By most measures, it’s been a great year for those in the IT industry. Solution and revenue opportunities have never seemed this strong, and future prospects look even stronger. Of course, nothing is guaranteed—growing and maintaining a strong IT business is hard work. It’s a never-ending process, requiring continual time and attention equally spent paying attention to current operations, as well as advancements in technology and business models.
Why work so hard? Opportunity is an often cited reason. The IT industry can be very rewarding for those who make the right intellectual and financial investments. Of course, as with any business venture, there are no guarantees. While those who work harder and smarter typically receive a better ROI than those who don’t, certain factors remain uncontrollable and there will always be some level of risk.
That’s what separates the “good” from the “great.” Those in the latter category are more likely to follow industry best practices to minimize their risk. For IT channel firms, that involves robust employee training programs and a strong commitment to process improvement. There are no shortcuts to success when you run organizations that provide professional services that other businesses count on. Excellence demands continual attention.
In order to achieve that level of success, IT firms have to have access to quality resources ─ which can add considerably to their capital requirements. The other option is to engage with CompTIA, your trade association that creates a number of tools, research materials guides and business training programs each year specifically for channel organizations. The organization has helped thousands of IT service companies improve their operations and business skills over the years, and 2015 was no exception. Their member-lead initiatives helped create hundreds of resources available for download, including these ten “must have” guides and tools for the channel:
- The CompTIA Trends in Information Security report highlights the areas of greatest growth and can help pinpoint key opportunities. If you’re interested in developing a new IT security practice in 2016, this research will help point out the best options for your particular business.
- The IT Security Wizard allows solution providers to quickly identify and protection gaps in their clients’ business environment. An easy to use assessment tool, it gives IT firms the insight they need to have more fruitful IT security conversations with their customers, and build more targeted solutions to address their true vulnerabilities.
- The Building Digital Organizations report provides helpful insights into the changing business dynamics with third-platform technologies, as well as the role IT plays in their overall success.
- CompTIA’s Quick Start Guide to Managed IT Services is an easy to follow guide for those looking to build a formidable new business practice. Don’t be taken in by the title, this document offers much more than the basics ─ including a number of tips and ideas even the most advanced MSPs will find useful.
- In the report Sizing Up the Internet of Things, the research team took a deep dive into the channel prospects for these exciting new technology options. With the market expected to climb to $50.1 billion by 2020 and the complexity involved in these intelligent systems, the demand for specialized design and support should have a positive effect on the channel.
- With a continually growing reliance on IT, the Downtime Cost Calculator is a great tool for showing business customers why they need to invest in business continuity solutions. A provider just has to enter some basic information for their clients and this program will approximate lost revenue and other expenses that would be incurred if their systems went down. It’s a great way to quantify potential risks, and sell solutions that address their vulnerabilities.
- Struggling to attract and retain Millennials (or those from other generations)? Check out the CompTIA Managing the Multigenerational Workforce report, a detailed study of the work habits and traits of different age groups, including workplace preferences and productivity drivers.
- No channel organization should be without the CompTIA Sales Toolkit. This valuable package includes daily tasks, KPIs (key performance indicators) and long-term strategies to help owners and their sales teams drive more revenue.
- Those developing their 2016 business plan will want to check out the 5th Annual State of the Channel. This report covers everything from the health of the IT industry and macro trends, to the biggest areas of opportunity for providers, vendors and distributors. A little research can save a year’s worth of heartaches from making the wrong decisions.
- Though it rounds out this top ten list, the Quick Start Guide to Managed Print Services is an invaluable resource for any IT firm. Copiers or MFPs attached to a client’s network are both an opportunity and a competitive threat for solution providers. This guide will help an IT firm decide whether an MPS practice is a viable option and, if so, show them how to build it.
You can access these peer-developed resources simply by clicking the link and registering on the CompTIA site ─ or get even more by signing up for a Premier Membership! With 2015 coming to a close and 2016 planning underway, there’s simply no better time to choose either option and tap into the largest portfolio of channel educational materials and IT business training programs in the industry.
Brian Sherman is Chief Content Officer at GetChanneled, a channel business development and marketing firm. He served previously as chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at [email protected]
