Three strategic alliances your MSP should build NOW

Build strategic alliances

I’ve mentioned in previous articles that I’m a big fan of IT businesses building strategic alliances.

Such “buddying up” with like-minded businesses helps to give your clients options that you may otherwise not have been able to provide.

Many of the top Managed Service Provider (MSPs) and IT Solution Providers have grown their business thanks to alliances with other IT providers.

Right now is the time when your MSP business really should be considering building more Strategic Alliances.

Let me explain why through offering three ideas of strategic alliances you must look to build right now.

Office supplier alliances

For instance, during the COVID-19 great working from the home rush, many clients found their kitchen tables being utilized as an office environment.

That’s fine for the short term. But long-term, you need to offer your clients options.

Building a strategic alliance with an Office Supplies company is a no-brainer. It will give your client options on office chairs, desks, and everything they need to work from home.

Even though office furniture is definitely not a technical issue, being able to offer your client’s office furniture options will position your MSP as a trusted advisor.

Just like their Solicitor and their Accountant, being somebody they can turn to for far-reaching advice and guidance is powerful.

It’s also one of the secret weapons that highly successful MSPs use to grow a loyal client base.

HR provider alliances

But finding the equipment to work from home is not the only challenge employers are facing.

We are entering a time of change in what it means to be an employee and to support employees. Some of the challenges your MSP clients are going to present you with are going to stretch the boundaries of what is a tech issue, and what is a Human Resources (HR) issue.

Get prepared to offer your client’s options now!

None of us built our MSP businesses to become HR specialists, so I’d encourage you to reach out to HR providers to form a mutually beneficial alliance.

IT training provider alliance

If you don’t already offer IT training, then buddy up with somebody who specializes in it.

In an office environment, people can get by with no training because their colleagues can help them muddle through.

Now they are working from home alone; employees will need training.

Unless you want your Service Desk to be inundated with tickets from clients asking piecemeal questions that are really training courses in disguise, then I’d suggest you be proactive.

Build a relationship with an IT Training Provider who can help you to train your client’s employees.

By doing so, you’ll increase your revenue.

You’ll also increase your trust.

But very importantly, you’ll also reduce your cost of support and faceless support tickets that are training courses in disguise!

Conclusion

We often talk about MSPs becoming the “Trusted Advisor”.

Trust doesn’t mean just providing excellent technical support.

Trust means being the partner your clients can go to for a full range of advice.

You don’t have to know all the answers yourself, but you want to be able to point your clients in the right direction.

Don’t try to survive this challenging period by sticking your head in the sand.

If you’re not offering your clients options, then you can be sure that your clients will find someone who will.

What Strategic Alliance opportunities could you see in your business?

Which Strategic Alliances are already working for you?

Please do get in touch and let me know what you’re doing.