket-sharing system that will help MSPs partner with one another.

At first glance, the system sounds somewhat similar to the OnForce on-demand IT services marketplace. But take a closer look, and you’ll see some clear differences between the OnForce and Autotask strategies. Read More >

For those who are new to managed services, the term “master managed service provider” may sound like some industry jargon or a new certification. But in reality, working with so-called Master MSPs — companies like Do IT Smarter or Ingram Micro’s Seismic organization — is one of the fastest ways to become a managed service provider. Here’s why.

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Keeping pace with Cisco Systems’ business strategies can be a full-time job. I’m seeking some clarity, and plan to get an update on March 25, during a Web seminar featuring Sameer Jayakar, senior manager, SMB Network Management for Cisco Systems.

During the Web seminar, hosted by MSP University, Jayakar will take attendees on a tour of Cisco’s new Monitor Director Managed Services solution, and he will discuss Cisco’s managed services strategy for partners.

The seminar kicks off March 25 at 8:00 PST. You’ll find details from MSP University, one of MSPmentor’s key partners, here.

Another day, another announcement about managed services in Australia. This time, Kaseya is touting a key customer win in the land down under. It’s the latest in a series of announcements highlighting big managed services opportunities — and major competition — in Australia. Read More >

Where can aspiring — and established — managed service providers go for guidance? Whether your question is business or technology related, feel free to submit it to MSPmentor through our Ask a Mentor service.

We’ll connect you with an MSPmentor staff member or a third-party expert to help answer your question. You’ll have a one-on-one online dialog, and the opportunity to learn from experts across the globe.

We certainly don’t claim to have all the answers, but our experts are here to help. Here’s a link to our Ask a Mentor service. The page also includes several sample questions submitted by our readers in recent weeks.