The MSP Zone

Weaver Outrage Meter (Low)

 

Sponsored by: Dell Expert Network & VARC

 

Risk assessments. Sounds like a good thing to have. Everyone can universally agree that they are good to have. And yet, when you dig deeper, risk assessments can mean very different things to different people.

 

This episode we delve into the world of risk assessments. What are they? How can you perform them? What should your expectations be from doing a risk assessment?

 

Put your feet up and take a listen as we explore the world of risk assessments.

 

Highlights:

What is a risk assessment?

Risk assessments for MSPs

Compliance value of risk assessments

Risk assessment best practices

Our friend Corey Munson from PC Matic brought this study to our attention and it's a great piece that every MSP ought to read. The study, published by Deloitte and NASCIO, compares attitudes by state CIOs on a variety of topics from 2020 and 2022.

 

The report identifies a pretty significant increase in the number of state CIOs wanting to work with an MSP in 2022. But, it's important to unpack some of the historical data around governments working with MSPs and it's especially important to understand the reasons why these CIOs want to work with MSPs.

 

Highlights:

2020-2022 changes

Shifts in MSP business models

Maturity of state governments as to the role of the MSP

Louisiana as the template

Managed Service Providers (MSP) have been at the center of a global discussion around security.  There is nothing wrong with this discussion. In fact, it is a good thing that we have a conversation around data privacy, security, and the ways people and organizations can protect themselves against such threats (hint: working with an MSP should make you safer!).

However, the role of the MSP (historically and even through to today) has not solely been about security. MSPs help their clients in a great variety of ways, from security, IT management, productivity, and even disaster prevention and recovery.

As we near the end of North American hurricane season, we are reminded of the many way in which MSPs have been helping clients prepare their businesses from many forms of disaster (both natural and unnatural). Ken Stringer, CTO of CMA, enters the MSP Zone to discuss his views on disaster preparation and recovery.

Highlights:

How do MSPs interact with clients regarding disaster preparation & recovery?

Do cyber attacks have any similarities to DR?

What lessons can we learn from modern (and historical) disasters to better prepare for future business disruption events?

MSP Zone Guest: Ken Stringer, CTO, CMA

Weaver Outrage Meter (Low)

 

If you offer any form of managed security offering (or plan to in the near term), then listen up: you may want to stop up-selling customers on managed security. Sound provocative? It isn't.

 

Managed security ought to be (for the vast majority of MSPs and their clients) part of the standard managed services offering. Meaning, it should be the exception to the rule that an MSP agrees to have a managed services client who does not receive security from the MSP. We will discuss what some of those exceptions might be, but we will focus on how you can more accurately align your MSP practice with the needs of your customers and still make money.

 

Highlights:

Incorporate security into your managed services offerings

Exceptions to this rule

Up-sell opportunities

Weaver Outrage Meter (Low)

 

Sponsored by: Dell Expert Network

 

The terms managed services and MSP have a particular meaning, both professionally through organizations like MSPAlliance, but also through the common usage. When those accepted terms begin to change to the point where they no longer have the same meaning, you can expect problems to occur.

 

Regardless of your definition of managed services (here is ours), take a listen to this episode and come to your own conclusions about what MSP and managed services means.

 

Highlights:

The role of the MSP has always been mission critical

Managed services has never historically been applied much outside of IT

Today's definition of managed services certainly does not mean much beyond IT

 

MSP Zone Reading Material: What Is A Managed Service Provider (MSP)? – Forbes Advisor

Co-managed services is not new. In fact, it has been around since the beginning of the managed services profession. If you want to be completely honest, managed services began as a "co-managed" model with the MSP playing the critical outsourcing role but being directed by internal IT. Those days have changed.

Highlights:

Origins of co-managed services

Co-managed services defined

When co-managed services does not work

For the past several years, we have heard nothing but the perils of cybersecurity attacks, and the mounting difficulty in preparing for and defending against such attacks. That type of sustained pressure can lead to desensitization, apathy, and burnout.  

But, in all seriousness, cybersecurity has never been more critical, and the stakes have never been higher. So, what is an MSP (Managed Service Provider) to do?  

The following recommendations may help you strike a balanced approach to your managed services practice by incorporating cybersecurity into your business model, without letting it dominate and turn you into something you are not. Let us get started.

If you have ever considered or called yourself a "trusted advisor" then you may want to pay attention to this. The trusted advisor designation is under attack and is being threatened with the worst possible outcome, irrelevance.

 

The thing you have to understand is as trusted advisors, this naming designation is like a knife's edge, it must always be sharpened or else it will become dull and cease to have value. MSPs are facing this same threat but from a new direction, the cybersecurity vendor. Not the software or hardware companies, but the cyber consulting firms sprouting up like weeds all over the world. These firms are proliferating at an alarming rate and they have their sights firmly set on the managed service provider.

Documentation is not a new topic amongst the MSP community, but it is something that most MSPs could be doing better. Today's discussion focuses on why documentation is important in an MSP practice, the benefits is brings to the MSP, the problems lack of documentation can produce, and last, we will offer some helpful tips on ways you can improve your MSP documentation using common tools you already have.

 

Highlights:

Current state of MSP documentation

Benefits of documentation in an MSP practiceSecurity

Scalability

Ways to immediately improve your service delivery documentationDocumentation platforms

Areas of immediate focus

Documentation as an ongoing practice

Weaver Outrage Meter (WOM): Low

Are you looking for MSP acquisitions? Do you think you are ready? I come across a lot of MSPs who think they are ready do to acquisitions. In reality, few have given much thought to what is involved in the process and what it will really do to their MSP practice.

 

This episode will examine both sides of the M&A process (buyer and seller) and discuss some facts about the M&A world which may be new to many of you. These tips will be very helpful for you, regardless of whether you are a buyer or a seller.

 

Highlights:

Buyside best practicesFunding

Integration

Motive

Sellside best practicesFinancials

Process documentation

metrics

M&A best practicesWhat are your company goals?

Do you have people to run the process?

Cost

Outcome measurement