Managed Services Summit panel discusses data compliance, management, analytics and security trends
Amidst mounting regulatory pressures, Kaseya’s VP of EMEA Greg Jones highlighted Compliance as a Service (CaaS) as one of the key growth areas still largely underexplored by MSPs.
"There's a huge untapped gap around CaaS," Jones stated, while highlighting the growing complexity of regulations such as DORA, a European Union regulation designed to strengthen the cybersecurity and resilience of financial services.
"We're seeing more legislation that businesses have to conform to, whether they do it in-house or outsource it to MSPs,” he added.
This trend presents an opportunity for MSPs to step in and provide solutions that not only ensure compliance but also open the door to new revenue streams.
“The fact that regulation is increasing is a good thing for MSPs. It creates a need for compliance, which in turn creates opportunities. Businesses are struggling with compliance, and this is where MSPs can step in," he noted.
Data and analytics
From compliance, the discussion naturally transitioned to the critical role data and analytics will play in the future of MSP services.
Raymond Parkinson, Manager of International Sales for EMEA at ConnectWise, emphasised the importance of data-driven services, noting that businesses today expect more than just basic IT support from their MSPs.
“Every MSP services different clients, but those clients are looking for more data analytics,” Parkinson said.
He highlighted how businesses are demanding deeper, more tailored insights from the applications they use, particularly as industries become more specialised.
“Hyper-automation can accelerate this process, allowing MSPs to offer new services and add value by delivering customised analytics to their clients.”
Adding to this, Ian Jeff, General Manager at Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group, underscored the untapped potential within businesses' existing data.
“Everybody's got so much data, but nobody's really getting the insights from it,” he observed. “There’s so much untapped value in the data, and MSPs need to focus on mining this information to deliver real business insights.”
Business applications
Another significant opportunity raised by the panel was the market for business applications, particularly platforms like Microsoft Dynamics.
Alex Bermudez, Director of Sales for UK&I at Pax8, challenged MSPs to broaden their service offerings beyond core Microsoft products, which many already provide.
"How many of you actually work with Dynamics or business apps?" Bermudez asked the audience, and only a few hands went up, revealing a significant gap in the market.
He pointed out that while many MSPs focus on core Microsoft offerings, they overlook the enormous potential in business applications like Dynamics, which can provide clients with critical operational tools such as accounting and CRM systems.
“This is a major gap in the market today, and there’s a huge opportunity for MSPs to offer higher-margin, wrap-around services in this space,” Bermudez emphasised.
Brand building and thought leadership
Continuing the theme of differentiation, Rory James, CRO at GFI Software, brought the conversation to brand building and thought leadership.
In a world where trust and online presence are becoming paramount, James urged MSPs to focus on developing their brand identities.
"We’re seeing a real opportunity for MSPs to differentiate by investing in their brand and becoming thought leaders," he said.
James pointed out that few MSPs are actively engaging with potential clients through online channels, leaving a significant opportunity to establish themselves as trusted authorities.
“Building trust through branding is crucial, especially in a digital age where clients rely heavily on social proof,” he added.
Innovation and differentiation
The session came full circle with a final word on innovation and differentiation from Matt Scotney-Jones, Director of Partnerships at Blackfrog.
"It’s important to be different," Scotney-Jones said, stressing the need for MSPs to innovate and explore new technologies.
He pointed out that as businesses extract more valuable insights from data and rely on advanced tools like Dynamics, data protection and security become even more critical.
“When you can extract more detail and insights from data, it becomes even more valuable, which is why protecting it with innovative technologies is so crucial,” he explained.
Scotney-Jones encouraged MSPs to not only adopt new technologies but “to also embrace new ways of thinking” to stand out in a competitive market.
