Imagine a room full of managed service providers discussing the need for standards to address data privacy, security, and the overall health and wellbeing of the service provider community. This scenario probably doesn't seem all that strange today, especially with all the discussion about cloud computing and privacy. But, this scenario did happen roughly 10 years ago, long before it was popular.
MSPs who served on the MSPAlliance advisory board a decade ago, saw the need to create a standard that would accomplish two primary objectives. First, the standard needed to qualify MSPs to make sure they were doing what they said they were doing, and in an acceptable fashion. Second, the standard should provide transparency and some level of guidance to customers thinking about engaging a MSP. The MSPs who served (and continue to serve) on that advisory board had an idea that was ahead of its time.
Cloud & MSP Certification
The Unified Certification Standard for Cloud & Managed Service Providers (UCS) has been through a lot over the last decade. The MSPs responsible for its creation were visionaries who had an idea to address specific needs of the day, but also to be ready to address the needs of the future. Needs that very few MSPs realized might become as commonplace and noteworthy as they are today.
MSPs back then were having difficulty differentiating themselves from other IT companies claiming to have the same capabilities, but often at a fraction of the price. In many cases, these statements were overblown marketing. In other cases, the statements were just false.
The MSPAlliance certification (now called the UCS) was designed to help those certified MSPs provide verifiable evidence of both company health as well as service capabiliites. The UCS today still provides that ability to market and educate customers on what a certified MSP or cloud provider can offer.
But, the UCS goes much further. Today, because we have such a widespread use of the term cloud computing, customers everywhere have a working knowledge of basic IT outsourcing via cloud computing. Furthermore, customers are aware of the data privacy and security risks involved and are more frequently asking their providers to give evidence and assurance that customer data will be handled in an appropriate manner.
The UCS is a great marketing and sales tool but it also serves as a compliance audit report as well. Cloud and MSP organizations serving customers in regulated markets are very effectively using their UCS audits to close more business, shorten sales cycles, and penetrate new and regulated markets.
The MSPAlliance has long been a pioneer in many areas. But, perhaps the UCS is one of its greatest examples of innovation, leadership, and collaboration amongst MSPs.
Are you certified? Maybe you should start your MSP or cloud company down the path towards certification!
