Welcome to 2026. Are you excited to leave 2025 behind and embrace new opportunities, or do you feel apprehensive as uncertainties loom on the horizon?
One thing is certain: 2026 will be challenging. The rapid pace of change—especially in AI—means organizations are scrambling to keep up. This will influence technical spending priorities. Should AI investments focus inward on skills and capabilities, or outward on platforms and models? If the latter, will spending go to independent MSPs or hyperscalers like AWS, Azure, and GCP?
For MSPs, the priority is clear: get the basics right first. Survival depends on a strong foundation. Only then can you invest in new capabilities and services to thrive.
Key areas MSPs must address
1. Platform
Is your platform still fit for purpose? Many MSPs operate on aging platforms or outdated software that should be replaced. Cloud adoption surged because organizations realized that replacing entire platforms was costly, while moving to third-party managed environments offered long-term flexibility.
If your platform lacks adaptability, customers will look elsewhere. MSPs should have a clear strategy for refreshing platforms—offloading lower-priority workloads to older equipment and reserving new hardware for high-value workloads.
In cases where a full replacement is unavoidable, consider building a parallel platform funded by profits from the old one. Position this as a benefit for existing customers: they’ll gain early access to next-gen capabilities.
2. Technical skills
AI skills are essential—but focus on AI application, not engine development. Hyperscalers dominate AI engine innovation, so MSPs should concentrate on integrating AI into customer processes in meaningful ways.
Security skills are critical. AI introduces new threats, and any significant breach could be catastrophic. Maintain strong baseline security and issue-resolution skills. Avoid the temptation to offload everything to AI—automation helps, but human oversight remains vital.
3. Customer-facing skills
The era of low-contact sales is over. The market is saturated, and customers expect engagement. MSPs need account managers who do more than handle renewals—they must build trust and discuss solutions that deliver real business outcomes.
Hire people with strong business acumen who can translate technology into value for customers.
4. Partnerships
In 2026, MSPs must offer broader capabilities without bearing the full cost of building everything in-house. Strategic partnerships are key. Cloud APIs make it easier to chain services together, enabling aggregated solutions.
Partnerships require both technical and relationship management skills. Poor communication can lead to broken integrations and unhappy customers. Maintain two-way communication to ensure changes on one side don’t disrupt the other.
Other considerations
Review pricing strategies. Avoid complex costing models and hidden costs: issues with these are one of the reasons why some MSP users are reverting to on-premises use.
Get the fundamentals right—platform, skills, customer engagement, and partnerships. Once these are solid, you can plan for growth with greater confidence and predictability.
Here’s to a successful 2026!
Photo: Duncan Andison / Shutterstock
