Datto study links vendor with channel growth

Datto has become the latest to try to work out the financial benefits for those choosing to partner with the firm.

Microsoft likes to share the ratio of additional dollars that partners can earn if they choose to work with it, and others occasionally also reveal the extent to which resellers can flourish if they work with a certain supplier.

Datto’s findings, in a study it commissioned Forrester Consulting to undertake, revealed that managed service providers (MSPs) using its tools to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) enjoyed an average of more than $100,000 in business growth annually.

The total economic impact of Datto research found that those using the range of tools Datto provides, including PSA and RMM, delivered approximately $792,000 in benefits, including 50% improved productivity on work orders, and a reduction of 90% in downtime incidents.

The other stat that Datto is keen to highlight is the average return on investment (ROI) of 256% in a three-year period, with the platform paying for itself in less than six months.

“Last year, MSPs had their hands full helping clients transition to work from home and a variety of cloud solutions,” said Matt Richards, chief marketing officer at Datto.

“This year, the pressure on MSPs continues as digital transformation and recovery drives SMEs to further rely on technology every day. Datto focuses on MSPs and their clients, developing open and secure products that integrate and save our partners time,” he added.

One reseller told Forrester that its life was made easier by the option to use integrated tools: “If you don’t have an integrated system [PSA, RMM and BCDR services], it requires you to have a full-time advocate for every customer to understand their technology and how to best service it.”

One of the key areas for MSPs over the course of the pandemic, and as customers move beyond the restrictions, has been security. In March, Datto moved to strengthen its portfolio in that area.

The firm used its most recent MSP Technology Day last month to unveil its Cloud Deletion Defence product to help users avoid accidentally or maliciously deleting data. It also increased its protection against ransomware with a detection feature for its RMM tool to stop attacks.

“MSPs are the CIOs of the SME economy and, as such, they are constantly at the frontline of cyber attacks. As attack vectors evolve, MSPs need a new approach to security, incident response and business continuity so they can protect their clients’ cloud-based workforces from unknown threats, minimise the impact of attacks and reduce downtime,” said Ryan Weeks, CISO at Datto.

“With the right cyber resilience capabilities and with trusted partners at their side, they can set themselves up for success and be prepared for the unexpected,” he added.