Navigating through the rough waters of disjointed monitoring solutions and OEM portals has been a common pain point for the Managed Service Providers (MSPs) we’ve worked with. And many don’t have a dev team to build and maintain the integrations needed to scale their operations.
For one MSP, the lack of a unified dashboard didn’t just cause problems — it created daily chaos. The ceaseless barrage of OEM portal notifications was nothing short of distracting noise, each alert further impacting their time to resolution. In the middle of this constant storm of alerts, solving issues was like trying to walk through a field full of hidden problems, and the frustrations and disagreements across teams continued to grow. This example of using disconnected tools and never-ending alerts clearly shows the challenges MSPs face when trying to grow their business.
Even with these challenges, MSPs are expected to be one of the top three growth engines in the tech industry1. Attaining that growth requires the ability to effectively handle network complexities. Two key factors – standardized network visibility, and integrated network performance tools – are main drivers where MSPs can sharpen their operations. The positive impact of these two extends to the node density or work capacity each technician and engineer can effectively manage, influencing the overall performance, scalability, and financial health of MSP businesses. Let’s look at these two factors and see how they impact MSPs:
Standardized Network Visibility: A Prerequisite for Optimal Performance
A challenge frequently noted by MSPs is the issue of inadequate visibility into network traffic. A survey conducted by TSIA found that 77% of MSPs have standard services, and that number has grown significantly since they began tracking it in 20132. This increase in service standardization indicates MSPs’ acknowledgment that the path to scalability is through standardization. While the industry knows that standardization is needed, many MSPs struggle with not having a clear, consistent view of their customers’ networks. Each system and portal presents data in a different way. This fragmented view slows troubleshooting, prevents network optimization, and exacerbates issues like slower performance, particularly when high-bandwidth applications are in use. Getting a clear view of the network requires manually combing network data from different systems – it’s time-consuming and ripe for errors. Without standardized views of network performance, employees are frustrated, and maintaining customer trust becomes an uphill battle.
Integrated Network Performance Tools: The Cost-Efficiency Multiplier
Staying competitive for MSPs means keeping costs low while doing a good job. Without the right platform, MSPs struggle with scale and profitability. Experts advise using a platform that “allows the integration of third-party components and provides flexibility” and they stress the importance of “systems that can be tightly integrated and can grow and adapt.”3, 4 The right platform is integrated not just with your network devices but is easily integrated with your existing tools and software, to reduce manual work, speed up response times, reduce errors, and, most importantly, free up your technicians and engineers to manage more devices efficiently.
The Impact on Performance and Relationship Management
Managing networks is hard work, and without standardized visibility through an integrated platform, it’s even harder. Minor network events grow into big problems, technicians and engineers get frustrated, and customer relationships suffer, eventually leading to loss of business.
A Path to Increased Work Capacity
By investing in standardized views and an integrated platform, MSPs are not merely enhancing their service quality and customer satisfaction but are also laying the foundation to increase node density per technician and engineer. This strategic move not only boosts operational efficiency but also strengthens market position, sustainably driving business growth.
The Pivotal Role of Node Density
Node density represents the number of devices a technician or engineer can effectively manage. The metric of node density, or work capacity, is a sign of an MSP’s operational efficiency and service quality. By gaining standardized network visibility through an integrated platform, MSPs are poised to increase their node density. This increase leads to enhanced service delivery, optimized operational processes, and a reduction in time-consuming manual tasks. Moreover, a higher node density means a stronger team capable of handling bigger and more complex network setups, showcasing an MSP’s ability to serve larger enterprise clients.
Don’t continue drowning in a sea of alerts, struggling with disconnected systems. The journey towards increased node density and cost efficiency for MSPs is made smoother with standardized network visibility through an integrated platform. The onus is on MSPs to harness these resources to elevate their operations and increase customer satisfaction, ensuring a robust bottom line and a formidable market presence.
Trextel understands what MSPs need. We built our platform, IntelliTrex, to meet the unique needs of MSPs, and we have our finger on the pulse of the industry so that IntelliTrex is always growing and evolving alongside your business.
Request a demo to see IntelliTrex in action, and let’s talk about how we can help you achieve your revenue goals.
- TSIA “The State of Technology Services 2023,” Geore Humphrey, https://www.tsia.com/resources/the-state-of-technology-services-2023
- TSIA “The State of Managed Services 2023,” Jeremy Blanton,
- https://www.tsia.com/resources/the-state-of-managed-services-2023
- “What Are the Modern Challenges of Managed Service Providers?” https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2023/02/13/what-are-the-modern-challenges-of-managed-service-providers/?sh=284aba644204
- “The Top 5 Business Challenges for MSPs and How to Overcome Them,” Erick Simpson, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-5-business-challenges-msps-how-overcome-them-erick-simpson
