Survey shows MSPs gaining ground with SMEs
A survey of 1,007 IT decision makers at small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the U.S. and United Kingdom suggests that managed service providers (MSPs) are now being viewed as more essential than ever before.
Why MSPs need a robust patching program
A robust patching regimen is a pillar of “Cybersecurity 101.” “But sometimes, believe it or not, that is such a basic task that it gets overlooked. For instance, checking the oil in your car frequently is a must, but that...
Why MSPs choose Barracuda SKOUT Managed XDR
As cyberthreats continue to get more invasive and damaging, managed service providers (MSPs) and their clients are searching for better ways to protect and defend against them. One of the most effective and popular solutions in the market today is...
Healthcare supply chain increasingly vulnerable
There has been plenty of awareness generated about the vulnerability of healthcare organizations to hackers. Hospitals and biomedical facilities have been ramping up their efforts in fortifying their cyberdefenses.
Sales & Marketing
Are you using the right routes to market?
Being an MSP comes with its own challenges. In the early days, the main way to market was to set up a website with enough search engine optimisation terms in it that anyone looking for what you offer would find...
Why MSP cold-calling needs a makeover
“The purpose of my call is to set up an introductory meeting with our MSP.” “How about next Wednesday or Thursday?” This is the moment when a prospect feels pushed and are ready to slam the phone down. Unfortunately, this...
MSP Sales: Here’s how to let prospects sell you
One of the many things I’ve learned from decades of sales experience is that salespeople are too focused on “selling.” They are typically set on meeting sales quotes and getting that next big bonus check. But they usually forget about...
Security
Cybersecurity Threat Advisory: LockBit Ransomware Threat
The LockBit ransomware group has become the top ransomware group based on its volume of attacks in recent months. They are utilizing a new phishing email tactic by disguising the malware as copyright claim and creating a bug bounty program. Once...
SEC cyber rules: An MSP’s pivotal role and opportunity
Cyberattacks against financial services companies are on the rise. In 2021, the Financial Services Information Sharing and Analysis Center (FS-ISAC) raised the cyber threat level for U.S. financial institutions from “guarded” to “elevated” three times (it typically happens just once)....
Key cybersecurity trends to watch in the homestretch of 2022
Believe it or not, we are now halfway through 2022. Where has the time gone? Before we know it, we’ll be talking about Thanksgiving and Christmas. But right now, let’s pause, take stock of where we’ve been and make some...
Better Business
Are you portraying yourself as a strategic partner?
Being an MSP has changed markedly over the years. In the early days (going back as far as being an application service provider or ASP), it was a given that most of the business would come from a web search....
SMB cybersecurity confidence creates a challenge for MSPs
A survey of 600 SMBs (small-to-medium businesses) with revenue between $1 to $40 million, conducted by Provident Bank, finds that about half of the respondents believe their organization is fully prepared for a cyberattack. An equal percentage of respondents, however,...
An overlooked way to boost MSP proposal acceptance rates
To improve their MSPs profitability, most firm leaders focus either on increasing sales volume or reducing fixed costs. Sadly, a one percent of sales volume increase adds only 3.2 percent, and a one percent fixed cost reduction adds only 2.3...
Tech Insight
Tech Time Warp: The origin of the Oregon Trail
The real Oregon Trail began in Independence, Missouri, but for generations of American schoolchildren, the trail began in a Minneapolis classroom in 1971, when three student teachers combined their penchant for history with their knowledge of BASIC.
Salaries for IT pros with cloud expertise present MSP challenge
As the number of workloads shifting to the cloud continues to accelerate, one of the biggest limitations in terms of the addressable market for managed service providers (MSPs) is now the salaries of the IT professionals that have the expertise...
Tech Time Warp: Did you forget about the first iPhone?
As ubiquitous as the iPhone is today (and as many competitors as it has inspired), it can be difficult to think back to June 2007, when the first iPhone went on sale. Disrupting the Blackberry world, the iPhone of 2007 was...