SolarWinds MSP Blog

MSP Business

Sell the server by changing the toner

MSP Business

10 traits of a perpetually valuable MSP

LONDON – What makes a best-in-class managed service provider (MSP)? Do you consider yourself one?

GFI MAX Director of Partner Community Dave Sobel discussed this topic in his opening and closing keynote addresses earlier this week at the MAX 2014 EU Customer Conference. Sobel spoke about five “best agility best practices” during Monday’s opening keynote at the Hilton Heathrow Terminal 5 hotel. He closed the conference Tuesday with five additional items to consider.

MSP Business

Total transformation: One MSP's story

LONDON – Stories don’t have to be elaborate to resonate. The tale Jason Parsons told on Tuesday proves the point.

After Wyvern Business Systems consolidated its services portfolio using MAX, Parsons said a customer called with concern clear in her voice. She had a virus on her computer. What should she do?

MSP Business

'Lightning' strikes in London

LONDON – How much information could you pack into a 10-minute talk?

That was the challenge posed to the five speakers who participated in Tuesday’s “Lightning talks” at the MAX 2014 EU Customer Conference.

MSP Business

Do you have 'sales super powers'?

LONDON – Paul Kenny kicked off his keynote address with two confessions.

A sales coach for Ocean Learning, Kenny first said he always worries about speaking at conferences. His concern is how much coaching he can do in an hour. His other admission?

“I really can’t resist an audience like this,” Kenny said Tuesday at the MAX 2014 EU Customer Conference. “People staying up all night worrying about running their own business, customer service, client support … it was an easy win for me to come and speak to you.”

MSP Business

More time to mingle (Day 2 primer)

LONDON – Did you make the most of the opportunity to network with your managed service-providing peers during last night’s MAX Europe Customer Conference party? Regardless of your answer, you’ll have more time to mingle and talk shop today at Hilton’s Heathrow Terminal 5 hotel.

Before diving back in to conference keynotes and breakout sessions, GFI MAX is offering its “networking breakfast.” The breakfast runs from 8 to 9 a.m.

Here are a few more Day 2 details:

MSP Business

Cloud computing: Who's confused?

LONDON – How do you define cloud computing? Equally important, how do the customers whose IT services you manage define the term?

There’s a good chance those definitions are different.

MSP Business

MAX EU keynote: MSPs, prepare for lift-off

LONDON – GFI MAX Director of Partner Community Dave Sobel spent three years living in London as a child, and his first flight was from the United States to England’s capital city.

It was a quick but fitting story, considering Sobel and GFI MAX General Manager Dr. Alistair Forbes told attendees of the MAX 2014 EU Customer Conference that the market for managed services is set to soar.

MSP Business

Greetings from London! (Day 1 primer)

LONDON – Greetings from England’s capital city and Hilton’s Heathrow Terminal 5 hotel, site of the third leg in this year’s four-stop GFI MAX Customer Conference series.