New MSPAlliance and THINKstrategies Industry Study Finds Managed Service Providers Plan to Signifi

Chico, CA. (June 1, 2004) - The MSPAlliance and THINKstrategies today announced the results of their joint 2004 Service Enabling Technology study for the managed services and IT outsourcing industry. The collaborative project found that managed service providers (MSPs) are planning to significantly increase their investment in new service enabling technologies that can help them properly serve their customers and manage their business. Specifically, the MSPs participating in the MSPAlliance/THINKstrategies survey reported they will spend more than one-fifth of their total operating budgets (21.7%) on new service enabling technology in 2004, up from 17.5% in 2003. However, the MSPAlliance/THINKstrategies study also found MSPs are generally neutral rather than truly satisfied with their current service enabling technology supplier, and in many cases uncertain about whether they will stay with their current suppliers. In 2003, the MSPAlliance and THINKstrategies collaborated to produce a landmark Benchmark Study of the managed services industry. The survey of fifty MSPs found that they experienced over 50% growth in revenues and nearly 25% expansion in customers in 2003. The MSPAlliance and THINKstrategies initiated this new, joint study to learn what service enabling technologies are most likely to be purchased and deployed by MSPs in 2004 to respond to their customers