WHEN DID “MSP” STOP MEANING ANYTHING?
(did it ever start)
One-man bands, freelancer collectives, and £50m tech firms are all calling themselves MSPs now.
But let’s be honest: just selling 365 and doing remote support doesn’t make you managed service provider.
The term’s been diluted. So here’s the real definition, no fluff, no hype:
A true MSP delivers ongoing IT services to multiple clients on a fixed monthly contract using internal people, processes, and systems.
It’s a business model, not just a list of services.
✅ Recurring revenue at least 60%
✅ Proactive support (not reactive firefighting)
✅ Defined packages and SLAs
✅ Structured team delivery
✅ Strategic client engagement
If you don’t run like this, you’re not an MSP. You’re something else, and that’s OK. But let’s stop pretending.
But here’s the real kicker:
Has “MSP” ever meant anything to your clients?
NO, it probably never has.
“MSP” is an industry term. A label we use in the channel to describe a business model. But to clients?
It’s just three meaningless letters.
Clients don’t care if you call yourself an MSP, an IT provider, a solutions partner, or the Wizard of Tech; they care about outcomes:
– Will things work when I need them to?
– Will someone pick up the phone when it matters?
– Can you keep my business safe, productive, and running?
– Can I trust you to tell me what’s essential before it goes wrong?
The term “MSP” might help us understand who’s playing the game properly. But for clients? It’s your actions, not your acronym, that define your value.
This article originally appeared as a LinkedIn post.
Paul Lloyd
Paul Lloyd, Sellerly
MSP/ VAR Sales Problem Solver, Sales Management Mentor
020 8148 6475 / [email protected]
