So far, we’ve discussed what SIEM can do, and how MSPs can use a SIEM suite. But most MSPs reading this page are probably asking a more practical question: how can I convince my customers they will benefit from SIEM as a service?
There are plenty of effective ways you can convey the importance of SIEM as a service to your clients. The main benefits of SIEM as a service include:
- Usability. As an MSP, your focus should always be your customer’s bottom line. SIEM as a service means your customer’s security needs are clearly laid out for you on a single SIEM dashboard. Because SIEM tools are designed for usability, your SIEM interface also communicates in plain language that helps your customers stay in the loop. With a well-rounded IT security suite and a user-friendly interface, you can easily send legible reports and updates to your customers. In this way, SIEM as a service can help bridge the gap between your customer and your technical MSP operations. When you implement a SIEM toolkit, your customers can rest assured that even their most granular security bases are covered.
- Real-time metrics. Another major advantage of SIEM is its real-time correlation features. With so many tasks and projects to juggle, automated data log analysis can help you better prevent privileged threats from wreaking havoc on your customers’ systems. Rapid analysis of log metrics combined with alerts and high usability means that SIEM can help nip security compromise in the bud, catching threats before they take a toll on your customer’s business. Instant alerts alongside historical log analysis mean you can minimize downtime, improve user experience, and run an all-around more reliable IT system.
- Profit potential. Smooth network functionality can pay financial dividends, too. It’s no secret that a major security breach can cost a fortune if an attacker gains access to your financial data. But even seemingly harmless application slowdowns can add up to major profit losses. A network glitch can easily turn away potential customers, damaging a brand’s reputation.
At first, SIEM as a service may seem too expensive for business owners who aren’t used to IT security management services. MSPs should be able to clearly articulate why the SIEM as a service price is worth the investment The potential cost of SIEM as a service can end up much lower than the cost of a security breach or slow application functionality.
Some business owners may understand the financial benefits of SIEM, but they would rather try to manage a SIEM toolkit themselves than pay additional MSP fees. In this case, MSPs should make sure potential customers are aware that it requires specialized training to diagnose and troubleshoot IT security issues, even with an intuitive user interface. The reliable flat fee for an MSP is potentially much lower than the cost of mismanagement from a nonprofessional.
- Audit compliance. In addition to healthy financial rewards, business owners considering SIEM as a service should understand the important role SIEM can play in industry audits. Many businesses must submit IT security data in order to comply with their security audit standards. Organizations like HIPAA in the medical field, SOX or GLBA for financial services, and many more have the power to make or break accreditation for a business. SIEM technology offers preconfigured audit-ready templates for reporting. SIEM as a service makes compliance even easier since it allows businesses to delegate data audits to a trusted IT partner.
How to make your SIEM as a service stand out
Most business owners want to improve their protection against security issues, but they don’t have a clear understanding of how to do it on their own. With SIEM as a service, MSPs offer comprehensive security protection that can make all the difference for businesses.