MSPmentor

DirectPointe, the top managed service provider in our 2007-2008 MSPmentor 100 report, apparently has spun off a new company called CentralPointe. The start-up intends to blend open source and cloud computing to make IT more affordable and easier to manage. An official announcement about CentralPointe is expected the week of December 1, but here are some early details.

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If you’re seeking to polish your software as a service (SaaS) strategy, check out this intriguing blog post from the Instigator Blog. Author Ben Yoskovitz predicts SaaS companies will be in “a whackload of trouble.” That sounds a bit dramatic to me, but Yoskovitz does offer some great tips to help you formulate and improve your SaaS strategy.

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Whether you’re an established or aspiring managed service provider, MSPmentor’s free Resource Center contains more than 70 case studies, customer profiles and how-to guides for managed services. Within the Resource Center (registration required) you’ll also find:

• The MSPmentor 100 report (2007-2008 edition), highlighting the world’s most successful managed service providers
• The MSPmentor 250 report (2007-2008 edition), describing the top executives, entrepreneurs and experts in the managed services industry

Full disclosure: Many of the case studies were submitted by MSPmentor’s sponsors. Within the Resource Center, we clearly indicate the source of all content.

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Software companies and MSPs are erasing the line between managed services and cloud computing. In fact, I don’t think there ever was a line between the two specialties.

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We’ve written a bit about Nimsoft’s success disrupting Hewlett-Packard’s traditional OpenView business. Now comes word that HP’s network management team also faces major pricing challenges in a showdown with GroundWork Open Source. You’ll find details about HP’s software and managed services headaches over on MSPmentor’s sister site, The VAR Guy.

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Erick Simpson (pictured), CIO of MSP University, blogged a bit about a rather interesting sales lead strategy known as the Extreme Office Makeover. I’ve been hearing more and more about that sales lead strategy in recent months — and it seems to be working in cities across the United States. For specific details check out Erick’s blog.

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Here are some media headlines I’ve come across recently:

• “Markets Plummet”
• “Enough Already!”
• and my personal favorite, “Ouch!”

Given all the bad economic news, you would think that managed service providers are cowering in a corner these days.  While there is certainly lots of economic pain to go around, I’ve had discussions over the last few weeks with MSPs who are paradoxically optimistic about the future of their business in this difficult economic climate.  So what’s behind all this optimism?  Here are a few of my gleaned insights from those in the trenches:

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As layoffs began across the IT industry, a few people within the managed services industry have asked me to “endorse” them on LinkedIn, the career-oriented social network.

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A recent survey by Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) of hundreds of professionals reveals work station drainage poses a prevalent power consumption dilemma. Every day, workstations consume power for hours on end, devouring millions of dollars worth of energy. In addition, survey respondents report that 69% of them use more than one workstation and 24% stated that they keep their stations powered on around the clock. For every 10,000 workstations, more than $1.26 million in energy costs is wasted each year. 

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I was introduced to B2Bcfo.com’s Keith Simmons (pictured) by my CPA. I don’t often get together for a cup of coffee with a stranger, but because my accountant is someone I really trust, I decided to do it. We had no particular agenda except to see if there might be some common interests, and indeed there were. Keith is a partner in a fascinating business that helps small firms have access to expert chief financial officers on a temporary basis. His focus is Long Island and the New York metro area, but his company has partners nationwide.

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