Learn How Kaseya is Changing the Game for MSPs

As an MSP, you know how essential you are to your customers’ viability and ultimate success.

Your role in ensuring all systems are always available and always secure has become exponentially more difficult in the past decade. Shouldn’t your books reflect that?

Unfortunately, the unit economics of the MSP industry have not yet caught up with the complex challenges and the value that MSPs provide. Unlike legal, financial and other professional services firms — which can take a month-long hiatus without significantly impacting their clients’ day-to-day operations — an MSP that goes dark for even a short time could return to find customers’ doors shuttered.

Similarly, a corporate legal or accounting crisis at midnight is rare and can wait until morning; an IT outage typically demands immediate resolution.

Yet, despite being the unsung heroes who keep SMBs (and, by extension, the broader economy) running smoothly, MSPs worldwide average profit margins of only 8% to 12%, while legal and financial services firms consistently achieve 30% to 35% profit margins.

Kaseya’s mission: To change the unit economics for MSPs

A decade ago, Kaseya set out on a journey to right this financial injustice. A major milestone in this mission came with the recent launch Kaseya 365.

Kaseya 365 is the first significant step toward enabling MSPs to achieve profit margins comparable to those of the legal, financial and other professional service firms that also serve their customers.

In the few short months it’s been available, Kaseya 365 has added over $300 million of annual run rate profitability to the 4,000-plus partners that have adopted it.

This is just the beginning. The next step in this transformation will be announced at DattoCon Miami in October. Following DattoCon, we’ll have an announcement in Washington, D.C. in late January 2025. The fourth and final announcement will be made in Las Vegas in April 2025 at Kaseya Connect Global.

Don’t wait. See the impact Kaseya 365 can have on your business.

The post Transform Your MSP’s Financial Future appeared first on Kaseya.

In this blog, we will explore the importance of automated billing solutions for MSPs, how they work and their benefits. We’ll also introduce you to Kaseya Quote Manager, a powerful MSP quoting software designed to enhance the MSP billing processes and drive efficiency. Let’s see why investing in a robust billing solution is crucial for your MSP business.

What are billing solutions?

Billing solutions are software applications designed to manage the entire billing process for businesses. These solutions automate various tasks such as invoicing, payment processing, subscription management, revenue recognition and financial reporting. By streamlining these processes, billing solutions help businesses reduce manual errors, improve efficiency and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Billing solutions are vital for businesses because they provide a structured and efficient way to handle financial transactions. They ensure that invoices are generated accurately and sent out on time, payments are processed swiftly, and financial data is recorded and reported correctly. This not only enhances cash flow but also improves customer satisfaction by providing a seamless billing experience.

Why are billing solutions important for MSPs?

For MSPs, billing solutions are essential tools that help manage the complexity of their financial operations. Here’s why they are crucial:

Invoicing

Creating and customizing professional invoices with itemized billing details, payment terms and branding is vital for MSPs. Automated billing solutions allow MSPs to generate accurate invoices quickly, reducing the chances of errors and ensuring that clients receive clear and detailed bills.

Payment processing

Integration with multiple payment gateways is a key feature of billing solutions. This capability enables MSPs to accept various payment methods, such as credit cards, bank transfers and digital wallets, providing flexibility and convenience to their clients.

Subscription management

For MSPs offering subscription-based services, the management of recurring billing and renewals can be challenging. Billing solutions automate these processes, including proration, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations, ensuring that subscriptions are handled smoothly and accurately.

Revenue recognition

Accurate revenue recognition is critical for financial reporting and compliance. Billing solutions help MSPs recognize and allocate revenue according to accounting standards and business rules, providing accurate financial statements and reducing the risk of compliance issues.

Reporting and analytics

Financial reports, customizable dashboards and business insights are essential for tracking revenue, monitoring billing performance and identifying trends. Billing solutions provide robust reporting and analytics tools that help MSPs make informed business decisions.

Compliance and security

Adhering to regulatory requirements, such as tax laws, data protection regulations and compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), is crucial for MSPs. Billing solutions ensure that data is secure and compliant with legal obligations, reducing the risk of breaches and penalties.

What are the benefits of an MSP billing platform?

Implementing a dedicated billing platform offers numerous advantages for MSPs, including:

• Improved efficiency: Automating manual billing processes reduces errors, saves time and streamlines financial operations. MSPs can focus more on their core services rather than spending time on administrative tasks.
• Enhanced accuracy: Standardized billing templates and automated calculations minimize billing discrepancies and improve invoice accuracy. This leads to fewer disputes and ensures that clients are billed correctly.
• Faster payments: Integration with payment gateways enables swift payment processing, reducing payment delays and improving cash flow. MSPs can maintain a healthy financial position and reinvest in their business growth.
• Scalability: As MSPs grow, their billing needs become more complex. Scalable billing solutions accommodate business growth and expansion by supporting a growing customer base and increasing transaction volumes.
• Customer satisfaction: Providing a seamless billing experience, personalized invoices and self-service billing portals enhances customer satisfaction and retention. Clients appreciate the transparency and convenience of automated billing processes.
• Cost savings: Automating billing processes reduces administrative overhead, lowers processing costs and optimizes revenue collection. This leads to cost savings and improved profitability for MSPs.

What are the different types of billing solutions?

There are several types of billing solutions available, each catering to different business needs. Let’s discuss the three common types of MSP billing solutions.

Standalone Billing Software

Standalone billing software is a dedicated platform focused solely on managing the billing process. These systems offer a comprehensive suite of features tailored to handle every aspect of billing, from invoicing and payment processing to revenue recognition and financial reporting.

Advantages:

• Comprehensive functionality: Provides all the tools necessary to manage the entire billing cycle.
• Customization: Allows for significant customization to match the unique needs of your business.
• Specialization: As a dedicated solution, it often includes advanced features not found in more generalized systems.

Integrated Billing Modules

Integrated billing modules are components embedded within larger enterprise resource planning (ERP) or customer relationship management (CRM) systems. These modules streamline billing processes as part of a broader suite of business management tools, ensuring that billing is seamlessly integrated with other business functions.

Advantages:

• Seamless integration: Enhances operational efficiency by connecting billing with other business processes such as sales, finance and customer management.
• Centralized data: Provides a unified platform where all business data is stored and managed, reducing data silos.
• Efficiency: Streamlines workflows by automating billing tasks and eliminating the need for manual data entry across systems.

Subscription Billing Platforms

Subscription billing platforms are specialized solutions designed for businesses that offer subscription-based services. These platforms handle recurring billing, metered billing and usage-based pricing models, making them ideal for MSPs with a subscription-based revenue model.

Advantages:

• Recurring billing: Automates the process of billing customers on a recurring basis, reducing manual effort and ensuring timely payments.
• Flexibility: Supports various billing models, such as flat-rate, tiered, usage-based and hybrid billing.
• Customer management: Includes features like proration, upgrades, downgrades and cancellations, allowing for flexible subscription management.

What are the key considerations while choosing billing solutions?

When selecting a billing solution, MSPs should consider the following factors:

Business needs and requirements

Evaluate the specific billing requirements, transaction volumes and industry-specific regulations to choose a solution that meets your organization’s needs. Ensure that the solution can effectively handle your current and future billing processes.

Scalability and flexibility

Ensure that the billing solution can scale with your business and adapt to evolving billing models and revenue streams. A flexible solution will accommodate business growth and changing customer demands.

Integration capabilities

Assess the compatibility and ease of integration with existing systems, such as accounting software, CRM platforms and payment gateways. Seamless integration ensures smooth data flow and reduces manual data entry.

User experience and support

Consider the user interface, ease of use and availability of customer support and training resources. A user-friendly solution with excellent support ensures a smooth implementation and user adoption.

What are the risks of not using MSP billing software?

Not using dedicated billing software can pose several risks for MSPs, such as:

• Manual errors: Increased likelihood of billing errors, leading to disputes and customer dissatisfaction.
• Delayed payments: Slow payment processing can impact cash flow and financial stability.
• Compliance issues: Difficulty in adhering to regulatory requirements, risking legal penalties and breaches.
• Inefficiency: Time-consuming manual processes that divert focus from core business activities.
• Inaccurate reporting: Challenges in generating accurate financial reports, affecting business decision-making.
• Scalability problems: Inability to handle growing transaction volumes and complex billing scenarios.

Kaseya Quote Manager automates, simplifies and enhances your billing process

Kaseya Quote Manager is a powerful tool that is purpose-built for MSPs to automate and simplify their billing process. Here’s how it can help:

• Expedite the quoting process: Quote Manager streamlines the quoting process, allowing MSPs to generate accurate and professional quotes quickly. This speeds up the sales cycle and improves customer experience.
• Boost productivity with automated procurement: Automating procurement processes reduces manual tasks and increases efficiency. MSPs can manage their procurement activities seamlessly, ensuring timely service delivery.
• Increase sales and customer satisfaction: By providing clear and detailed quotes, Quote Manager enhances customer satisfaction and helps close sales faster. Satisfied customers are more likely to stay loyal and recommend your services.
• Drive efficiency with seamless integrations: Quote Manager integrates seamlessly with other business systems, ensuring smooth data flow and reducing manual data entry. This enhances overall operational efficiency and accuracy.
• Enhance financial reporting and compliance: With robust reporting and analytics tools, Quote Manager provides insights into financial performance and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. MSPs can make informed business decisions based on accurate data.

Quote Manager is a superior automated billing solution that helps MSPs streamline their billing processes, improve efficiency and enhance customer satisfaction. For more information on how Quote Manager can transform your billing process, get a demo. MSPs like you often have to use different pricing models for your IT services. Read our eBook, “MSP Pricing and Billing: Flexible Models,” to discover a few different pricing models that may be right for you.

The post MSP Billing: A Guide to Billing Solutions for MSPs appeared first on Kaseya.

What is cloud billing management?

Cloud billing management encompasses the processes and tools that businesses, particularly MSPs, employ to oversee the billing of cloud services. It involves tracking usage, managing costs and invoicing clients for cloud resources consumed. In the context of MSPs, cloud billing management is pivotal for accurately charging clients based on their usage, offering transparent billing practices and ensuring that billing operations align with the dynamic nature of cloud services.

Why are cloud billing management tools important?

Cloud billing management tools or cloud billing software are specialized applications designed to aid MSPs in the efficient management of cloud billing operations. These tools are essential for several reasons:

• Cost efficiency and strategic financial planning: They enable MSPs to offer cost-effective solutions by closely monitoring and optimizing cloud resource usage, ensuring clients pay only for what they use.
• Navigating complexities: Cloud services often come with complex pricing models and the challenge of managing multi-cloud and hybrid environments. Cloud billing management tools simplify these complexities by allowing MSPs to maximize client investments.
• Maintaining competitive advantage: By ensuring accurate and transparent billing, MSPs can enhance client satisfaction and loyalty, thereby maintaining a competitive advantage in the market.

What makes cloud billing software essential for MSPs?

Cloud billing software automates the collection of usage data from cloud platforms, calculates charges based on predefined pricing models and generates invoices accordingly. It integrates with various cloud services and platforms to provide a unified view of consumption across different cloud environments. This automation and integration capability are crucial for handling the billing complexities associated with cloud services.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how these sophisticated tools function:

• Automated data collection: The software automatically gathers usage data from various cloud platforms. This ensures that all resource consumption is accurately tracked without the need for manual input, reducing the likelihood of errors.
• Calculation of charges: Based on the usage data collected, the software calculates charges using predefined pricing models. These models can vary depending on the cloud services used and may include pay-as-you-go rates, subscription fees or a combination of both.
• Invoice generation: After calculating the charges, the software generates detailed invoices that are sent to clients. These invoices clearly outline the services used, the amount of resources consumed and the total cost, providing transparency to clients about their cloud usage and associated charges.
• Integration with cloud services: Cloud billing software is designed to integrate seamlessly with a wide range of cloud services and platforms. This integration capability allows it to collect usage data across multiple environments, ensuring that billing is comprehensive and covers all cloud resources utilized by a client.
• Unified consumption view: By consolidating data from various cloud platforms, the software offers businesses a unified view of their cloud consumption. This holistic perspective is invaluable for managing cloud expenses by optimizing resource usage and planning future cloud expenditures.
• Complexity management: The automation and integration features of cloud billing software are essential for navigating the complexities of cloud service billing. Whether dealing with variable pricing models, multiple cloud environments or intricate service agreements, the software simplifies these challenges, making cloud billing management more manageable for businesses.

Cloud billing software eliminates the manual effort and complexities associated with cloud service billing by enabling businesses to focus on their core operations while ensuring accurate and transparent billing for their cloud usage.

Challenges in cloud billing management

Managing cloud billing presents a unique set of challenges for MSPs who must navigate a landscape marked by complex pricing, diverse environments and the need for precision and adaptability. These obstacles require meticulous management to ensure accuracy, client satisfaction and sustainable growth. Some of the challenges in cloud billing management include:

• Complex pricing models: Cloud services often have intricate pricing structures that can be difficult to manage manually.
• Multi-cloud and hybrid environments: Managing billing across diverse cloud environments adds to the complexity.
• Billing inaccuracies and disputes: Manual billing processes are prone to errors, leading to disputes and client dissatisfaction.
• Keeping up with changes: Cloud service models are continually evolving, requiring MSPs to stay updated to ensure accurate billing.
• Customization and scalability: MSPs need the ability to customize billing reports and scale billing operations in line with business growth.

Overcoming challenges with cloud billing management systems

Cloud billing management systems are vital tools for MSPs facing the intricate challenges of cloud service billing. These systems not only streamline billing processes but also enhance financial management and client relations through various features. Here’s how MSPs can tackle common hurdles in cloud billing management.

• Cost control and optimization: These tools provide detailed insights into usage patterns, enabling MSPs to identify and eliminate wasteful expenditures.
• Transparency and accountability: By offering clear visibility into consumption and expenditures, these systems foster trust and strengthen client relationships.
• Forecasting and budgeting: They assist in accurate budget planning by helping clients avoid unexpected costs and align expenditures with business objectives.
• Compliance and governance: These systems ensure that billing practices comply with industry standards and regulations, crucial for clients in regulated sectors.

Selecting the right cloud billing management tool

For MSPs, selecting the right cloud billing management tool is crucial for optimizing their billing processes and enhancing service delivery. Here’s a deeper look into what MSPs should consider:

• Billing automation: Automated billing ensures timely and accurate invoicing by eliminating the chances of human error, thus enhancing the reliability of billing processes.
• Integration capabilities: This feature allows MSPs to streamline billing across different environments, providing a comprehensive overview of cloud usage and facilitating a unified billing system for clients.
• Customizability: Customizable billing solutions offer the flexibility to adapt to the unique requirements of each client, allowing MSPs to provide personalized service and detailed, understandable billing reports.
• Cost and ease of use: A cost-effective solution maximizes the return on investment, while ease of use ensures that MSP staff can manage the billing process efficiently without extensive training.
• Customer support: To receive timely assistance when issues arise. Reliable customer support guarantees that any problems or queries regarding the billing system can be resolved quickly by ensuring uninterrupted service delivery and client satisfaction.

How can Kaseya Quote Manager help?

Kaseya Quote Manager is a cutting-edge cloud billing management solution tailored for MSPs. It simplifies the billing process by automating data collection, cost calculation and invoice generation. With its robust integration capabilities, customizability and user-friendly interface, Kaseya Quote Manager empowers MSPs to manage cloud billing efficiently, ensuring accuracy, transparency and client satisfaction.

Cloud billing management is a vital aspect of MSP operations, directly impacting cost efficiency, client satisfaction and competitive advantage. By leveraging advanced cloud billing management tools like Kaseya Quote Manager, MSPs can overcome the challenges associated with cloud billing, optimize their billing operations and deliver exceptional value to their clients. Explore the strategic advantage gained through effective cloud billing management and discover how Kaseya Quote Manager can transform your billing processes by reading our comprehensive eBook on flexible pricing and billing for MSPs.

Ready to see Kaseya Quote Manager in action and understand how it can specifically benefit your business? Request a demo today and we’ll take care of the rest!

The post A Guide to Cloud Billing Management Tools for MSPs appeared first on Kaseya.

1. Quick Adaptation is Key

Marathons are about endurance, pacing, and sticking to a strategy, regardless of the changing conditions. However, in marketing, especially in the technology sector, conditions change rapidly. New competitors, emerging technologies, and shifting customer needs mean you need to adapt quickly. It’s not about enduring with an old plan; it’s about sprinting ahead with agility.

2. Immediate Impact Matters

In a marathon, it’s all about the long haul. In MSP marketing, you need to focus on creating an immediate impact. This means leveraging tactics like targeted social media campaigns, search engine marketing, and email marketing that can yield quick returns. You’re not running for hours; you’re aiming to win in the first few minutes.

3. Leverage Short, Focused Campaigns

Just like a sprint is short and focused, your marketing campaigns should be, too. Instead of long, drawn-out marketing strategies, focus on shorter, highly focused campaigns that can be easily measured, adjusted, and optimized for better results.

4. Stay Ahead of the Pack

In a marathon, you can often hang back and pace yourself. In MSP marketing, you need to be at the front, leading the pack. This means staying on top of industry trends, being the first to adopt new marketing technologies, and constantly innovating in your approach.

5. Rapid Response to Feedback

Marathon runners often train in isolation, but sprinters react to their competitors in real time. In marketing, this means paying close attention to customer feedback, market trends, and competitor moves. Rapid response and adjustment to this feedback are crucial for staying relevant and effective.

6. Energy and Excitement

Finally, a sprint is thrilling, filled with energy and excitement. Your marketing should reflect this, too. Bring enthusiasm and dynamism to your campaigns, infuse them with creativity and passion, and you’ll resonate more deeply with your audience.

Marketing your MSP isn’t about enduring a long, slow journey. It’s about quick sprints – adapting rapidly, making an immediate impact, staying ahead, and responding dynamically to the market. Embrace the sprint mindset, and you’ll see your MSP marketing efforts pay off much quicker than you thought!

The post Marketing Your MSP: A Sprint, Not a Marathon appeared first on Kaseya.

While many MSPs leverage Cybersecurity Awareness Month to engage with customers, they often miss the mark by not making it interactive or enjoyable. As a result, customer participation tends to be low. MSPs should view this month as a golden opportunity to promote cybersecurity awareness and do so in a way that truly resonates with and involves their customer base.

Ultimately, doing Cybersecurity Awareness Month differently helps garner customer buy-in and sets you apart from your competitors.

But to execute correctly, you need a plan.

Don’t Delay: Seize Your Opportunity Before It’s Gone
MSPs that delay taking action risk missing out on the opportunity that Cybersecurity Awareness Month offers. Avoid throwing everything together at the last minute. Planning in advance, promoting the event, and carefully curating the content can help you make the most out of this occasion. Ensure everyone in your organization is on board and has a role in executing your plan. Create assets ahead of time and ensure you schedule everything ahead of time to avoid forgetting key components of your campaign. Use Cybersecurity Awareness Month to your advantage. 

Turning Cybersecurity Awareness Month into a Memorable Learning Journey for Customers
Adding fun elements to cybersecurity awareness month can make learning about cybersecurity enjoyable for your customers. For instance, you could host a “Spot the Phishing Email” contest, where participants submit fake emails for analysis or engage customers in a lively cyber trivia game. Incentivizing these activities with prizes makes them more appealing and encourages your clients to take proactive steps in bolstering their cybersecurity. Furthermore, interactive tools like word searches, crossword puzzles, and even coloring books or informative videos can serve as enjoyable yet educational means to underscore the significance of cybersecurity.

Distinguishing Yourself in a Competitive Market
MSPs should consider their unique selling points and find ways to showcase them during Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This is where you can differentiate yourself from your competitors. For instance, if you’re offering penetration testing, something many MSPs aren’t doing, then showcase how it benefits your customers and why it’s necessary in today’s environment. While you don’t want to come off too “salesy,” there’s nothing wrong with educating your customers on the issue.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month offers an unparalleled platform to demonstrate this commitment to your customers. By planning ahead, adding interactive and enjoyable elements, and focusing on what makes your services unique, you can transform this month into a memorable, educational journey for your clients.

The post Why Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a Golden Opportunity for MSPs appeared first on Kaseya.

Hardware makes up two-thirds of toxic waste. The MSP industry can change that by adopting sustainable practices for hardware disposal. This is beneficial to the environment, your clients and even your bottom line. 

The post How MSPs Help the Environment While Doing Business appeared first on Kaseya.

By Daniel Garcia, CCO of Pia
Guest Author 

In today’s current technological climate, managed services providers (MSPs) are in demand more than ever. With more businesses looking to outsource their IT, there are endless opportunities to seize. That said, it’s important to recognize that the need to scale operations is equally key to business growth. 

As an MSP, you know that your technicians play a crucial role in your business. They’re the backbone of your service desks and often are the first people in the office and last out. Having an entire service desk operation, complete with technicians, enables you to deliver on the promises you make to your customers. However, all too often, the technicians get stuck doing mundane and repetitive, time-consuming tasks. Password resets, new user creations and user terminations are just a few examples. Doing the same repetitive tasks can often lead to employees becoming dissatisfied with their roles and looking for the nearest exit. 

What if there was a solution to this? What if there was a tool you could implement that would free up your tech’s time, enabling them to focus more attention on more complex areas of their roles? Sounds too good to be true, right? 

Automation Is Key to Success 

Implementing an automation solution will help your company improve its service desk. By definition, automation is the process in which technology is used to complete daily tasks with minimal human interaction. So, rather than your techs working their way through an endless stream of tickets, you can use the automation tool to quickly and efficiently sieve through the noise. The result? A better night’s sleep for your techs and improved operational efficiency across the board, which will result in higher customer satisfaction rates as tickets are being resolved promptly. 

Automating tickets will enable you to improve your operational efficiency. According to Logic Monitors’ recent research report, “The Next-Gen Managed Service Provider” (registration required), 95% of the 600 businesses surveyed say automating their processes is necessary to gain the time to focus on innovation and strategic goals. This suggests that if you automate the most time-consuming and repetitive tickets, your techs will have more time to focus on growing their skill set, building relationships with customers and working on areas that will help you grow your business and become more profitable. 

Let’s take the number of errors you usually see across your service desk. As humans, we all make mistakes and get a little burnt out sometimes. However, an automation solution will help reduce the number of errors. This is because when a ticket is logged in, specific instructions for that ticket and those like it will be triggered and performed the same way each time, leaving little to no room for error. 

In the same way that you will see a reduction in errors, you will also see an increase in productivity. Again, this is because each ticket has a set of specific instructions, which are automatically performed the same way each time, even if your techs are out of the office. This speeds up the resolution process and gives your techs more time to focus on other key aspects of their roles that will contribute to business growth and improved customer satisfaction. 

Which Type of Automation Is Right for My Company? 

As with any solution, the options available are endless, but finding the right one for your business can be challenging. Do your research before you dive headfirst into purchasing and implementing an automation solution. Spend some time hopping on a few demos and seeing how the solutions work and integrate. You should also consider if the solution can help mitigate your pain points. Can it help to save you time, money, and resources? Will it deliver faster ticket resolution times? And most importantly, does the vendor align with you and your business needs? 

Automating ticket resolution is a game-changer for MSPs. However, going through the buying and implementation process can be challenging as you need to fine-tune what works for you and your business. What can be said for automation is that in doing it, you will be allowing yourself to provide your customers with a lot more, which will ultimately contribute to ensuring your MSP remains profitable and grows in the right direction. 

This is a sponsored blog post.

The post The Future of MSPs: Automated Ticket Resolution appeared first on Kaseya.

According to research from TechTarget’s Enterprise Strategy Group on technology spending intentions in 2023, the three top reasons respondents believe their organizations’ IT environments have become more complex in the past two years are:

• The increase in remote and hybrid work
• The changing cybersecurity landscape
• The increase in the number and types of endpoint devices

Given these more complex environments, MSPs and other service providers can derive significant competitive advantage by streamlining and centralizing remote management for their own IT teams while also ensuring a robust and secure RMM experience for their customers.

When it comes to delivering an efficient, cost-effective, simple and secure RMM solution, the partnership between Intel vPro® and Kaseya VSA offers benefits other solutions can’t match. With Intel vPro integration, VSA can now remotely discover and manage any Intel vPro-enabled asset. This makes it easier than ever for MSPs to get started with Intel® Endpoint Management Assistant (Intel EMA) and enables VSA to function as a truly unified solution for centralized RMM from a single dashboard.

Benefits of the Intel vPro and VSA integration

One of the most common and highly valuable use cases for the integrated Intel vPro and VSA solution is remote patching. VSA now leverages Intel vPro’s power control, alarm clock, remote secure-erase and configuration information capabilities. Through power control and alarm clock capabilities in Intel EMA, VSA customers can turn on an Intel vPro-enabled device, patch it and turn it back off — all without disrupting the user. This security protection is crucial at a time when most ransomware attacks are the result of outdated software with known vulnerabilities.

The partnership also enables more granular management of devices on home networks to support better user experiences and stronger security protections for remote and hybrid workers. VSA customers can now boot devices to BIOS, remote access a BitLocker bluescreen and remote control out-of-band hardware, such as keyboard, video and mouse.

A critical benefit of the integration: It is available at no extra cost to VSA customers, helping to lower the overall cost of endpoint operations. Additional cost savings come through increased productivity. MSPs can expect to gain two hours of productivity per month from IT teams while improving the endpoint-to-technician ratio by 15%. IT professionals can now seamlessly manage all Intel vPro devices with VSA — whether the IT environment comprises a single endpoint or 100,000 endpoints.

Taking the next step

At a time when MSPs and other service providers are looking to increase their efficiency and improve security, the partnership between Intel vPro and Kaseya VSA is an important step forward in remote management and monitoring.

MSPs can ensure that all on- and off-network devices — regardless of operating system state — can be remotely and securely managed without the hassle of adding more solutions to the security suite.

Learn more about how your organization can benefit from the Intel vPro and Kaseya VSA integration by visiting us here.

To learn more about Intel vPro and Kaseya Patch Management Solutions, check out this video.

This content was commissioned by Intel and Kaseya, and originally produced by TechTarget Inc.

The post How MSPs Can Leverage the Intel vPro® and Kaseya VSA Integration appeared first on Kaseya.

With the 2023 MSP Benchmark Survey, we aimed to understand how well the business and technical sides of an MSP align. For this purpose, we asked executives and technicians at IT service providers questions related to the industry and compared their responses. While both parties share a great deal of common ground, they diverge in a few areas.

Let’s take a closer look at these divergent areas and how, by bridging these gaps, MSPs can streamline their processes and boost efficiency.

A look at the demographics 

The 2023 Kaseya MSP Global Benchmark Survey had 1,091 respondents. The largest slice, 83%, came from the Americas; about 11% came from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA); and the remaining 6% came from the Asia Pacific (APAC) region.

About 63% of respondents identified themselves as general-purpose MSPs, 19% identified themselves as network- and data-center-focused, while managed security service providers (MSSPs) increased year over year to 18% of the respondent base. 

Most respondents (63%) are technicians, while the remaining 37% are executives. MSP owners, partners, vice presidents and directors were classified under executives, while managers, engineers, system administrators and technicians were grouped as technicians. Download the 2023 MSP Benchmark Survey report for a detailed breakdown.

A comparison of executive and technician responses 

The executives and technicians are divided on three topics — benefits of integration, primary challenges of 2023 and endpoint management.

Integration 

While both executives and technicians agree that integration between core MSP applications RMM, PSA and backup is important for their business, they benefit from it in different ways. Executives benefit from streamlined processes, increased efficiency and better service delivery. Technicians benefit from more automation, less manual work and more efficient time management. 

About 63% of executives said integration enabled them to take on more clients and expand their business, while 54% said fewer technicians were needed to manage the workload. Almost half (49%) of the executives also said integration helped them cut costs. As it turns out, integration is not just good for business practices, it’s good for the wallet too. 

In contrast, technicians were keen on finding the most efficient ways to do things. For 68% of technicians, integration saves them time, and 64% said it makes their job easier. More than half (56%) said integration enabled automated processes they would not have been able to perform otherwise.

By working with systems that integrate seamlessly, technicians can eliminate the “space between” applications — the time wasted jumping between them. In addition, they can leverage integration to build automated workflows, eliminate time-consuming manual processes, which can be expensive and error-prone, and focus on more crucial tasks, such as customer service.

Integration benefits

Primary challenge for MSPs

Executives and technicians face different sets of IT challenges. Understandably, executives are most concerned about customer acquisition (35%). To overcome headwinds, such as increased competition and a lack of sales and marketing efforts, MSPs should prioritize leveraging tried-and-tested sales and marketing strategies to differentiate their services and highlight their unique value proposition. Strengthening client relationships through regular engagement, understanding evolving needs and proactively addressing issues can increase customer retention and monthly recurring revenue (MRR).

The top challenge for technicians in 2023 is dealing with advanced and sophisticated security threats (21%). Cybersecurity challenges are keeping technicians on their toes. To stay a step ahead of cybercriminals, technicians must stay informed about the latest cybersecurity tools, techniques and best practices, and implement them effectively. MSPs will benefit from investment in robust security systems, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems and security information, and event management (SIEM) tools that provide effective protection against even the most stealthy attacks and nip them in the bud.

Endpoint management 

The discrepancy between executives and technicians on the number of endpoints managed is striking. By fostering open and transparent communication channels, executives can gain a deeper understanding of technicians’ workloads and challenges managing many endpoints. This insight can help executives allocate resources appropriately, such as hiring additional staff or investing in new tools, to support their technicians. Conversely, technicians can provide executives with valuable feedback regarding the need for new and improved tools and processes to improve endpoint management.

When asked about the number of endpoints their technicians manage, the most common range among executive respondents was 101 to 250, while technicians reported managing over 750 endpoints as their top range. Only 8% of executives said their technicians manage more than 750 endpoints.

Solving problems with Kaseya VSA

Kaseya VSA is a Unified RMM solution that provides a range of features that address the needs of both executives and technicians. A high endpoint-to-technician ratio enables MSPs to take on more clients and boost their MRR. Using VSA, technicians can automate common tasks, streamline processes and simplify their job. It also helps executives leverage analytics to build valuable reports that provide visibility into the IT infrastructure and helps them better plan their resource utilization. 

Final thoughts

Despite the differences, there are several areas where executives and technicians are on the same page. These areas include work-life balance and the value of automation.

For further insight into MSP perspectives, to better understand the current industry landscape and identify the challenges ahead, download the full report.

The post 2023 MSP Benchmark Survey: Where Executives Differ From Their Tech Partners appeared first on Kaseya.

Before hosting a webinar, you should determine what you’re looking to achieve. There are many reasons why an MSP may want to organize a webinar, including building brand awareness and loyalty, generating leads and sales, and elevating your brand’s reputation and credibility. The good news is that you can achieve your objectives if you focus on what matters.   

Stop worrying about the numbers 

You may be surprised to hear me say: The number of people attending your webinar doesn’t matter. One of the best webinars I ever did as an MSP had a total attendance of one. That’s right — one person showed up. And guess what? That one person became a $6,000-a-month customer.    

Think about it. I gave an hour to run the webinar and walked away with a new customer. (That’s a great return on investment!) Hosting that webinar was worth it. Focus less on the attendance numbers and more on attracting the right people. 

Who are you targeting?   

As with anything else in marketing, you must ask yourself, “Who is my ideal customer?” It’s not easy to generate results from a webinar without knowing your buyer persona. Gather as much information on your ideal customer as you can. What are your customers’ preferences? Where is the customer located? What problems are your customers looking to solve? What motivates the customer? Knowing who you’re targeting with your webinar is vital to its success.   

Your content matters 

It’s best to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach to content creation. One of the biggest mistakes MSPs make when developing webinars is producing the wrong content for their target audiences. Again, it all goes back to understanding your ideal audience. If you’re targeting CISOs, keep in mind that they’re interested in different topics than CFOs, CEOs, technicians and account managers. Understanding what your target audience is interested in learning more about is critical. What’s the best way to go about doing this? Review publications your target audience reads. Search for any reports or studies highlighting trends about your target audience or their challenges.    

Once you choose a topic, narrow it down even more. Try to be as specific as possible with your content. The more actionable takeaways you provide, the better your webinar will do, and the more likely webinar attendees will reach out to you with questions.    

Anyone can run a webinar, but not everyone can run one successfully. Being focused and intentional with everything you do while developing and running a webinar makes all the difference. 

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