MSPmentor

As video moves onto IP networks, managed service providers are exploring new opportunities in TelePresence — the next-generation video conferencing systems that bring distant parties together into a single virtual conference room. Here’s how TelePresence and managed services will converge in 2008 and beyond. Read More >

Roughly 90 percent of companies don’t know what they’re spending on printing, according to Kenneth D. Winters, a business advisor for Xerox’s North American Partners Group. To help VARs and customers quantify and better manage those costs, Xerox continues to evangelize its PagePack managed printer service.

The latest pitch occurred earlier today near Philadelphia, during a VAR luncheon hosted by Do IT Smarter (a member of our MSPmentor 100), Xerox and MX Logic.

PagePack, for those who haven’t heard the Xerox pitch, allows VARs to remotely monitor and manage customers’ printer infrastructure — hardware, software and consumables. And PagePack can deliver 20 percent to 60 percent or more recurring profit margin to partners, according to Winters. Over 36 months, a $22,800 printer hardware deployment can generate roughly $221,400 in managed services revenue, according to one scenario shared by Winters.

Whether you work with Xerox or another printer provider, there are some proven methods for entering the managed printer market. During an earlier luncheon hosted in Boston, Xerox and Do IT Smarter outlined seven key steps to promoting managed print services.

Generally speaking, Xerox partners I’ve spoken with given PagePack good grades. And Xerox’s latest quarterly financial results indicate that the company’s transition to services-led engagements continues to gain momentum.

Independent software vendors (ISVs) have always been the lifeblood of Microsoft’s business. But these days, Microsoft is maintaining a careful balancing act — promoting software as a service (SaaS) directly to customers while also recruiting managed service providers to assist the effort.

The latest example: Attenda Limited, which describes itself as the “Always On Managed Services Company,” has joined Microsoft’s SaaS Incubation Center Program in Europe. SaaS specialists and MSPs should be watching this Microsoft partner program closely. Here’s why. Read More >

During a recent stop at Dunkin’ Donuts (my daily coffee run), I noticed new digital signage promoting local businesses and special offers for coffee. It dawned on me that digital signage is a great opportunity for managed service providers. Sure, you can sell Plasma TVs and large LCD screens to businesses, but the real money is in monthly content management services for those screens.

Skeptical? Consider this piece of news from BroadSign International Inc., which specializes in hosted software for digital signage networks. Read More >

The MSPmentor 100 — our look at 100 of the world’s top managed service providers — is now available for your review. Before you dive into the list and the associated charts, here’s some background on how MSPmentor and its parent, Nine Lives Media Inc., pulled together this managed services report. Read More >

Even amid a questionable economy, John Roberts (pictured) sounds upbeat. As CEO of SugarCRM, Roberts leads one of Silicon Valley’s fastest-growing open source software providers. But that’s not all. SugarCRM also offers its software as a service (SaaS).

Smart move. As this site has pointed out before, the worlds of open source, managed services and SaaS are converging. And for good reason: Customers and their solutions providers increasingly want open options with predictable pricing and low acquisition costs. “The new rules of the industry are no proprietary code and no lock-in techniques,” said Roberts during a phone chat with me on January 16. Those trends and SugarCRM’s market opportunities should allow the company to launch an initial public offering within two years, he added. Read More >

Distributors spent 2007 telling me about their managed services strategies. Now, they’re back — this time, telling me about their software as a service (SaaS) strategies. It’s the latest example of SaaS and managed services converging with each other.  Skeptical? Check out the latest news from Avnet, which is launching a SaaS initiative in the email and groupware sector. Read More >

The retail sector is converging with the managed services sector this week. At the National Retail Federation show in New York, a savvy solutions provider has launched a managed broadband service that promises to modernize retail IT infrastructure. Here’s a look at the solution, and the managed service provider (MSP) behind it. Read More >