Prioritising customer needs over a technology-centric approach is the quickest route to profitability and expansion for MSPs, according to Dan Scott, Director of IT Nation, EMEA, at ConnectWise.
At a panel session at the Managed Services Summit in London, Scott emphasised that clients are now less interested in discussions focused solely on technology.
Instead, he stated, clients are seeking partners "who are going to make them faster, more productive, more profitable, more efficient, and more selectable as businesses to their clients through the use of technology, rather than the technology itself."
He noted that many MSPs often gravitate towards talking about technology as a way to educate customers.
“However, what clients are really interested in—and what will truly propel MSPs forward—is discussing your business values and how your efforts will benefit them.”
Greg Jones, the VP of Business Development for Kaseya/Datto in the EMEA region, concurred with Scott's perspective, stressing that no one is looking to buy mere "shiny widgets" or "technology."
“What clients really want is for you to help them align their technology with their vision and turn their objectives into reality, be it through their business plans, aspirations, hopes, goals, or dreams. That's what they are truly seeking.”
MSPs experiencing the most growth globally are those that are not leading with technology; in fact, technology is the final piece of their strategic puzzle, he said.
“It's the MSPs who essentially say, 'This is your current technological standing. This is your target, be it a formal business plan or a mere aspiration,' and then offer a tech roadmap to enable that shift.
"In this tech roadmap, the focus isn't strictly on technology. It's more about challenging the business processes across all departments, be it back office, finance, or administration."
