Managed Service Providers (MSPs) face several challenges as we head into 2025.
Examining the state of the industry, here are some challenges we’ve identified and ways you can address them to set your MSP up for success in the new year.
The IT industry continues to experience a shortage of skilled professionals. As a result, MSPs can struggle to recruit and retain top talent. The increasing demand for specialized cybersecurity skills exacerbates the difficulty.
Thankfully, it’s possible to attract and retain talent with the right mindset. Unfortunately, many today are out of work and looking for their next role. Others want to find new opportunities that better meet their needs and priorities. Pay and flexible working conditions are common drivers.
People want to work at a place that treats them right. On top of that, they want to align to a central mission around taking care of your customers. If you can meet those expectations and goals, your people will stay.
With cyberattacks becoming more sophisticated, MSPs need to constantly update their security measures to protect their clients' data. This includes staying ahead of the latest threats and ensuring compliance with stringent data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA.
Unfortunately, the rise in cyberattacks indicates a new status quo. Organizations must run daily vulnerability scans and regular internal and external infrastructure penetration tests to help identify gaps and issues. It’s critical to remain active in various communities and forums to hear about emerging threats.
Many companies must meet the requirements of at least one compliance framework. Navigating the complex regulatory landscape requires MSPs to implement robust measures to safeguard client data and mitigate regulatory risks.
This can be difficult, especially for smaller MSPs. You can only know so much. Partnering with consulting companies or tech vendors specializing in specific regulations helps organizations that don't have expertise in-house.
Keeping up with rapid technological changes, such as AI, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT), is a significant challenge. MSPs need to continuously update their skills and infrastructure to remain competitive.
Addressing these challenges requires a combination of strategic planning, continuous learning, and investment in technology and talent development. Technological partnerships can help you evolve your offering along with changes in the industry.
The MSP market is becoming increasingly crowded, with new entrants and established players vying for market share. MSPs need to differentiate their offerings and deliver value-added services to stand out.
There are a lot of companies that will claim to be an MSP. VoIP and Print vendors bolting on MSP services is a good example. One differentiation option is to provide niche capabilities to attract potential clients. Other MSPs find a flat fee approach helps so that customers know exactly what they will pay each month. Ultimately, one of the biggest differentiation opportunities lies in being able to provide secure, compliant, and effective IT services that address the sections laid out earlier.
MSPs are facing pricing pressures and margin erosion due to intense market competition. This impacts profitability and sustainability, requiring MSPs to find innovative ways to manage costs and maintain margins.
In many ways, automation and standardization are key. Providing automation to internal/in-house IT departments and focusing on co-managed consultative services helps MSPs scale. It results in relatively little labor requirements once implemented as well as recurring services and consulting project work. These all help trim overhead while boosting margin.
Meeting client expectations for customized services and seamless onboarding/offboarding processes can be challenging. MSPs need to ensure they provide high-quality, tailored services to retain and attract clients.
It can be difficult to meet 'customized' service requirements for clients, especially smaller ones. Mid-market customers with in-house IT understand the need for proper project scope and that it is not as simple as pushing a button. But for MSPs unable to move upmarket, it’s critical to assert yourself as a trusted advisor to garner buy-in from clients.
Tackling these challenges can feel like an uphill battle, but you don’t have to do it alone. Todyl works with hundreds of MSPs to help create security-focused offerings that attract and retain client business.
Our comprehensive security platform is purpose-built to empower MSPs—regardless of size or budget—to build effective, secure IT operations for their clients. Here are some of the ways Todyl helps alleviate the pressures MSPs face in the coming year.
Set yourself up for success in this new year. Reach out to us to see how partnering with Todyl will help you expand your business and secure your clients.
