If I had to describe the first twenty years of managed services, it would be as an industry of pioneers discovering a new world. Today, our industry has become a profession. We are no longer wanderers, trying to make up the rules as we go along. The rest of the world now expects certain things from MSPs. The world will treat MSPs differently, moving forward. All MSPs need to be aware of this change. Here are some examples.
Early MSP Pioneers Charted This Path
The MSP pioneers had to figure out things for themselves. There were no peer groups, message boards, industry conferences (except for MSPAlliance, of course). MSPs had to identify and solve problems for themselves.
Today, there are so many resources available to MSPs; there are no excuses for failure. MSPs have more pressure to perform because there is a massive body of information out there helping guide MSPs towards success.
Customer Risk is Everywhere
If the early stage MSPs had few customers impacted by regulation or security, today we can safely say that a majority of customer organizations fall into this category. MSPs have gone from a "nice to have" to a "must-have" business choice. It is because MSPs are a business choice and not a technical choice that we find more organizations relying on managed service providers than ever before.
With Great Opportunity Comes Great Responsibility
MSPs have finally gotten what they've asked for all these years: to be taken seriously as a legitimate profession. Be careful of what you wish for; it just might happen.
MSPs are no longer working in the shadows. Everyone knows about MSPs and needs them. With that need, however, customers expect certain things from their MSP: professionalism, actionable results, and trust. Failure to deliver on these core tenents of this industry can lead to terrible outcomes for MSP and customer alike.
MSPs have finally gone pro. MSPs are no longer in the minor leagues, and must now contend with a new set of responsibilities. But, with these new responsibilities comes the chance to step into a business role, we have long chased as a profession. The future of business and IT management is firmly within our grasp. That future is ours to lose.
