Comments on: How to Choose a Managed Services Vendor http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/07/28/how-to-choose-a-managed-services-vendor/ Managed Services & Cloud Services Blog for VARs & MSPs Tue, 14 Feb 2012 18:25:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Sam Gutmann http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/07/28/how-to-choose-a-managed-services-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-54792 Sam Gutmann Mon, 02 Aug 2010 19:21:57 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=9913#comment-54792 Scott— I’m not surprised your clients love your quarterly business reports. Gives them clarity and gives you chance to articulate the value that you ad using real data. You said it has had a big impact on your client relationships. I’d be curious to know what the reaction was and how your company is handling it. --Sam Scott—

I’m not surprised your clients love your quarterly business reports. Gives them clarity and gives you chance to articulate the value that you ad using real data.

You said it has had a big impact on your client relationships. I’d be curious to know what the reaction was and how your company is handling it.

–Sam

]]> By: Scott Eganhouse http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/07/28/how-to-choose-a-managed-services-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-54772 Scott Eganhouse Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:11:49 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=9913#comment-54772 Great article Sam -- I especially agree with "it’s the sales component where your provider’s reseller program will have the most impact." Healthy margins and white labeled approaches are great but ultimately diminished if a solid vehicle to place the product into the defined market does not exist. I think it is important to make a point that branding or white labeling have more to do with marketing than providing a sales vehicle for a reseller. Gillware Data Services provides comprehensive branding options but the business development strategy is the reason most resellers thrive under their partner program --it addresses the area that has the biggest impact for the MSP, which is sales. It’s unfortunate nearly every partner program in the channel has little to do with actual sales; don’t get me wrong marketing is great, branding, sales collateral etc. but too often those efforts don’t yield actual sales. An effective business strategy does! Great article Sam — I especially agree with “it’s the sales component where your provider’s reseller program will have the most impact.” Healthy margins and white labeled approaches are great but ultimately diminished if a solid vehicle to place the product into the defined market does not exist. I think it is important to make a point that branding or white labeling have more to do with marketing than providing a sales vehicle for a reseller. Gillware Data Services provides comprehensive branding options but the business development strategy is the reason most resellers thrive under their partner program –it addresses the area that has the biggest impact for the MSP, which is sales. It’s unfortunate nearly every partner program in the channel has little to do with actual sales; don’t get me wrong marketing is great, branding, sales collateral etc. but too often those efforts don’t yield actual sales. An effective business strategy does!

]]> By: Scott Young http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/07/28/how-to-choose-a-managed-services-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-54765 Scott Young Thu, 29 Jul 2010 19:22:34 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=9913#comment-54765 Sam One of the things we have started to offer besides the standard MSP offerings is including Google Alert reports and Social Mention reports. This allows us to keep on top of what is happening with our clients reputation online plus help them understand where they sit online with their SEO. We do this as part of our QBR...now we are talking real business. What an impact it has had in our business and our client relationships. Scott Young Penncomp in Houston http://www.houstonbusinesstechnology.com Sam

One of the things we have started to offer besides the standard MSP offerings is including Google Alert reports and Social Mention reports. This allows us to keep on top of what is happening with our clients reputation online plus help them understand where they sit online with their SEO.

We do this as part of our QBR…now we are talking real business.

What an impact it has had in our business and our client relationships.

Scott Young
Penncomp in Houston
http://www.houstonbusinesstechnology.com

]]> By: dpgolds http://www.mspmentor.net/2010/07/28/how-to-choose-a-managed-services-vendor/comment-page-1/#comment-54763 dpgolds Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:44:41 +0000 http://www.mspmentor.net/?p=9913#comment-54763 Excellent summary. I guess because we meet all of these criteria at GMS Live Expert we are a pretty good service provider ;). We believe that the enablement piece should encompass essentially everything needed to get our Partners out there selling our Help Desk and PC Management services. It really is mutually beneficial, especially at the onset, if we go above and beyond to give qualified resellers the tools needed to succeed. Taken from our own enablement efforts, we assign each VAR a client manager who facilitates our resources for each proposal and subsequent integration of our end user focused services. Through various supply side Partners we are able to exceed the basics (marketing materials, proposal templates, revenue modelers) and offer things like website design, social media consultation and campaign services as well as a cold calling and lead generation program that we are testing. We will even attend sales meetings with our reseller Partners in person, or on the phone if geography doesn't permit, to ensure the proper message is being sent and the learning on both sides continues. Once a prospect is identified our client managers work to layout the framework for the deal (tech and business wise), draft up the necessary documentation and assist with the SLA's once their is a mutual agreement that the services fit the end customers needs. Excellent summary. I guess because we meet all of these criteria at GMS Live Expert we are a pretty good service provider ;) .

We believe that the enablement piece should encompass essentially everything needed to get our Partners out there selling our Help Desk and PC Management services.

It really is mutually beneficial, especially at the onset, if we go above and beyond to give qualified resellers the tools needed to succeed.

Taken from our own enablement efforts, we assign each VAR a client manager who facilitates our resources for each proposal and subsequent integration of our end user focused services.

Through various supply side Partners we are able to exceed the basics (marketing materials, proposal templates, revenue modelers) and offer things like website design, social media consultation and campaign services as well as a cold calling and lead generation program that we are testing.

We will even attend sales meetings with our reseller Partners in person, or on the phone if geography doesn’t permit, to ensure the proper message is being sent and the learning on both sides continues.

Once a prospect is identified our client managers work to layout the framework for the deal (tech and business wise), draft up the necessary documentation and assist with the SLA’s once their is a mutual agreement that the services fit the end customers needs.

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