How IT Service Providers Perceive Their Prospects
-
How IT Service Providers Perceive Their Prospects
The two biggest revenue drivers for IT service providers in 2016 will be growth in the number of endpoints and demand for security services—two related trends. -
Revenue Drivers
The top three IT services driving revenue are endpoint management, backup and restore, and disaster recovery, while the top three security-related services are endpoint, Internet and email security. -
Big Opportunity
55% of ITSPs report a steady or significant increase in the number of endpoints they manage, which has led to increased security concerns. -
The Cloud Rules
80% of ITSPs rely on cloud delivery to manage and secure endpoints. -
Stepping Up Cloud Services
90% of ITSPs offer cloud-based services, and 55% forecast 11% to 50% growth in client cloud adoption in 2016. -
Growing Prospects
The top five cloud-based services are backup and restore, email, disaster recovery, hosting and endpoint management. -
FSS in the Cloud
33% of all businesses expect to replace or implement a new file-sync-and-share solution this year, according to Connected Data & Wilson Research Group. Additionally, 37% of respondents deliver FSS via public cloud, 32% via hybrid cloud and 31% via private cloud. -
Biggest Priorities
Trends affecting end-client priorities include information security (51%), disaster recovery (51%), mobile connectivity (36%), managing to budget caps (33%) and always-on environments (32%). -
Higher Renewal Rates
75% of respondents report they have renewal rates of 80% or higher. The top reasons: demand for managed services, improved customer service levels and demand for cloud-based services. -
New Hires
In response to growing demand, 80% of ITSPs are hiring, with service desk hires (65%) projected to be two times the sales hires (32%) and three times project hires (23%) in 2016. -
Profitability Disconnect
Only 7% of ITSPs measure all 10 key performance indicators (KPIs) listed in the survey, including billable resource utilization, service-level agreements (SLAs), customer satisfaction and sales pipeline. -
Performance Tracking Lags
31% don't measure SLA first-response time compliance, 24% don't measure service response times, 13% never solicit customer feedback and 12% don't track client renewal rates. -
Missed Opportunities
26% of ITSPs aren't looking for tools that would automate or increase customer satisfaction, 24% don't offer file-sync-and-share products, and 20% don't offer consulting or managed services.
What Partners Need to Know About HP, Inc. 
MSPs Face Big Cybersecurity Talent Gap 
Why Tech Companies Are Eager to Invest in 5G 
The Problem With Partner Referral Programs 
Microsoft Taps Channel for Digital Business 
New Technologies Will Fuel Channel Opportunities 
Channel's Transition to the Cloud Requires More Time 
Microsoft's Cloud Channel Begins to Mature 
Defining MSPs' Goals, Challenges and Tools 
Why Metrics Matter to the Channel The landscape for IT service providers (ITSPs) continues to change. Enterprises look to "IT service providers to help them manage increasingly extended networks of communication, commerce and data exchange enabled by a growing number of endpoints," concluded a new report released by Autotask. "As these digital flows expand outward through mobility and cloud accessibility, so does the need for management, compliance and security." The two biggest revenue drivers for ITSPs in 2016 will be endpoint growth and demand for security services, according to the study, which is based on a survey of more than 1,100 global ITSPs. They expect the increased number of endpoints will drive a need for secure file-sync-and-share (FSS) services. Additionally, more than eight in 10 ITSPs rely on the cloud to manage and secure endpoints. The survey, conducted by Decision Tree Labs, reveals that secure FSS solutions can address small and midsize companies' key concerns around managing endpoints while still allowing employees to collaborate and access files and data easily. Here are 12 takeaways from the survey.