In a rare feat, N-able has convinced rival executives from Autotask, ConnectWise and Tigerpaw Software to share the stage at this week’s N-able Partner Summit in Dallas, Texas. It could be a defining moment for the managed services industry. Here’s why.
For an industry to grow, you need innovative solutions, healthy debate and open communications. From time to time, it’s healthy for fierce rivals to share a single stage for the greater good of an industry.
That rare event will occur October 23 in Dallas, during a discussion about Professional Services Automation solutions. Organized by N-able (the conference host), the panel will include:
- Arnie Bellini, president and CEO, ConnectWise
- Len DiCostanzo, vice president, professional services, Autotask
- James Foxall, vice president, Tigerpaw Software
- I believe Larry Walsh from Ziff Davis Enterprise will moderate
Autotask and ConnectWise, in particular, have a colorful history of competition (to put it politely). But I’m hoping we see more panels like this — and more moments in the managed services industry where fierce rivals come together to share (and debate) their views and strategies.
Growing Up Together
Bill Gates and Steve Jobs have spent decades competing — fiercely — against each other. But on several occasions, Gates and Jobs actually sat down with one another for healthy debate and discussion. When rivals come together to share their perspectives, eyes open, customers learn and industries march forward.
Microsoft and Apple continue to have their differences. And they spend millions of dollars marketing their wares against each other. But their commitment to several common standards (Ethernet, TCP/IP, USB, etc.) created new opportunities for customers and partners.
Much like the PC market in the mid-1980s, the managed services industry is learning to walk. For the MSP industry to march forward, we need more moments where rivals come together to share their views.
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Posted In: Events
Tags: Autotask | ConnectWise CEO Arnie Bellini | James Foxall | Len DiCostanzo | N-able Partner Summit 2008 | Tigerpaw Software
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Generally speaking, the panel was free from controversy and fireworks.
Arnie Bellini (ConnectWise CEO) got in a fast jab suggesting Autotask’s product roadmap was one year behind ConnectWise’s roadmap. However, Len DiCostanzo from Autotask took the high road and didn’t return fire.
Instead, the panel settled down into a solid discussion about how MSPs can best adopt and benefit from Professional Services Automation (PSA software). The key themes from Arnie, Len and James Foxall (Tigerpaw) included:
1. You need to measure everything in order to determine the profitability of each customer engagement.
2. It’s time for MSPs to actually measure whether they fulfill their SLAs. And use that info during customer meetings to show your value.
3. MSPs need to document all of their processes to succeed with PSA software.
4. PSA deployments that fail typically do so because the projects typically lack executive leadership.