Why MSPs think MSS players are going to eat their lunch

In some cases the MSS have come to the MSP and asked if they would like to bundle my security services, my 24/7 managed sock, they said, I don't know this sounds like a gateway to you stealing my customers. But it's not the case, because the two businesses come from completely different backgrounds, and the last thing the MSS wants to do is manage somebody IT they don't want to do it. They don't want to touch it. We meet with Phelim Rowe who shares with us about MSPs and MSSs partnering and how it can benefit all parties.

Video Transcription

Harry Brelsford
Oh hey, nation nation, we are back yet again with Phelim Rowe over at the UK. How you doing?

Phelim Rowe
I know. Right. It's great to see you. How you doing? Good.

Harry Brelsford
Good. You brought up an interesting talking point, your very thought leader for sure. And influencer. And you brought up a recent point about why MSPs think MSS players are going to eat their lunch go.

Phelim Rowe
Okay, so if you are an MSP, you're a business person, right. And if you're an MSS, you're probably a security person. So the way you look at things is just slightly different. And if you're a business person, and you see another person doing services of any nature, you're like, well, is that a potential competitor. And so that has caused some MSPs, to try and avoid contact with the world of MSS. Or maybe when the MSS has come and said, Would you like to bundle my security services, my 24/7 managed sock, they said, I don't know this sounds like a gateway to you stealing my customers. But it's not the case. Because the two businesses come from completely different backgrounds. And the MSS. The last thing they want to do is manage somebody it they don't want to do it. They don't want to touch it.

Harry Brelsford
Interesting. And in so talk to me, so the paranoia is unfounded.

Phelim Rowe
Of course, it's unfounded because the world of the MSS, they are Well, initially, you could say, well, they're only interested in the enterprise level customers. So they're not interested in trying to gobble up 50 Very small businesses, as clients, but what they are trying to do is offer a service that is perhaps not as advanced as the one they offer, you know, a fortune 500 company, but it's still useful. And when they come knocking on your door, you should see this as a business opportunity. Because I guess you could package it up. You could say, hey, small business, would you like the firepower of one of the Fortune 500 companies? Well at a fraction of the cost the watered down version, but you don't have to say what it down, you know, is available through my MSP just for you. I've bundled it wholesale, you get it at a wonderful retail price. You can do that rather than, I don't know. I don't want this MSS big player to even talk to me. I don't want it snooping around, I'm really worried that it's just going to gobble up my customers. It's the same reason why MSPs are able to deal with Microsoft or AWS, Microsoft and AWS are they're gobbling up your customers. I mean, they're taking some market share, but you're still a Microsoft Gold partner for a reason audio. And the same can be true with working with the world of MSS.

Harry Brelsford
Yeah, I have a use case a really good friend of mine, people won't mind me mentioning his name. So Andy Higgins had a trip in springs, Texas, where I now reside as a smaller MSP. We're in a one horse town. And he a smart guy. In fact, he's from the UK. So of course, he's smart. And he so but he has that exact strategy that he has teamed with someone up in North Austin, Texas community well known as round rock where Dallas based, he's teamed with a large MSSP or MSS, I'm you know, sure, it's a combination of all the above, but for those exact same reasons, and it came down to expertise. Right, so Andy can tap into the expertise of a big security player to take care of his clients, one of which is fairly large, you know, all these, all these MSPs. They have little clients, but they always have that one big one. And he wants to make sure he takes care of that. But that's a perfect use case and he doesn't see it as competitive. He sees it as collaborative, complimentary, and they both make money.

Phelim Rowe
They both make money and they're both coming at it from a very different perspective. I have I have to be very careful on some of the events. I joke, you know, some MSP players used to sell ice cream. And then one in the audience actually said, Yeah, I sold six ice cream shops before setting up my MSP. I was like okay, I did that. So spin analogy But, you know, people that they come at it from a very different perspective. So just because you're worried about MSPs like there are some countries where MSPs will not speak to other MSPs the states is a bit more friendly in that regard. Um, MSS plays are not going to even be interested in your break fix model or managing people's it.

Harry Brelsford
Yeah, yeah. And you raise a good point about the the global community back back in the day with Small Business Server and all that I did. I saw that I saw that an EMBA saw that down. Well, EMBA includes Johannesburg, South Africa, pick on them. But there was an attitude of why would I go sit in a room with my competitors for a day Harry? I said, wow, you know, that's not exactly what I wake up thinking. But that does exist, and I guess it always will. And it it's not just restricted to this industry. So, alright, well, where can people go get more information about you and your events? If you want to give yourself a shout out?

Phelim Rowe
Thanks. We'll go to CTG intelligence.com. And what I've only done is put Are you interested in North America, click here. Are you interested in Europe, click here. So that'll help give you an impression of what we're up to. Yeah, I

Harry Brelsford
like it. All right, my friend. Thanks. As always, we'll see you next time.

Phelim Rowe
Nice to see you.