The MSP Zone

What is the customer experience within the managed services profession? Our profession talks a lot about service delivery with a predominant focus on the technical. And, for good reason.

However, it is important we not forget the customer experience. We address that issue in this episode. We examine the role of the traditional PSA/ticketing platforms and whether they are sufficient to deliver excellent customer service.

Highlights:

What is the role of the PSA?

Does the existing PSA solution address the customer experience?

What is managed services engagement maturity?

What can MSPs do to improve the customer experience within the managed services relationship?

MSPZone Special Guest: Jeff Farris - President & CEO of CloudRadial

Fighting cybercrime may require policies, procedures, technology, and the know-how to put it all together in a cohesive manner, but the individual also has an important role to play which cannot be discounted. Individual people must be aware of the threats facing them, their organization, and cannot be lulled into a false sense of security just because they have an MSP or an internal IT department. Even the best MSPs need the active participation of the individual to combat cybercrime.

Inky CEO Dave Baggett enters the MSPZone to discuss his thoughts on cybercrime and how MSPs can equip individuals to become more active in this ongoing fight.

Highlights:

The role of the individual in cyber defense

Educating staff on email threats

All organization personnel must be activated and equipped to defend against email attacks

Social engineering tactics exploited through email

MSPZone Special Guest: Dave Baggett, CEO & Founder of INKY

WOM Level: Low

Lots of economic data coming out in recent weeks about signals of an impending recession. Let's really take a look at how a recession might impact MSPs globally and what you may want to do to prepare you practice (and clients) for such an event.

We will also examine the recent CISA guidance for MSPs and offer some analysis on what practicing MSPs need to know about staying safe.

MSPZone Reading Material:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2022/05/18/cybersecurity-players-should-do-well-despite-economic-headwinds/?sh=6525fa147f9c

https://www.darkreading.com/application-security/venture-capital-fund-emerging-cybersecurity-tech

https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/current-activity/2022/05/11/cisa-joins-partners-release-advisory-protecting-msps-and-their

Cloud computing is one of those terms that gets used a lot, often by people who have no real idea as to what it means. This is understandable given how ubiquitous cloud computing has become over the last decade. While cloud computing has brought technology into the mainstream, it also is a term which needs clarification and definition.

Cloud computing, hybrid, public, private, are all variations on a theme with very different business, technical, and privacy outcomes depending on which one you choose. For MSPs, understanding cloud computing in all its various forms and being able to describe it to customers (many who have no technical experience) is a critical business skill.

Laurelle Roseman, director of channel partnerships at Vultr, drops by the MSPZone to provide her perspective on how cloud computing is helping MSPs meet a growing and increasingly complex set of customer needs.

Highlights:

Shift in the partner industryWhat cloud actually means

Partners have to convince people to move over the cloud

Trust in cloud computing

What is relevant to your MSP practice?

Geographical expansionLatency

Privacy

Peace of mind

Why you need more than just AWS – business rational

Why it's important to have a multi-cloud strategyIt's not an either or situation

Customers want options

MSPZone Guest: Laurelle Roseman, Director of Channel Partnerships with Vultr

There’s a stark contrast to how the threat of Ransomware is perceived by MSPs vs SMBs. MSPs have long understood cyber, business, and IT risks that face their customers. Customers, on the other hand, can have a slightly wider range of experience and understanding when it comes to cyber risks. Why is that?

Join us in this podcast as we uncover the reasons why this discrepancy exists, disclose the precursors of ransomware and discuss solutions.

Highlights:

Why do we see so much ransomware?

Do MSPs perceive ransomware differently from end-user customers?

How do we solve the ransomware issue?

MSPZone Guest: Ricardo VillaDiego, Founder & CEO of Lumu Technologies

Access management has been a managed service offering for customers for many years. Today, the issue of internal access management has now become mainstream for MSPs of all sizes. How users gain access to internal MSP systems and networks is just as important as it is for managed services customers. But, being secure about your user onboarding and offboarding does not mean you can't also be efficient in your movements.

That's what we discuss on today's episode.

Highlights:

Who is Devolutions?

What is the current state of MSP internal security?

How can MSPs elevate their internal security?

Can you be secure and efficient as an MSP?

MSPZone Guest: Maurice Cote - VP Business Solutions with Devolutions

In today’s connected and security conscious world, customers are looking to MSPs to provide them with backup and recovery services that will help safeguard their organization against ransomware, user errors, and other evolving threats to their business operations and reputation. These same benefits also hold true for the MSPs themselves.

Steve Rodin, CEO of Storagepipe enters the MSPZone and offers his perspectives on a variety of topics.

Highlights:

New high-margin monthly recurring revenue streams

Data sovereignty/residency

The importance of cloud backup

Cloud application backup

Backup as Business Continuity

Sponsored by Storagepipe: Storagepipe | Cloud, Backup and Disaster Recovery Services Partner Program ( https://storagepipe.com/storagepipe-partner-program/)

Brian Stoner from Stellar Cyber joins MSPZone to discuss the future of cybersecurity talent within the managed services profession. We discuss the relationship with Boise State, how that connection came to be, and how this could be a template for future cybersecurity talent cultivation all over the world.  

Highlights:  

Are we still in a cybersecurity talent drought?  

Boise State connection 

The problem with existing cybersecurity talent 

 MSPZone Guest: Brian Stoner, Stellar Cyber

WOM: Low

It does not happen a lot where an approach to selling and marketing managed services can actually apply to a large selection of MSP verticals. But, I think we have one for you today.  

Based on actual conversations with MSPs who are using this approach successfully, and an equal number of MSPs who are not doing it but could benefit from it, I believe this approach will work for the vast number of MSPs throughout the world.  

I am talking about cyber insurance. Specifically, I’m talking about the use of cyber insurance as a conduit for many other managed services offerings.  

Highlights:  

Role of MSP cyber insurance 

1st Party insurance defined 

Customer insurance pain points 

MSPs to the rescue!

Raffy Marty, the ConnectWise general manager, cybersecurity, drops by the MSPZone to brief us on their latest MSP Threat Report. As the role of RMM vendors becomes more critical to the ongoing security of the global MSP community, companies such as ConnectWise are increasing their efforts to educate and equip their MSP partners with information and technologies.  

 

Highlights:  

10-15% increase in ransomware incidents by quarter in 2021 

Evolution of the "super-MSP" 

Ransomware operator tactics 

2022 predictions 

 MSPZone Reading Material: https://www.connectwise.com/resources/ebook-2022-msp-threat-report