Joshua Liberman

No matter how well your current IT provider does their job, if they do not get security done right you are at risk

As we move forward into 2021, despite all the changes that the WFA (Work from Anywhere) shift has wrought, most of us consider desktops and laptops the most vulnerable targets.

One of the more commonly repeated tropes you will encounter as an MSP is the need to standardize your “stack,” that is, your offerings and the tools you use to deliver them. Like many of these aphorisms, there is some real wisdom here, but things are never as simple as thought leaders would have you believe. With that in mind, we can look at this admonition in a bit more detail to see why it is worth the effort to achieve.

A few years ago, many MSPs were happy enough to place a firewall, set it up, and walk away.

As we pass our “Coronaversary” this week, the issue that has captured the attention of our clients is the need for enhanced IT security. The equipment replacement cycle has taken retrograde steps. It is time to take a look at what drives the replacement cycle and what impedes it.

Your customer service is the backbone of your IT managed services business. The way you deliver that customer service is a true reflection of your brand, and it is critical to get it exactly right. The question though is how to define what customer service really means. Many would define it as fast, friendly responses to customer requests. I would argue that “fast and friendly” is just not setting the bar high enough.

As your MSP practice matures, you will tackle everything from hiring to firing, marketing, vendor relations, and growing your offerings. And while every MSP realizes that security is their oxygen and without it, they die, at some point, they will have to make the call as to whether to go all-in on security or to outsource that expertise.

Anyone in the business of defending computer networks knows that attackers have the advantage over the long run. To secure a network, we must secure every device, entry point, and pathway and educate every end-user.