Let’s compare managed IT to auto racing for a minute. In both, the leaders devised a plan/strategy to get ahead of the pack from the outset, to use technology, skill and knowledge to open up a comfortable lead.
But we know what happens next. In racing, pit stops enable teams with underperforming cars to make adjustments that allow them to close the gap with the leaders. We won’t linger on the obvious flip side of the analogy, except to say MSPs adjust in a way that will make them more competitive in the market.
And while auto racing has an end game, both disciplines are always seeking ways to gain or reclaim an edge. Constant adjustments, routine improvements, tweaks of a major or minor nature. So as we head into the final pit stop for this month’s State of the Industry report on managed IT, those MSP racers at the front of the field share their thoughts on how they plan to maintain their spot in the winner’s circle while never lifting their feet off the gas.
Blake Renegar, the director of managed network services for Kelly Office Solutions of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, notes that while many clients have committed to a cloud-based infrastructure, he still sees many companies with on premise server configuration. Thus, Kelly Office Solutions will continue to push clients toward the cloud.
However, Renegar and his team have huddled on ways to truly distinguish the dealer’s managed IT platform. Part and parcel of this is the investment in Microsoft’s Copilot AI-based productivity enhancement.
“We’ve invested time and training with our engineers to get them up to speed on Copilot before it fully rolled out to the market,” he said. “We wanted to get ahead of that trend, so when we talk to clients and prospects, we can lead them in that direction and be the expert on how to leverage these types of tools. Because if you’re not talking about it, somebody else is. I think it’s going to be huge.”
Erik Crane, president and CEO of CPI Technologies in Springfield, Missouri, believes managed IT will continue to be a vital element of his business. As the imaging market is fairly flat, he sees diversification as being a growth catalyst.
“To stand out in the IT arena, you need to have a product offering that is both progressive and stable,” Crane said. “You will then need to have a quality sales team that can communicate the value proposition of your products well. Most importantly, the support staff must be top tier. Providing rapid response and resolution to your client’s IT issues is vital to maintaining and growing your business.”
Dan Strull, CEO of GoodSuite in Woodland Hills, California, sees a bright future for those leaders who strive to become front-of-mind providers. Those who ultimately rise to the top will offer a true MSSP proposition backed by the highest level of cybersecurity protections.
“It will require a level of strategic innovation which requires you to constantly stay ahead and evolve,” he said.
Managed IT providers must walk a fine line in their ability to adapt, adopt and innovate without sacrificing customer commitments, points out James Loffler, president of Loffler Companies in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. The top performers, he notes, will continually evolve and expand their offerings to drover broader and closer relationships with clients.
“[Leaders] will invest in and integrate hyperautomation solutions into their offerings, which will drive both top- and bottom-line growth while delivering an elevated customer experience,” Loffler remarked. “Laggards in our space will be resistant to innovation or implement technology for the wrong reasons. Leaders are always attuned to their customers. They stay agile, aligned and focused on helping their customers succeed.”
As equipment, hardware and software become more reliable and demand less maintenance and support, one of the true value propositions for managed IT providers will be the ability to solve business problems, notes Jeff Loeb, president of Vitis Technologies, the managed IT division of Prosource in Cincinnati. This represents a tremendous opportunity for the advanced providers to distinguish themselves from the pack.
“We’re helping customers apply technology so their business can run more efficiently, and they can grow faster, become more profitable, and serve their customers better,” Loeb said. “That is what the MSP is evolving into and the leaders are going to be those who can help their customers leverage technology for competitive advantage.”
Benny Russert, Vitis Technologies’ director of technology alignment, added that the managed IT leaders will discover additional, non-traditional ways to bring value to their clients. “It’s understanding what those non-traditional lines of business or lines of revenue look like and building expertise internally to take those to market to a client base that they’re already heavily engaged with and truly understand how the business operates,” he said.
Dan Lamborn, corporate director of managed IT services for Edwards Business Systems in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, believes leaders in the managed IT space will be distinguished by their ability to adapt to emerging technologies, provide innovative solutions and deliver exceptional customer service. That begins with remaining ahead of the technology curve and trends.
“Leaders will invest in cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation to streamline processes, enhance security and improve efficiency for their clients,” he said. “Another crucial aspect that will differentiate leaders from laggards is the focus on proactive rather than reactive IT management. Leaders will prioritize cybersecurity, preventive maintenance, monitoring and security measures to prevent potential issues before they escalate, thereby minimizing downtime and disruptions for their clients.”
