Entrepreneurs who ignores risk will likely ignore signs their business is failing, waiting for a never-to-come big break that will fix everything. My main challenge when working with such clients is breaking through emotional or irrational thinking to demonstrate whether their business is truly viable or should close the doors ASAP. To assess if a business is truly viable, I use the following methods.
We dedicate a good amount of editorial to encouraging VARs to innovate, to add to their line cards, and to transition their business models. We should spend more time reminding VARs the importance of keeping existing customers happy by ensuring your customer support operation is up to par.
If Geek Squad is a nursery school for MSPs, its founder Robert Stephens, is the headmaster. I sat down with Stephens in Phoenix last week at the SolarWinds Empower user conference. Among many interesting points in our conversation were exchanges about IT services marketing and pricing.
Back when Channel Executive was named Business Solutions and VARinsights.com was BSMinfo.com, those publications used to host Channel Transitions conferences. The name of those events was quite literal – they were designed to help VARs in the IT channel transition to a managed services business model. Our brand names have changed, but we are still providing content to help break/fix VARs transition to the wonderful world of recurring revenue. I distinctly remember several panelists at Channel Transitions conferences advising audience members to tackle the VAR-to-MSP transition gradually: start with a small handful of customers, and only add more when your cash flow allows it.
There’s a repetitive scene that plays out each month as my team sits down to review and plan our varinsights.com and Channel Executive magazine editorial content. Our modus operandi, in a nutshell, is to feature executives who apply innovative solutions to often complex problems associated with being in the IT services business. With that M.O. in mind, we struggle to strike a balance between our coverage of traditional VARs and that of managed service providers.
The work my friend and colleague Abby Sorensen put into the IT Channel is paying dividends even after she shifted her focus to the greater software business community. Last week at its RetailNOW event, the Retail Solutions Providers Association’s Women-to-Women (W2W) Committee named her its 2018 Leader Of The Year. Committee Chair and business owner Kelli Stewart, owner/operations manager at Advanced Data Systems, bestowed the honors from the mainstage.
A well-researched, gradual transition to managed services is best – but don’t wait too long.
As more companies shift their IT infrastructure, data, and applications to the cloud, the need for reliable cloud security has become more acute. Fact is, the cloud has increasingly become a target for cyberattacks, as criminals follow the data from on-premises servers to cloud platforms.
Low-tech security strategies are a vital part of protecting customers from email-borne threats.
For MSPs, the traditional approach to cybersecurity focuses on defense and prevention, but as cybercriminals get bolder and more sophisticated, that’s no longer enough. What’s needed is a proactive security posture that MSPs can enforce with their clients using these nine best practices.
For many resellers, vendor relationships don’t extend much beyond the contract signing and some initial training. That may be fine for some product lines, but if you aren’t fostering a closer working relationship with a vendor, you’re probably leaving money on the table.
Threats are everywhere, and endpoint security simply isn’t enough to keep your clients safe. Pairing domain name system (DNS) protection with endpoint security is a proactive way to prevent costly network attacks. Most clients, however, don’t understand the need for this added layer of security.
Change is the one constant in the IT world, and the way companies purchase and consume technology continues to transform and evolve. As customers continue to disrupt the IT value chain, a successful transition to cloud and hybrid models requires managed service providers (MSPs) to evolve their people, operations, and processes and employ advanced technology to secure their customers’ environments.
The Webroot Threat Research Team has analyzed the data from our customer base during the first half of 2018. This mid-year threat report not only shows the stats, but also tells the story behind the headlines. The bottom line from our observations: it has never been more important to implement a robust, effective, multi-layered and continuously evolving security approach to keep valuable data and systems secure.
For more than 30 years, APG Cash Drawer has been designing and delivering cash drawers with a variety of size, color, interface, and integration options. An APG cash drawer will provide years of smooth, trouble free service with virtually no downtime, no service required, and no headaches. Our cash drawers are so well constructed and so reliable that our customers install them and forget them - even in the most demanding environments.
Shif4 Payments is a leading national provider of touch-screen point of sale (POS) systems and payment processing services. As pioneers of the "as a service" model, Shif4 Payments offers an unprecedented "free" POS program that allows the company's sales partners to offer a full-featured POS system with no up-front costs.
At Barracuda MSP, our mission is to drive the success of our IT service provider partners, delivering industry-leading security and data protection via a purpose-built MSP platform, steadfast commitment to partner success, and a wealth of channel expertise.
CompTIA is the voice of the world's information technology (IT) industry.
| RSPA stands for Retail Solutions Providers Association. We are the only association dedicated to the retail technology industry. |
The ASCII Group is a vibrant community of independent MSPs, VARS and solution providers in North America. The organization offers members leveraged purchasing programs, education and training, knowledge sharing among peers, discounts on business services, and more. Founded in 1984 by Alan Weinberger, ASCII is the oldest and largest group of independent IT solution providers, integrators and VARS in the world.
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Mobile device battery problems can be a huge detriment to operations. But, a unique new program — Batteries-as-a-Service (BaaS) — offers a comprehensive solution to battery problems while bolstering your client’s bottom line and positioning your company as an innovator.
To run a successful IT company, you should pay specific attention to your marketing strategy and the means of attracting new leads to your business. In this article, we will review the main marketing spheres in which every MSP should be engaged.
If you’ve decided to start a managed service provider practice you may ask yourself: how do I sell my managed services to my prospects? You might be a very good technical specialist, but if you have no idea of how the sales process works it may be very difficult for you to bring your business to any significant level of profitability. According to a survey conducted by CloudBerry Lab in 2018, the most challenging aspect of the MSP business still is finding new clients and turning prospects into deals.
Take control of the internet and grow your bottom line.
Powerful, effective security solutions have become a necessity in today's threat landscape. But MSPs can ensure the tightest levels of security without tying up staff and draining profits. The current state of cybersecurity doesn’t have to be a liability. It can be an opportunity to drive revenue by providing additional essential security services to your clients.
Learn more about what what vendors are looking for in partners, and what steps you can take to make sure you’re partnering with the right vendors.
Business Improvement Groups (or BIGs) consist of 10-12 non-competing members. The group will become a close network of advisors that you can call upon when you have any business issue facing you that you would like input from outside the company. Every member signs a non-disclosure agreement, so whatever is said or presented stays within the group.
ACHIEVE CASH HANDLING EXCELLENCE
The SMARTtill® Solution is a new revolution in cash management, enabling retailers to reduce cash losses, reduce the cost of cash handling, and improve in-store productivity.
BLUETOOTH-ENABLED CASH DRAWERS
Need your POS device to become mobile? The BluePRO® Bluetooth device enables a cash drawer to pair with a mobile device allowing retailers to wirelessly synchronize and create direct relationship. The BluePRO® device requires integration with a trusted POS software.
Sleek and streamlined, the Caddy™ SPM cleans up your work space cabling and allows positioning of your LCD display for greater productivity. Reposition your LCD to organize your POS workstation with just a touch.
