The recession is triggering some rather wild IT service strategies. Consider the situation at Cincinnati Bell. The service provider has launched a “Price for Life” program that gives customers a permanent monthly rate for several bundled services. Plus, there’s no contract requirement. It sounds to me like an act of desperation by a telcommunications company trying to retain residential customers. But I wonder: Would managed service providers be crazy enough to make similar guarantees?
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Would You Guarantee Your Managed Services Price — for a Lifetime?
Posted March 10th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
Managed Services: The Best Are Getting Better
Posted March 4th, 2009 by Jim Hamilton
Despite the falling economy, business is looking up for top managed service providers. Indeed, top MSPs are generating better margins and more revenue per customer than ever according to the latest MSP Partners/Institute for Partner Education and Development (IPED) research into the state of the managed services market. Check out these highlights.
CompTIA Launching Managed Services Best Practices Index
Posted February 12th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
CompTIA (the Computing Technology Industry Association), with an assist from Service Leadership Inc., is launching a “best-in-class” index to help managed service providers discover and embrace best practices for success. The index is part of a broader Managed IT Services push at CompTIA, one of several organizations seeking to transform good MSPs into great MSPs.
MSP Partners Launches Master Membership Level
Posted February 5th, 2009 by Joe Panettieri
I had a quick call with Jim Hamilton, executive director of MSP Partners, on Wednesday night. He told me a bit about the organization’s new 2009 education program for managed service providers. Here are some details.
Three Tips: Managed Services Sales and Compensation
Posted December 23rd, 2008 by Jim Hamilton
I have a neighbor who really gets into Christmas. His house is covered with lights and ornaments. The combination of bright lights and shiny objects captures lots of attention, even prompting a local TV crew to broadcast in front of his house.
Ottawa, Canada: Managed Services Central?
Posted December 9th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I’m in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada today visiting a few companies that specialize in managed services software. As you may know, Ottawa is a hotbed of managed services activity. Level Platforms, MSP Partners, N-able and The Utility Company are all headquartered here. (If you’re based in Ottawa and have an MSP focus, let me know and I’ll add you to our radar.)
Tough Times? MSPs Say “Bring Them On”
Posted November 25th, 2008 by Jim Hamilton
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:
Putting A Price On Eternal IT and MSP Happiness
Posted October 3rd, 2008 by Jim Hamilton
The evil-hearted Mr. Burns of Simpson’s fame once quipped “One dollar for eternal happiness? I’d be happier with the dollar.”
Everon Launches MSP Coach
Posted September 12th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
Everon Technology Services LLC, one of our MSPmentor 100 companies, has launched MSP Coach. According to a teaser for the site, Everon has “taken everything we’ve learned and begun creating courses, content, and tools that you can use to help build your MSP business.”
MSP University: Behind the Curtains
Posted June 24th, 2008 by Joe Panettieri
I spent some time with Erick Simpson, VP and CIO of MSP University, during the Kaseya User Conference in Las Vegas last month. Even before we met, I knew Erick had written some best-selling books on managed services. But I wanted to learn a bit more about where MSP University had been … and where it’s going.
MSP Partners: What You Need to Know
Posted April 22nd, 2008 by Jim Hamilton
Solution providers have a lot to gain from adopting managed services. Less appreciated is the fact that vendors have a lot at stake, too. Increasingly they realize that adoption of managed services by their channel partners is not only a winning strategy, but an essential strategy for long term success in the SMB market.
Autotask CEO Next to Join MSP Alliance Vendor Board
Posted December 5th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
The MSP Alliance continues to build out its Vendor Advisory Board. Next to join is Autotask CEO Bob Godgart (pictured), we hear. The Godgart announcement should come in a few days or so. So, how will MSP Alliance differ from the MSP Partner organization? We received some thoughts from MSP Alliance CEO Charles Weaver. Here’s a look.
N-able CEO Connects With MSP Alliance
Posted December 4th, 2007 by Joe Panettieri
Gavin Garbutt, CEO of N-able Technologies, is on a role. Last week, he strolled around N-able’s Ottawa offices displaying an award from Deloitte, ranking N-able among the 500 fastest growing companies in North America. Now, he’s been named the first executive member of the MSP Alliance’s (MSPA) new Vendor Advisory Board. But what does the working relationship between N-able and MSP Alliance mean to other platform providers?
Take a look at our 