Satisfaction cuts both ways in the post COVID-19 era
If the COVID-19 pandemic has done anything from an IT perspective, it’s been to expose a lot of flawed IT processes, even among managed service providers (MSPs). A survey of 519 IT professionals published by ManageEngine, a provider of IT...
The tale of two MSP realities
Over the years, you have heard me talk about the tale of two MSP realities. In one reality, sales and marketing is hard, prospects refuse to pay higher prices, and the market determines your ability to succeed. In the other...
Q&A: The ‘Best Security Offering’ for MSPs in 2020
The evolving cyberthreat landscape has made security the top priority for businesses of all sizes. More than ever, it has become imperative for MSPs to incorporate managed security service offerings in their portfolio to continue to succeed and differentiate themselves...
Five emerging cybersecurity trends mid-way through 2020
As we approach the halfway point of 2020 (yes, hard to believe), this is an excellent time to look at the cybersecurity landscape to see what trends have emerged and how you can position your cybersecurity offerings for the remainder...
Sales & Marketing
Marketing engines for MSPs
As someone who has been working with MSPs and other tech-related organizations on their marketing needs for many years, I’m always struck by the number of people who say that they’re still finding the majority of their clients “the old...
Salesforce business packs could help MSP clients
As a managed service provider, your job has probably gotten more complex in recent months as companies have had to change the way they work in response to the pandemic. That might involve moving employees from an office to home....
How important is SEO for MSPs in 2020?
In my discussions with MSP business leaders, I often hear that SEO is just too difficult of a lead generation tactic to make it worth the investment. MSP owners and sales leaders insist that there are too many competitors going...
Security
Summer cybersecurity dangers
In simpler times, some businesses would literally hang a sign on their door each summer saying “Gone Fishin’” and close for two weeks. In today’s world, hackers might as well hang a sign on their door in summer that says...
Don’t ignore the basics: Pandemic patching and other musts for MSPs
Business models have been put into a blender and pulsed and pureed since the arrival of COVID-19 earlier this year. The resulting workplace environment has been unrecognizable in many cases with workforces hunkered down at home, businesses shuttered, and security teams...
How work from home is transforming cybersecurity
The pandemic crisis of 2020 will go down as one of the most significant upheavals to the workplace since the industrial revolution. What we don’t yet know is what the long-term impact will be. If a coronavirus vaccine is developed...
Better Business
Why you need to document your MSP business NOW
What would you say is the most crucial aspect of being able to grow your IT Solution Provider or Managed Service Provider (MSP) business? Marketing? For sure. You can be the best IT company in the world, but if nobody...
Ask an MSP Expert: MSPs prepare for return to normal
Q: Many of my clients are beginning to let their employees and end-users return to their establishments, as local government restrictions are slowly removed. As the ‘return to normal’ slowly progresses, how can my MSP business best prepare for this...
Ask an MSP Expert: How can my MSP promote diversity?
Q: I am an MSP owner with a growing corps of technicians and support staff, but there is a definite lack of diversity. I want my employees to reflect the communities we serve. How can MSPs make their talent pools...
Tech Insight
Pioneers in Tech: Katherine Johnson, no longer a hidden figure
The movie “Hidden Figures” introduced the masses to Katherine Johnson, but it only scratched the surface of this fascinating and influential woman’s life. Played by Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 film, Johnson broke barriers throughout her life and played...
Shift to the cloud creates additional IT complexities
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s clear that more applications will be moving into the cloud at a faster rate than ever. In general, organizations now have a much greater appreciation for IT flexibility and application resiliency. In...
Tech Time Warp: A Technological Whirlwind at MIT
July 4, 1956, doesn’t quite rank with July 4, 1776, in terms of independence, but it was a remarkable day in terms of freedom for computer users—freedom from punch cards, dials, and switches, that is. On July 4, 1956, researchers...