A lot goes into running a successful Managed Service Provider (MSP), from network management to remote IT support, data backup, disaster recovery, and security services.
And then there's the delicate balancing act of managing employees, determining the ideal pricing package, winning customers, keeping expenses in check, and growing revenue.
However, you can partner with an MSP vendor to ease operations, improve your profit margins, and scale your business. That said, not every MPS vendor is worth your attention.
In this post, I'll cover the best MSP vendors to partner with and why you should consider working with them.
Key Takeaways
MSP vendor partners allow you to offer better services to your customers.
MSP vendor partnership can help improve your profit margin.
Partnering with an MSP vendor allows you to get professional support at no cost or a lower cost.
Best MSP Vendors- A Quick Overview
The table below shows the top MSP vendor partners and what they bring to the table.
MSP Vendor | Why Partner With the Vendor? | |
Ingram Micro | Access to a comprehensive suite of discounted hardware. | |
SHI International | Competitive pricing and responsive support. | |
CDW | Transparent public pricing, making it east to determine your profit margins. | |
AVIS SPL | Access to reasonably priced, specialized audio-visual solutions. | |
Pax8 | Access to a vast collection of discounted cloud services/solutions. | |
Accenture | Consultative approach coupled with an extensive range of cloud services. |
What is an MSP Vendor Partner?
An MSP vendor partner is a company that works with MSPs to provide products, services, or solutions that enhance the MSP's offerings.
The partnership involves the MSP integrating the products or services of the vendor partner into their service portfolio, allowing them to deliver a more comprehensive and specialized range of solutions to their clients.
What are the Benefits of Working with an MSP Vendor Partner?
Working with an MSP vendor partner makes business sense in multiple ways. Here are some reasons to consider an MSP vendor partnership.
Access to Specialized Expertise: Vendor partners often bring specialized knowledge and expertise in specific technologies or solutions, allowing the MSP to offer a broader range of services without building expertise in-house.
Efficiency and Resource Optimization: By leveraging vendor solutions, MSPs can optimize their internal resources, as they can rely on the vendor's expertise for specific components, allowing the MSP to focus on core competencies.
Cost Savings: Vendor partnerships can lead to cost savings, as MSPs can often access products and services at discounted rates, improving overall profitability.
Scalability: MSPs can quickly scale their services and capabilities by tapping into the resources and support provided by their vendor partners, allowing them to accommodate the evolving needs of their clients.
Reliability and Support: Vendor partners often provide technical support, training, and resources to ensure the MSP can deliver reliable and high-quality services to their clients.
Best MSP Vendors You Can Partner With
While there are many MSP vendors you can partner with, these six provide incredible packages that translate to more value for your business.
Ingram Micro
Ingram Micro is arguably one of the best MSP partner vendors based on the company's offering.
One of the standout features of Ingram Micro for MSPs is the Small Medium Alliance, an exclusive program that goes beyond typical MSP vendor partnerships.
First, the alliance offers insider training to MSPs, enabling them to leverage the company's products and services to grow their businesses.
In addition, it provides access to special events, such as the annual Ingram Micro One conference, allowing MSPs to network and interact with other industry players.
The company's product catalog includes servers, workstations, and licenses for popular software like Microsoft 365 and Windows.
The best part is that Ingram Micro provides these products at a steep discount. As a result, MSPs can access top-quality solutions at prices that often outshine those available through other channels.
This, in turn, allows MSPs to pass on cost savings to their clients, boosting their profit margins and customer retention.
Note: You must apply for the Ingram Micro MSP partnership, which allows you to become a reseller or a supplier. |
What I Like
Access to MSP-specific partner programs like the SMB Alliance.
Access access steeply discounted products, enhancing profitability.
A wide collection of physical products, licenses, and cloud services.
What I Don’t Like
Some partner programs may require MSPs to meet certain spending thresholds for eligibility.
Ingram Micro's MSP partnership operations are not as public-facing, making information less accessible.
SHI International
SHI International MSP is a good vendor partner if you’re looking for a company with competitive pricing and a wide range of products.
While SHI isn’t as large as Ingram Micro, it boasts an extensive product catalog that includes computers, microphones, monitors, lights, hard drives, and USBs, to mention but a few.
Unlike Ingram Micro, SHI International publicly displays its products and software prices. That way, it’s easy for an MSP to determine savings on purchases upfront.
Notable SHI partners include HP, Acronis, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Dell, Cisco, Microsoft, SolarWinds, HTC, and Honeywell.
You can scan the SHI International shop to find products that’d benefit your MSP and pricing.
What I Like
Competitive pricing. Plus, MSPs can sometimes negotiate for better rates.
A wide range of hardware, software, and cloud solutions.
Responsive support
What I Don’t Like
SHI is relatively smaller compared to some competitors, potentially limiting resources and programs.
CDW
CDW offers the same products and services as SHI International and Ingram Micro.
Like SHI, CDW has a publicly accessible pricing model. While there’s nothing wrong with open pricing, it also means your customers can independently research and compare costs.
It also implies your clients can buy directly from the company's marketplace. The problem, however, is that CDW doesn’t offer warranty support for direct purchases.
MSPs should, therefore, communicate this bit clearly to their clients to help them understand the warranty implications associated with CDW purchases.
That said, CDW is a good MSP vendor partner for bulk purchases.
I recommend CDW for hardware like computer accessories, networking, office equipment & supplies, servers and server management, and hard drives.
What I Like
Transparent public pricing.
What I Don’t Like
Limited warranty support for direct purchases.
AVIS-SPL
AVIS SPL has my nod if you're in for an MSP vendor partner offering audio-visual integration.
Besides AV solutions, AVIS SPL also offers cloud and voice services. This makes it ideal for MSPs looking to address diverse client needs, such as conference room setups and cloud-based collaboration tools.
Furthermore, MSPs can leverage the company's expertise in designing and implementing AV solutions tailored to specific requirements.
Areas you can collaborate with AVIS SPL beyond purchasing their products include revamping conference rooms, integrating advanced AV systems, or solving audio-visual glitches in your client's workspaces.
AVIS SPL has an impressive portfolio collaborationg with major brands, including Logitech, HP, Sharp, Creston, Microsoft, Sony, Shure, and more.
What I Like
Audio-visual solutions, providing unique offerings for MSPs involved in AV projects.
What I Don’t Like
Avis SPL's specialization in AV may limit its applicability for MSPs not heavily involved in audio-visual projects.
Pax8
The Pax8 MSP partnership program is great for cloud solutions. I particularly recommend it for quotes, orders, and billing products.
Some solutions you can get at a discount include Altice Business, Kaseya, Intuit QuickBooks, officeatwork, and Veeam. Other offers include productivity tools like Office 365 and security solutions such as Malwarebytes and WatchGuard.
At the time of writing this, the Pax8 marketplace had 90+ solutions on offer, making it the ideal place for business continuity and cybersecurity software at massive discounts, which you can then resell to your clients at a profit.
Pax8 also offers access to webinars, training resources, and events, equipping MSPs with the knowledge they need to max out products effectively.
What I Like
A massive cloud marketplace with various products simplifies the procurement of cloud services for MSPs.
What I Don’t Like
Limited physical products
MSPs need to go through an application process to access the full range of services.
Accenture
Last on my list of best MSP vendor partners is Accenture.
Some Accenture solutions for MSPs include edge, networking, cloud data and AI, application transformation, and security software.
Accenture works with brands like Salesforce, Microsoft, and AWS.
Accenture MSP has an extensive collection of "virtual" products, allowing MSPs to diversify their offerings. That way, MSPs can handle a wider range of customer needs, positioning themselves as strategic partners in clients' growth.
Like Ingram Micro, you must apply for the Accenture MSP vendor partnership.
What I Like
A consultative approach, collaborating with MSPs to understand unique challenges and goals.
A broad spectrum of services beyond traditional MSP offerings.
What I Don’t Like
Potentially higher costs.
Watch the video below for more insights on these MSP vendor partnerships and their benefits to your business.
Bringing It Home
Picking the right MSP vendor partner can be a strategic move for your business.
With the right partner, MSPs can deliver exceptional services, manage costs, and foster growth.
Each vendor partner on this list brings unique strengths, from product offerings to cloud services and specialized expertise.
That said, it’s essential for MSPs to carefully weigh factors such as reputation, scalability, security, and support when forging these vendor partnerships.
After all, the journey to becoming a trusted MSP significantly hinges on thoughtful partnerships and alliances.
You know where to start, don’t you?