Comments on: Managed Services Marketing: Got Research?

By: David Dempsey

David Dempsey — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 17:16:56 +0000

Maybe a researcher could do a big comparison of a big set of small businesses using break/fix, and small businesses using MSP services, and compared downtime?

I think it would be a useful study for one of the MSP trade organizations to take the lead on, maybe get some sponsors like Microsoft, MSP platform vendors, CompTIA, etc. to help out with…

By: Joe Panettieri

Joe Panettieri — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:55:44 +0000

David: You’ve got some great points. The big challenge is the study has to be ongoing… Where an MSP (or software company) actually tracks specific customer networks (A) before managed services and (B) after managed services are implemented. No doubt, it would be a valuable study… …

Anybody going to pursue this?

Bueller? Bueller?

By: David Dempsey

David Dempsey — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:31:03 +0000

Joe,

For me, research is a huge black hole in managed services. I think one of the biggest missing links is a study that shows the reduction in downtime by switching from break-fix to managed services for small and medium businesses. For me, I can build this huge compelling argument about reducing downtime, the cost/savings, and all of that, but I don’t have a good source to quote when they say “you said you can reduce downtime by 50%, where did you get that figure?” This is the keystone that is missing from an otherwise slam-dunk sales process. Maybe one of the MSP platform vendors has some info they can share with the community?

I’ve posted on MSP Alliance forums about this, and asked what it would take to find someone to do this research. Other MSPs seemed interested, but I don’t know of any efforts by anyone to do a real compelling study on this. Maybe a univerity like MIT or someone has an IS MBA student who could do a thesis or something.

Any ideas?

David Dempsey
President
Managed Data
http://www.managed-data.com