Managed Services and COVID-19 | PSA Managed Services Committee
May 6, 2020
Managed Services and COVID-19
Recommendations from the PSA Managed Services Committee
The PSA Managed Services committee discussed the changes to the way that these thought leaders are approaching selling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Has there been any change to the way you approach sales since the start of the pandemic?
- It is important to remember that what got you to this level may not get you to the next level. Integrators need to focus on how to take sales to the next level. Sales teams are quickly adjusting to conducting video meetings and other nontraditional ways of staying in touch with clients. Check in on how your customers are doing. If you are not doing something that feels uncomfortable you are not challenging yourself.
- Ask customers how we as integrators can help. An open-ended question that allows the customers to come back and say what they need. Then it can be addressed what can be done. Now is the time to work on solidifying important relationships. Going forward there will be a greater emphasis on intelligence and how to react to it will have a greater impact.
– Guy Morgante, Managed Services President, Northland Controls
- Be aware of how you frame the question of what the customers are looking for. The customers may not be aware of solutions that are available. “What is your actual issue” use that as a jumping off point for the discussion.
– Ken Whelan, Chief Operating Officer, ESSI LLC
- There are opportunities to pick up service contracts because work can get done.
– Charlie Regan, President, Gorrie-Regan
- Keeping an ear to the ground and looking for opportunities to service customers who use certain manufacturers.
– Tim McHugh, Business Development Director, Integrated Protection Services
- Sales have slowed for some integrators which have resulted in difficult decisions for integrators.
– Gunvir Baveja, Chief Executive Officer, eVigilant
- Important to be diversified. Do not focus too much on a single vertical. Any diversification you can do is critical. Focus on recurring revenue.
– Bill Bozeman, Chief Executive Officer, PSA
With ROI becoming a key factor in selling will integrators be more likely to sell managed services solutions?
- I definitely would recommend increasing sales of managed services and cybersecurity. Less office space needed going forward.
– Ken Whelan, Chief Operating Officer, ESSI LLC
- What is the posture of prospects coming out of COVID? Hopefully, they act on lessons learned. May not have much of an impact on the sales of managed services. Financing for integrators could be very important.
– John Maffey, President & CEO, M3T Corporation
- Sales of MS & Cyber are a way off but have the potential to be huge.
– Tim McHugh, Business Development Director, Integrated Protection Services