INTERVIEW continued
While the solution providers are working out the best ways to introduce AI into their own businesses, clients are free to make mistakes with AI. Since the first wave of ChatGPT insanity, reports coming from all kinds of organisations have shown a fundamental lack of understanding of how each AI model works, which leads to personal and proprietary information being intentionally leaked onto the World Wide Web.
“The role of an MSP as a strategic advisor has never been bigger. They play such an integral role in advising customers on the best way to use the technology in a secure and compliant way to drive efficiency and effectiveness in a business. “I think a year from now, we’re going to have a totally different answer as people figure AI out, but that’s kind of where everybody’s sitting right now. A lot of MSPs are trying AI internally, so they know how to go to their customers and deliver a proper service. But the MSPs that are already delivering AI are
the ones taking business from those that aren’t. “I do see that this is a big opportunity, because it is fresh for a lot of companies. It is a real problem for a lot of companies. As an MSP, you’ve got to be prepared to solve it and deal with it.” Your place at the table While keeping up with customer demand is a constant challenge, throwing AI into a package without being able to justify the added cost isn’t necessarily the answer. In fact, Tomaszewski compared the recent AI boom to other new technologies that have hit the market and have been seen as an added expense when businesses initially hear about them. “Customers are saying to MSPs, ‘it’s just ChatGPT, I’m fine, just like before when they said ‘I don’t need cyber insurance, I’m good’, or ‘I don’t need antivirus’. We’ve all heard that. “That’s the reality of the world of the MSP spaces, we’re used to having people tell us, no, I don’t need it, I’m too small, I don’t have the budget.” According to Tomaszewski, MSPs will naturally face this friction when selling into businesses, but can overcome this by “demonstrating the value they bring. “So many MSPs struggle to demonstrate the value they bring, so when they have a conversation with an end customer or a prospect, they’re looked at as a cog. But the reality is MSPs that go into businesses and find what success looks like for their customers are then seen as an ROI.” Flipping the script With a fresh perspective instilled into the customer, the attitude towards new technologies and solutions “flips”. However, with larger contracts and average annual spend on the way down, according to The 2026 State of the MSP Report, getting an opportunity to get a foot in the door in the first place is a challenge.
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That’s the reality of the world of the MSP spaces, we’re used to having people tell us, no, I don’t need it, I’m too small, I don’t have the budget.
CLOUD RESELLER NEWS
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