The MSP Zone

The MSP Zone

By Charles WeaverTechnology
Download on the App Store

The MSP Zone episodes

  • Poor MSP Growth May Not be Due to Lack of Sales Ep 267
    Poor MSP Growth May Not be Due to Lack of Sales
    Many times, I hear MSPs complain about their stagnant or lack of growth. Now, regardless of whether you have a sales team and process or if you predominantly rely on referrals, lack of growth can frequently be caused by two general issues: inefficient process, and lack of customer focus.
    Limited service catalog
    Defined customers
    With these two elements, you can develop an effective sales and/or referral program
    Frankenstein Compliance
    If your MSP practice is running around, chasing the latest framework, you may be setting yourself up for a difficult road ahead. We hear a lot of MSPs contact us because they want to be complaint with some new framework they've heard about.
    While being compliant is not a bad thing, there is a right way and a wrong way to go about achieving MSP compliance.
    Start with UCS; which will get you your own controls
    Then, you map your controls to other frameworks
    If you start with non-MSP frameworks, you will end up with a lot of confusion and potential for chaos. It'll also cost you time, resources, and money
    MSP M&A Integration: What are your baselines? 
    If you are an MSP considering merging with or acquiring another MSP, pay attention. Aside from all the other risks associated with M&A, there are some very easy steps you can take to radically lower your risk once you've completed your deal.
    Develop your baseline
    What is a baseline?
    Baseline during due diligence
    39 min
  • MSP Zone Spotlight on Halo PSA - Ep 266


    About a year ago I started to hear MSPs talk about a new company, Halo PSA. It turns out, this company is not new, but they are doing some rather innovative things in the MSP ticketing space and being somewhat disruptive.

    So, we decided to reach out and invite Tim Bowers, CEO of Halo PSA to join the MSP Zone and talk about his company and what they are doing.

    Highlights:

    • What is Halo PSA?
    • Origins of the company
    • Being disruptive in the PSA market
    • Why are MSPs talking about Halo PSA so much?

      • 30 min
    • MSP Zone Spotlight - Travis Springer Ep 265
      In this MSP Zone spotlight Travis Spring, vice president of Sagiss, joins us to share his thoughts on the MSP market. We discuss a wide range of topics, from economics, labor, technical, AI, and other business issues which impact all MSPs.
       
      Economy and its impact on managed services
      The impact of AI on MSPs
      Are MSPs using AI?
      Labor challenges facing MSPs
      30 min
    • Control Frameworks: Which is right for you? Ep 264
      Modern lead generation is a racket
      I receive a lot of "lead generation" cold calls and emails. When I say these solicitations are horribly bad, I am being generous. MSPs get hit up all the time to create or expand their cold calling efforts and if these same groups are soliciting them, this is crazy.
      Does cold calling really work for MSPs?
      Cold calling vs Inbound lead generation
      MSP content must be a factor of your marketing and lead cultivation
       
      Control Frameworks: Which is right for you?
      A lot of MSPs today are struggling with where to start on their compliance journey. Usually, this confusion manifests itself in deciding on a control framework. But, what if there are multiple frameworks? What if your customers pull you into different control framework directions?
       
      All reasonable questions and we'll give you some easy tips on how to start making sense of everything.
      What is relevant to your customer?
      Do it once, then translate
      MSP controls are different from client controls
       
      The MSP Business Plan
      Most people don't like to hear this but the very first step you should take when deciding to become an MSP is develop and write a business plan.
       
      Highlights:
      Provides structure for your MSP goals
      Prevents missteps and waisted resources
      Eliminates a lot of effort downstream
      Faster time to market
      Identify relevant control frameworks sooner
      40 min
    • Is MSP Growth Exaggerated? Ep 263
      MSP Growth Exaggerated?
      Canalys is doing some great work in analyzing managed services. Long overdue.
      Disproportionate # of MSPs actually producing revenue.
      Hardware/software influence (more on this in the next segment)
       
      Do MSPs Impact Hardware Sales?
      I recently saw someone promoting a webinar on the topic of MSPs increasing hardware sales, and it caught my eye. It's not a typical subject we see discussed these days, but it is still a relevant one.
      Legacy role of MSPs and hardware
      Modern day MSP and hardware Defensive (prevent encroachment by other MSPs)
      HaaS
      MSPs as hardware/software influencers
       
      Co-Managed IT: Is it Possible?
      I see a lot of websites promote co-managed services offerings. Given the sheer number of these offerings I assume that co-managed services is enjoying some measure of success these days. However, questions must be presented (and answered) before any MSP ought to proceed with a co-managed services offering.
      Maturity of the client
      Customer IT capabilitiesTechnical
      Controls
      Participation of client management
      What does the agreement say?
      52 min
    • MSPs Cautiously Optimistic about AI - Ep 262
      Out of the Box MSSPs
      This story came to us from one of our friends, Brent Watkins. At first, I thought it was a joke, but upon a second look, it wasn't. Completely serious promo from a security vendor…become an MSSP in 1 day! Unbelievable? I assure you it is not (the claim, not actually becoming an MSSP in a single day).
       
      Talk to any legitimate MSP out there and they'll tell you being an MSP takes practice, focus, and execution of strategy. Claims like this one ultimately harm the MSP profession.
      Why do vendors make these claims?
      Am I anti-MDR?
      How do customers view this type of messaging?
       
      Still unsure about whether to call yourself an MSP?
      In a recent episode I addressed a member email where they asked the question whether MSPs should still be using the term MSP and managed services. Just as we published that episode I saw this article about 4 reasons businesses should consider using an MSP. Need I say more?
      Customers still use MSP and managed services
      The name MSP isn't your problem
      Companies afraid of the obligations associated with MSPs might want to avoid the term
       
      MSPs Cautiously Optimistic about AI
      In a recent webinar we discussed the pros and cons of artificial intelligence in a managed services practice. The real interesting stuff happened (as usual) in the Q&A where a lot of the MSPs said they were evaluating (or actually using) AI. But, there were a lot of restrictions about how they were planning on using it.
      AI has legitimate use for internal MSP operations
      Most MSPs hesitant about using AI in any customer interfacing way
      32 min
    • SEC Adopts Cyber Disclosure Rule - Ep 261
      SEC Adopts Cyber Disclosure Rule
      The securities and exchange commission recently made news with an announcement of their cybersecurity disclosure rule. While this isn't the first governmental agency to announce such a rule, it should confirm to every MSP on the planet the direction in which we are headed and offer plenty of guidance for handling privacy and security incidents.
      SEC rule explained
      Purpose behind the rule
      Impact of the rule on MSPs and clients
      Failure to comply (i.e., lack of compliance)
       
      MSPs Confused About Who They Are
      I received a great email from one of our members asking me for an opinion. Now, I've discussed this topic a lot in recent years but its good to see MSPs still caring about this enough to email into the program.
       
      My advice for MSPs wondering if managed services still has value left in it. 
       
      Master MSPs Play Crucial Role in Certification
      The role of the master MSP has definitely evolved over the past decade. The needs of partners evaluating a relationship with a master MSP has certainly changed. But, in one crticial aspect, the relationship between master MSP and partner MSP has not changed; that is regarding compliance.
       
      As MSPs develop relationships with external service providers (i.e., master MSPs), these relationships must be examined from a risk/reward basis. Here are some questions you may want to consider asking with regards to your ESP relationships.
       
      Managed service supply chain - how does the ESP impact this risk? Do they increase or decrease my risk?
      Does any part of the ESP help me with my own MSP practice controls?
      Does the ESP have its own compliance and certification house in order?
      46 min
    • Is it better to be cyber secure or cyber resilient?
      Is it better to be cyber secure or cyber resilient?
      If you think this is a trick question, it isn't. There are many who believe that security is solely a matter of defense. While defensive measure are crucial to any MSP (or their customers), preparing for eventual attacks which are successful, is also crucial.
       
      So, what is an MSP to do? Here are some simple measures every MSP ought to be doing right now to be both prepared for cyber-attacks, but also resilient to them if they are successful.
      PlanningDocumenting your plans
      Identifying where your risks are
      Anticipating those attacks, and eventual breaches
      TestingTest means test
      Test, and often
      Document your test results. Learn from them
      MonitoringKeeping a watchful eye on your internal MSP network and IT assets
      RMM isn't enough
       
      More Fake MSPs
      I no longer trust websites. When you hear this story you may not either. While this story is completely true, it is also, regrettably, a reality we must face as a profession and fix!
       
      Urgent News for Break/Fix Providers
      Three decades since the first MSPs were created, we still have IT organizations who are in doubt as to the business model around managed services. If these non-MSPs can't be persuaded based on the logic of the business model alone, perhaps we can present a very real economic motive for getting rid of your break/fix and reactive customers.
      Remember, no matter how much your client's try and make you think that reactive IT services are the best for them, they are wrong!
      38 min
    • Ep 259 - MSP Innovation: Why it matters

      I often hear MSPs talk about innovation: but what does that mean? To get one answer, I invited an MSP CEO to join me in a conversation about the innovation that goes into being an MSP, and the impact such innovation has on the business and customers. I was able to do just that when Jimmy Puckett, CEO of SPINEN, entered the MSP Zone.

      Being innovative does mean customers need to come along for the ride. What if some customers don't want what you are creating? Getting rid of problem clients, particularly those clients who do not embrace managed services, is not always easy. 

      Jimmy and I spoke about why MSPs may want to fire their clients, particularly if they do not want to evolve as technology evolves. We talked about innovation in the managed services profession. We also discussed how MSPs rely on their vendor partners to continuously evolve and develop new technologies to help MSPs maintain success.

      Highlights:

      • Who is SPINEN?
      • Why they fired 70% of their clients
      • Vendor relationships and how to keep them productive
      • Innovation involving artificial intelligence


        • 41 min
      • Ep 258 - The MSP Generation Divide
        The MSP Generation Divide
        Time changes everything. That certainly seems like an appropriate saying when examining the managed services profession. MSPs seem to be getting younger and younger every year. Or maybe we are just getting older.
        The point is, the generational divide amongst MSP professionals is increasing. We have older and younger members of our profession, and a lot of knowledge must be transferred between these generations.
         New MSP generation doesn't have preconceived notions of managed services
        Younger MSP generations have a lot to learn
        Younger MSP generations need access to the veteran MSPs
        Vulnerability Scans Don't Do This
        Many people believe vulnerability scans are a magic bullet, capable of solving lots of different problems. While vulnerability scanning technology is a necessary tool in the MSP tool belt, it is not a cure-all and should be utilized cautiously and appropriately.
        Vulnerability scan use cases
        Vulnerability scans: what they don't do
        Vulnerability scanning isn't a business model
        Why the MSP Name is Valuable
        We have two examples of the "MSP" word being misused or misapplied. One example involves an end-user, the other example involves MSPAlliance.
        End-user organization fooled by cyber consultant claiming to be MSP
        MSPAlliance mistakenly believes organization is MSP despite clear language on their website
        35 min

      About The MSP Zone

      From the publisher's feed

      Weekly discussion of news, events, and topics of interest to the global managed services professional community. The series will have the latest and most relevant discussions in managed services and…