We live in a time where truth and fiction can sometimes become so blurred that we do not know which is which. This is no less true than in the managed services profession. As many young companies enter the managed services industry, the standards and guidelines which have served our profession for many years are being tested. So, it becomes important for all professionals in the managed services industry to be aware of the ways in which your profession is being attacked and how you can protect against such attacks. One such attack comes in the form of risk avoidance.
Risk avoidance can mean a lot of things but in this case I mean tech companies avoiding risk by pushing it back onto the client. Young IT solution providers tend to view the world as a very threatening place. Clients, in particular, pose great threats to such companies and are typically treated with caution. It is because of this view that many such IT solution providers have service contracts that shift all or a majority of the risk onto the client. Through agreements that limit liability and force clients to turn over control of their IT assets and have little to no recourse other than the cancellation of a contract these IT providers are putting the managed IT services industry in a very bad light.
Consider the following issues:
1) Clients are giving you (the MSP) an incredible amount of trust and control over their IT infrastructure.
2) That trust is given primarily because they perceive you as being a professional with certain experience and judgment.
3) Clients, when dealing with other professionals, usually do not have to absorb a majority of the risk arising out of the relationship. Doctors, lawyers, and accountants all carry professional liability insurance (i.e., malpractice insurance) to protect clients.
4) MSPs, if they want to be considered true professionals, should start to discourage behavior that punishes the client for trusting in a MSP.
At some point, the MSPAlliance cannot do this all by itself. MSPs need to start educating clients on the proper way to engage in a managed services relationship. Preferably, that relationship will not punish the client for taking a chance on a MSP!