Will market forces and upcoming technology innovations provide MSPs with new directions to take?

As we enter 2023, Managed Services Providers (MSPs) are facing a critical decision: how to maintain and grow their business in the face of new hybrid workforces. To better understand the challenges and opportunities facing MSP leaders, Jolera’s Interview Series spoke with Chris Black, Chief Revenue Officer for Jolera and an expert on channel partner management. 

“MSP businesses must embark on a continual process of evaluation to look at every element of their operation to move forward. It also has to be an honest reflection of the people, processes, and technology as a whole.”, according to Black.

The remote workplace has been a significant challenge for MSPs, as many never envisioned a fully remote workforce before the pandemic. Today, with at least 50% of their workforce online, MSPs must learn to trust their employees and manage their KPIs and customer outcomes. 

However, as Black notes:

“There is no perfect answer to remote work because there are so many different elements.” 

To maintain a sustainable business, MSP leaders must focus on improving customer experience, driving a better culture, and delivering better outcomes. 

Black emphasizes that 

“Any leader has this primary job: you’re the chief entertainment officer and the at the same time the chief effectiveness officer. You should be looking at how you can improve one percent better, even half a percent better every day. Areas such as improving customer experience, driving a better culture, driving better outcomes will lead to a more sustainable business.” 

However, MSPs often overlook consistent areas such as portfolio innovation and sales and service delivery processes. To address these challenges, Black suggests that MSP leaders work on alignment with the executive and management teams. They must re-evaluate their missions, value propositions, and goals to ensure the entire organization can rally behind them. 

Cybersecurity is another critical area that MSPs must address in 2023. Black discusses the importance of implementing robust cybersecurity measures to protect both the MSP and its clients. Watch the entire episode to gain valuable insights into re-evaluating your MSP business in 2023.