The Ethical Art of Winning Over Your Competitor’s Unhappy Clients (Without Being Pushy or Shady)

Frustrated clients are out there—sticking with an MSP they don’t like. Want to ethically win them over? In this blog, I’ll reveal how to spot businesses that are ready for a switch, position yourself as the expert they trust, and make the transition easy. No pushy sales tactics or poaching—just smart strategies from our years of growing an MSP and now helping MSPs scale with cloud services!

Why Do Businesses Stick With a Bad MSP?

Most businesses don’t switch providers at the first sign of trouble. Even when they’re frustrated—slow response times, surprise invoices, outdated tech—they hesitate. Why? Because change feels risky.

The fears of downtime and a messy transition keep them locked into a bad relationship. Some MSPs even play into this fear, making it seem like switching would be a nightmare! That’s where you come in as a trusted expert who makes change feel easy.

The Right Time to Win Them Over

Clients rarely leave when they’re just mildly annoyed: they leave when they hit a breaking point—a cybersecurity breach or unexpected bill that pushes them over the edge.

Your goal is to find them before they reach that boiling point. Position yourself as the obvious choice, so when the time comes, you’re the provider they trust!

How Do You Identify Frustrated Clients?

Businesses don’t wake up one day and randomly decide to fire their MSP. The warning signs build over time. Some of the most common frustrations include slow response times, unexpected costs, outdated technology, or a lack of security measures.

When we ran our MSP, we focused on businesses still using outdated tech. If a prospect asked about downtime, disaster recovery, or remote work, we knew they were ripe for cloud conversations!

Attracting Frustrated Clients (Without Being Sleazy)

Make it easy for frustrated businesses to find you!

A great way to do this is by creating a dedicated web page that speaks directly to them. Ask questions like, “Frustrated with slow IT support?” or “Is your MSP nickel-and-diming you?” Then, list the common frustrations and explain how you solve them better.

When talking to prospects, don’t be afraid to ask the right questions:

• Do they have a current IT provider?
• Are they happy with their service?
• Is there anything their provider isn’t handling well?

These questions don’t force them into switching; they simply help them recognize the gaps in their current IT support.

Email and direct mail can also be powerful tools. While emails often get ignored, a physical letter lands right on a business owner’s desk. Sending a simple message like, “Is your IT provider treating you like a bad date?” can make them stop and think about their situation.

Networking is another great way to spot frustration. Attend Chamber of Commerce events, listen to what business owners are saying, and keep an eye on LinkedIn posts about downtime or security concerns. Social media is also a powerful tool—posting content with topics like “How to Tell If You’re Overpaying for IT” can help draw in potential clients!

Becoming the Trusted Expert (Before They Need You)

I remember when we connected with a law firm that had an outdated server. Their MSP kept dodging their requests for cloud. I was consistently posting on LinkedIn about cloud benefits, and when their network finally went down, guess who they called?

Because we had already positioned ourselves as the experts, they knew we were the right choice!

Removing the Fear of Change

Even when a business is ready to switch, fear holds them back. Your job is to make the transition feel effortless!

Offering a free security review or cloud consultation is a great way to help prospects see that you know your stuff, giving them confidence in switching. Providing a clear migration roadmap also makes a big difference—when they see exactly how the transition will work, they feel reassured that they won’t be left in the dark!

For high-value prospects, setting up a side-by-side test environment can help them see the cloud benefits firsthand, without a full commitment. We even offered a money-back guarantee at one point. And guess what? No one ever used it. They saw the value and stayed!

Stay Ethical—No Need to Play Dirty

This approach works without badmouthing competitors. Let prospects realize their MSP’s shortcomings on their own. Instead of stealing clients under contract, educate them on exit strategies and help them understand their options.

Be transparent about pricing and service expectations as well. If a prospect is frustrated by slow response times, don’t promise lightning-fast support and then fail to deliver. The last thing you want is to win a client, only to become the very problem they were trying to escape…

This isn’t a quick-win strategy, but it’s a powerful long-term marketing engine. If you consistently put yourself in front of frustrated businesses as the best option, they’ll come to you when they’re ready to switch!

Today, I’ll leave you with this quote from Simon Sinek:

“People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”

Have a great week!