MSPmentor

Autotask has confirmed plans to host its first worldwide customer conference, March 29-31, 2009 at the Nashville Gaylord Opryland (pictured) in Tennessee. According to a press release, the event — titled Autoask Community Live! — will be open to all Autotask Customers and technology partners.

Here’s a bit more about the growing trend of face-to-face managed services summits and conferences. Read More >

For many entrepreneurs and executives, emotions don’t have a place at work. I have met and worked for many senior managers who expect employees to show up in uniform, ready to play, with their game face on. I have also been that manager at times—the one with his own problems who just wishes everyone would do their jobs without complaint and let me do mine.

If only people-management were that simple! In fact, emotions rule in the workplace, whether you want to admit it or not. You think the fight your top tech expert had last night with her husband doesn’t affect you? That you can turn your back when one of your salespeople tells you he’s being ridden so hard by his sales manager that he can’t focus? That it’s not your problem when a customer made your customer service manager break into tears? Read More >

As part of its managed services push into New York, Dell posted the following information video on YouTube. It features Ted Colpo, director of SMB services marketing at Dell.

Whether you’re a Dell partner or a Dell rival, the video reveals how Dell is pitching managed services to SMBs. Colpo also mentions that the managed services are available direct from Dell — or through partners.

Forgive me for blowing MSPmentor’s own horn. But I’ve noticed a range of vendors now marketing their IT solutions directly to our MSPmentor 100 companies.

The MSPmentor 100 is an annual survey and research report that identifies the world’s 100 most progressive managed service providers. In recent months, both Nimsoft and TeleHOUSE America have actively pursued — and won — business using the MSPmentor 100 list. Here’s how. Read More >

An economic crisis can be scary. But silent leadership can compound employees’ fears. Savvy managed service providers (MSPs) like masterIT, ranked No. 6 on our MSPmentor 100 list, are working overtime to communicate with their employees during these stressful times.

Without sugar coating the financial meltdown, masterIT CEO J. Michael Drake sent a reassuring memo to his staff on Sept. 28. In it, Drake conceded that the US economy faces some real challenges. But he also provided considerable positive reinforcement to his staff, describing why masterIT remains well-positioned for growth.

Here’s a look at portions of Drake’s memo to team members: Read More >

Dell Channel Chief Greg Davis continues to maintain an open door policy with managed service providers. In a September 26 blog post, Davis describes Dell’s strategy for:

• Registering partner deals
• Pricing
• Maintaining transparency with partners Read More >

The market for hosted Exchange Server services is getting pretty darn crowded. The latest entrant is Tech Data Corp., which has signed a partnership with USA.NET to offer hosted Exchange Server, SharePoint and BlackBerry services to VARs and solutions providers.

Tech Data follows rival distributor Ingram Micro — and a growing list of managed service providers — into the hosted Microsoft applications market. Plus, Microsoft itself is expected to launch its Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) within the next few weeks.

Here’s how the competitive landscape for hosted Microsoft applications is shaping up.

Read More >

Should you build your own network operation center (NOC), leverage a partner’s NOC, or do both? To explore this managed service provider challenge, please register now for our next MSPmentor Live: CEO Exchange webcast. It’s scheduled for Thursday, October 2 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern. Read More >