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Datto looking to increase MSP sales and marketing support
The managed services specialist has shared its list of attributes that make a world class MSP and indicated that it could provide more help to those looking to increase their sales and marketing activities
Datto is looking to increase the sales and marketing support it can provide managed service partners after recognising that those are key elements of what constitutes a successful partner.
The firm recently held an event where it went through what were the top ten disciplines that went to create world class managed service players.
Christian Nagele, interim head, EMEA at Datto, said that the list contained few surprises for MSPs but sadly not all of them were being carried out.
"None of them should be surprise to them and everyone knows they should be doing them so why are so many not doing them? A lot of people are not doing the basics," he said.
The list included having a company strategy, market awareness, making good vendor selections and to try and deliver the real time visibility that customers had been promised by so many suppliers.
There were also challenges around demonstrating value, with a monthly report not always cutting it with customers.
"MSPs need to go and speak to customers and ask them how they are demonstrating value," he added that it fed into having a focus on user satisfaction levels, which needed to be down to each individual employee not just at a company level.
Nagele's list also included the advice to optimise and automate everything possible to free up time to focus on other areas.
The final few ideas included the need to remind MSPs that the successful ones not only found good staff but retained them and made sure that all of the information flowing through their systems was secured.
The final point was around sales and marketing with the advice being that it presented MSPs with the chance to present themselves to a much wider customer base. But it came with a warning that it was an expense that would need to be paid before the expected growth was delivered.
"To grow more there will need to be an investment in sales and marketing," added Nagele "There is a real opportunity for Datto to provide more for our MSPs in terms of sales and marketing advice and support."
