ConnectWise challenges TSPs to manage the chaos of the infinite edge

ConnectWise has shared insights on the unique challenges TSPs face in today’s ever changing technology environment. The company, poised to help bolster managed service providers (MSPs) and small businesses through uncertainty, announced a series of business improvements that reinforce ConnectWise as a consistent centre of gravity for the TSP ecosystem.

Managing Through the Chaos

A new reality, brought on by the rapid progression of the cloud, the pressures of the pandemic, and the explosive increase in devices and access points, is one where TSPs need support in managing the chaos – of what ConnectWise leaders described as the “infinite edge.” ConnectWise, with its robust suite of solutions, integrated services, and business transformation offerings, is best positioned to help TSPs manage the infinite edge and build profitable businesses.

“While TSPs used to know where the computing edge they managed started and stopped, today our partners are encountering a rapidly changing, boundary-less, and increasingly competitive environment to support their customers,” said Jason Magee, ConnectWise CEO. “TSPs can’t control that pace of change, but they can manage the chaos of the infinite edge with the right partners, the right solutions, and organisational preparedness. ConnectWise is the partner most invested in helping MSPs efficiently secure, automate and scale their business from a posture of efficiency and profitability.”

Preparing for the Future: 4 Keys to MSP/TSP Success

The pace and rise of innovation on the infinite edge of computing can envelop an organisation that is unprepared. ConnectWise challenged TSPs to prepare to manage and lead through this change by prioritising: 1) relentless automation, 2) putting data to work for them and their customers, and 3) delivering exceptional customer experience—all undergirded by 4.) a deep focus on cybersecurity, which ConnectWise executives referred to as “table stakes” for thriving TSPs.

“Looking ahead, TSPs will need to be both solution providers and futurists,” said Amy Lucia, chief marketing officer, ConnectWise. “Those who lead the way will architect their business to operate as agile, resilient, and forward-looking systems. Fortunately, ConnectWise is uniquely qualified to help TSPs activate this mindset and move with practical precision.”

ConnectWise innovation at MSPs/TSPs side

Building on these steps, ConnectWise noted how some of its own key partnerships and enhancements are driving towards these changes as well. Key announcements include:

ConnectWise Access Management, a product of the newly announced ConnectWise Labs, is a privileged access management solution that provides credential-less, temporary administrative logon accounts and credential-less approval and denial of end user elevation requests. Through December 16, 2022, a free trial of ConnectWise Access Management is available to existing ConnectWise Control, Automate, Command and RMM partners with benefits including reducing ticket volumes, enhancing security, improved customer experience and the chance to redeploy resources to generate additional revenue.

In a new alliance with Arrow, a premier partner to ConnectWise, the two companies have locked arms to drive ongoing innovation to address how TSPs procure software and services. For the first initiative of this alliance, ConnectWise partners will have access to an integrated experience within the platform that allows TSPs to simplify searching and quoting, procurement, subscription management and client billing with Arrow. As a one-stop integration, this will eliminate several manual, time-consuming tasks while giving TSPs access to a deeper array of products and vendors.

Investing more in partners, ConnectWise introduced a few new tools and programs. ConnectWise’s Partner Program, geared to help TSPs build, launch, and grow a successful cyber practice, is expanding to include an offering for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR). Over 2,000 enrolled members of the free Partner Program are growing their cyber business 4x faster than other ConnectWise partners.

Two new teams across ConnectWise will serve partners with a combination of deep strategy and rapid innovation. Product Security Response Team will bring a security mindset to all phases of product and engineering development, ensuring cybersecurity is baked into products from planning to design, to execution. ConnectWise Labs, a new special operations unit, was designed to analyse data, anticipate what’s coming, and build solutions that help TSPs solve problems they aren’t even facing yet – with ConnectWise Access Management, referenced above, as the first innovation of that team. This team focuses on incubating and testing new ideas alongside existing innovation roadmaps.

ConnectWise and CompTIA are excited to announce the next phase of the pre-apprenticeship partnership, sparked in July by the White House’s Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Sprint. Today they shared the launch of the Ticket to Tech program – a new career training initiative. Ticket to Tech will link ConnectWise partners with a talented new crop of job-ready tech learners seeking employment.

Lastly, the company discussed recent philanthropic efforts to ensure success of TSPs via the ConnectWise Foundation, which was started during the COVID-19 pandemic to help partners suffering business hardship. Most recent focus efforts include relief and recovery work for partners and their families who were impacted by Hurricane Ian. ConnectWise encouraged any partner experiencing a challenging time to apply to be considered for a grant through the foundation.