Kaseya exec outlines five strategies for top MSPs

At MSP Show 2026 in London last week, Kaseya senior vice president Greg Jones told attendees that the most successful managed service providers follow five clear practices: run operations on data, choose growth-focused customers, build repeatable sales and marketing, offer AI and compliance services, and improve customer experience. He framed the advice against a tougher market where customers are more price sensitive, competition is increasing and new business is harder to win.

Jones noted an unusual spending pattern: small and medium enterprise spending is outpacing enterprise spend for the first time, while providers report continued pressure on pricing. Rather than lowering fees, he recommended MSPs focus on demonstrating measurable value, defined outcomes and higher operational maturity.

On operations, Jones said too many MSPs still rely on instinct. Top performers track operational metrics such as ticket volumes, technician utilization, revenue per employee and profitability thresholds to manage workload and resources. He pointed to automation, artificial intelligence and machine learning as enablers that allow some providers to support 400 to 500 endpoints per employee. “How are they doing that? AI, machine learning, model change,” he said.

When discussing customer selection, Jones warned against pursuing every potential client. He advised filtering out businesses with no growth plans and prioritizing organisations that aim to scale, arguing those clients are more likely to view an MSP as a strategic partner rather than a supplier to be driven down on price. “What you’re trying to do is weed out lifestyle businesses. We’re interested in businesses that want to grow and scale,” he added.

Jones addressed sales and marketing as a repeatable growth engine, saying many MSPs lack a defined sales process or playbook. He urged the development of structured sales playbooks tied to measurable activities such as outreach, events and pipeline targets. “You can never fully control the sales numbers. However, you can control your actions today,” he told the audience.

He identified AI and compliance-as-a-service as significant commercial opportunities, citing rising regulatory and governance demands that create market need for managed compliance support. At the same time, he said AI enables scaling of operations and support for larger customer estates without a proportional increase in headcount.

On customer experience, Jones said expectations go beyond service-level agreements. He described a shift toward consumer-style digital interactions, faster response times and seamless delivery, driven in part by younger business leaders who expect technology to work instantly. “Nobody wakes up in the morning looking for your services. Businesses wake up looking for the outcomes of working with an MSP,” he concluded.