Written by: Charles Weaver, CEO of MSPAlliance

Here is the question for today: what value do MSPs have who do not provide some basic managed security offerings to clients? At first glance, it may seem like a trick question, but it is not. It is an important question that attempts to uncover the real motivations behind organizations outsourcing their IT management to MSPs in the first place.

MSPs Have Value Beyond Security

Let’s examine this question by first dispensing with some apparent fallacies. There are obvious benefits to non-security related IT management services MSPs provide. Not everything revolves around security. Maintaining operational and stable IT assets is a valuable service, and MSPs have been providing this for decades.

Security does make up a large part of our global lives today, and MSPs who do not provide any guidance or service offerings around security are missing something huge.

MSPs Not Involved in Security May Be Irrelevant

We have discussed this in the past, but it is worth mentioning again; there is nothing worse than an MSP becoming irrelevant. Irrelevance comes from not keeping up with technology and changing trends in technology and business usage.

Operating an MSP practice in 2020 and not having anything to offer clients in the way of security is begging to be ignored and passed over for another MSP who will engage in that discussion. Clients are justifiably concerned about security and cyber attacks. Clients want to know their MSP can at least advise them on how to protect against data loss, theft, and other cyberattacks.

Ultimately, you should only deliver services you are comfortable providing. If security is just outside your area of comfort, then do not do it. However, if you are an MSP and are unwilling to develop a security competency, you should a) at least partner with another firm who can deliver those services and b) develop a strategy for when your firm can obtain those competencies.