IT consultancies are typically on their own when trying to obtain qualified business, marketing, and sales support. The complex industry demands, the need to maintain pace with ever-changing technologies, and the rigors of fulfilling short-notice and after-hours services make the typical IT consultancy very different from other organizations and a poor fit for many sales and business coaching firms.

MSP University’s tech focus

Managed Services Provider (MSP) University provides technology consultants with a specialized, knowledgeable, and well-matched partner. The organization helps tech consultants bolster marketing programs, increase sales, strengthen efficiencies, and improve profitability. While many tech shops choose and prefer to invest energy gaining technical expertise, those IT consultants who flourish do so because they’re able to manage all aspects of the business’s operations.

Technical expertise and a conscientious commitment to professionalism are no longer sufficient for success; consultancies must expand service offerings, streamline service delivery, and optimize internal workflows and sales processes. Any tech office focused on growth must target managed services as the method; break/fix strategies are no longer proving acceptable to commercial clients, many of which are outsourcing IT responsibilities, while all are increasingly dependent upon IT infrastructure to power daily operations.

MSP University, through a series of traveling boot camps, best practices guides, white papers, Webinars, and advisory services, provides technical consultancies with relevant resources and proven business process recommendations and operations assistance. The vendor-neutral organization can also assist technology consultancies in migrating to a managed services focus.

Multiple membership levels

Several membership and commitment levels are available. There is a Basic Community Member option, which provides free access to a host of marketing, sales, service, and other operational strategies and tactics. A Sales Community Partnership costs $79 per month; upgrading a membership to this paid level grants access to a variety of additional sales tutorials, materials, and information. Operations Community Partnership ($79/month), Marketing Community Partnership ($89/month), and Service Delivery Community Partnership ($79/month) are other options.

Firms interested in accessing all the organization’s resources can sign on as an Enterprise Community Partnership for $299 a month.

Boot camps pose best introduction

The boot camp events likely pose the best introduction to any IT consulting organization curious to learn how MSP University can assist in teaching, training, and improving the consultancy’s methods, processes, and operations. Held regularly throughout the United States, the two-day boot camps are designed to help consultancies implement more effective sales techniques, marketing programs, project plans, managed services initiatives, and client relationships.

Boot camps typically feature several tracks — operations, marketing, sales, services delivery, and cloud services are among the offerings. A sample agenda can be viewed on the company’s website. Best of all, boot camp sessions are free (your organization is responsible for lodging, meals, and transportation costs), thanks to sponsor underwriting.