Cloud Technology Articles

On-premise servers are a huge part of any business, but they also come with considerable drawbacks due to their physical nature. In this blog, I will cover some of the most relevant problems that come with only using on-premise servers, as well as share how the cloud can negate these problems and lead to your MSP more effectively targeting your clients. On-premise servers carry financial, physical, and security drawbacks that must be considered. Here are key considerations that I feel are central to the identity of on-premise servers. Capital Investment Requirement

Access this article in August’s Soar to Success Magazine here: MDF, or Market Development Funds, are offered by most vendors in the MSP space. However, the vast majority of vendors like this to be their best kept secret. No matter the size of your MSP, you are spending lots of money with these vendors. You should proactively reach out to vendors and ask for MDF for funds that you can allocate elsewhere. Communicate With Vendors Create a list of every vendor you use and list them on greatest to least. Don’t over complicated this. Write the company, your rep, and columns for how many times and when you reached out. Contact the rep and describe the marketing strategy you are planning the next quarter. If you have a true marketing campaign, you will have activity in every avenue of marketing.

Medical clients must be targeted differently compared to other MSP clients. Their needs and values align directly with their offerings, meaning that appealing to their niche is an excellent way to sell cloud. What are some of the biggest pain points for medical clients, and how can they be offset by the cloud? Let’s get into some essential benefits the cloud provides to this specific consumer base: Reliable Security and Protection Clients in the medical field have an obligation to maintain high security due to the amount of valuable data they have stored in their servers. Patient information is critical to protect, meaning many medical clients will not consider an option they view as potentially unsafe.

I have heard MSP partners upset that bigger entities come in the market and purchase smaller MSPs in the area. Trying to fight this inevitability is like attempting to change the weather… it’s going to rain when it’s going to rain. Instead, we should look at using this to our advantage in meeting with prospective clients. There is a stigma of acquisition. It often leads to price increases and weakened relationships between partnerships. Customers like to know the technicians, account managers, and owners they work with, and any changes can cause new hurdles to pop up. If you’re in this space, you know the feeling. MSP and vendor acquisition is on the rise. How many times has your favorite product or service been acquired in the last 5 years? What has your experience been when this happens?

ERP software manages all sorts of processes for businesses. A fully integrated ERP system takes productivity to the next level, managing numerous operations in real time and giving businesses an advantage. So, why is hosting desktop ERP in the cloud the best way for your clients to integrate the software into their businesses and operate optimally? There are two distinct options when it comes to ERP in the cloud: using a hosted version of ERP online or a hosted version of desktop ERP. Many MSPs have customers that want their ERP in the cloud, but still want the full suite of features that desktop provides. They believe the only option is to move their customers to ERP online. There is a misconception that the only option for MSPs is to move customers to ERP online and have them miss out on key desktop features.

We are often running into businesses that are stuck on on-premise servers because they have line of business applications. This is a challenge, because the vendors rarely have a cloud version that is similar to the server experience. The client is not willing to have the interface change, or their processes/productivity impacted. What is the best way to approach this? MSP customers are often very interested in moving to the cloud but have no idea how to go about doing it. Many MSPs are just as lost when it comes to moving one or more of these industry specific applications to the cloud. Here are some key benefits that we feel showcase the ease and importance of moving line of business applications to the cloud. More flexibility with the cloud.

Azure and AWS are popular cloud computing services that businesses often gravitate towards, but have you ever considered a solution that offers the same services with a more personal touch? Individualized cloud providers offer a variety of benefits that set them apart from larger competitors, and Cloud Services for MSPs is no different. What are the shortcomings of these industry giants, and how can an individualized cloud approach fit the needs of your business better? Individualized Cloud Benefits The benefits of an individualized cloud provider cover each area of your business, maintained with a high level of quality across the board.

Selling cloud can be a struggle. There are a variety of factors that go into pitching cloud to clients, and if you can’t explain the benefits correctly you will often be out of luck on a sale. White labeling lets you tap into the resources of cloud partners such as Cloud Services for MSPs and sell them as our own. You get to use the expertise and infrastructure of a cloud provider without needing to spend the money and time to build it yourself. However, not all cloud providers offer white labeling. The big cloud companies like Azure and AWS have no white labeling processes in place at all. So, what specific benefits can you expect from white labeling with Cloud Services for MSPs?

There are a wealth of industries to target within the MSP space, and the same is true for offering cloud services. Different industries will require different approaches to best suit their needs, and specifically catering to these needs will help you to attract business and build beneficial client relationships. Two large industries that work closely with cloud service providers are Certified Public Accountant Firms (CPA Firms) and Law Firms. Let’s get right into some of the best ways to target these industries, and make sure to stick around to the end of the blog for some tips on targeting multi-location and seasonal businesses! Certified Public Accountants (CPAs) Targeting CPA firms is all about helping them to get the technical expertise they need to migrate their clients into the cloud.

When you go to hire a new employee, do you show up without questions prepared? Probably not. The same goes for interviewing a Cloud Service provider. It’s important to ask the right questions to find the right partner for your business and your needs. Asking specific questions will set you up for success with your upcoming conversations with potential cloud service providers. Here are some that I feel are essential to finding the right cloud partner: 1. Do you have experience in the MSP space? As an MSP, it’s only natural that you want a cloud provider with experience in your industry. Cloud providers with MSP experience have gone through similar issues and processes to the ones you may be going through currently, making them immediately helpful to your business.