It really pays to be Accredited
When MSPs ask about the benefits of going through the Managed Services Accreditation Program (MSAP) audit, I usually have a list of things that would be positive for their company. Real knowledge of how their MSP practice compares to other firms, confidence that they are doing the fundamental things correctly, and the prestige of being in a group of elite MSPs that span the globe.
But there is another distinct benefit to becoming accredited and that is simply, you tend to close more deals. I just received a call from an end-user who had never heard of the MSPAlliance before, but had some very basic but important questions to ask about a MSP they were thinking about using. The MSP in question is an accredited MSP and the client wanted to know more about the audit process. The questions never delved into the technical but stayed mostly on issues of trust, reliability, and stability. This client simply wanted to know, assuming the MSP can do everything they say they can, will they be a stable, secure, and reliable service provider for me tomorrow and into the future.
After explaining the process of the MSAP audit this client seemed satisfied. To be honest, every client that calls up with these questions goes away with a noticeable calm in their voice after knowing what our MSPs go through to become accredited.
Now my question to all the MSPs out there. How many of your prospects never even get to answer the question, “can I trust this MSP?” Some clients just move along and wait until they find both a technically proficient and trustworthy MSP. Start the MSAP audit process today and see the difference it can make in your practice.
Charles Weaver - Aug 13th, 2010 - Articles
Charles,
I agree. Certification not only tells the world that your company is part of a sustaining group, but that an outside force has looked over your company and given the thumbs up to your ability to provide a top service.
I believe one of the areas the alliance must begin to spend more time on is actually going out and touting the good word that these people are certified. Whether it is through speaking engagements, more press releases, or advertising what it means to be MSP certified.
The world knows what SAS is, but they do not yet know the power of the MSP Certification.
I would point out that nobody gets a SAS 70 because it is a good learning process for their company. All the scenarios I’ve come across are due to an auditor (i.e., CPA) requesting it. The MSAP audit process is generally initiated from the MSP who wants to differentiate themselves from competition and/or verify that best practices are in fact being used in their service delivery process.
Once accredited, we receive a lot of queries from end-users who want to know specifics about the MSP, so it does have a definite advantage for MSPs in the sales process.
Having said that, we are making very good inroads to the government sector to promote the credibility and viability of the MSAP standard to many different end-user market segments.