MSPs
GROWTH WITHOUT ADDED COMPLEXITY
For managed service providers (MSPs), growth often creates a difficult balance. Here, Greg Gyves, Director, Global MSP & GSI, TeamViewer explores those complexities.
A
s customers ask providers to manage more of their estate, support naturally expands. Tat can mean broader responsibility across devices, operating systems, and
environments, oſten stretching beyond traditional IT into areas like IoT and operational technology. It is a sign of trust and a sign that the MSP is doing a good job, but it also creates pressure. Te challenge is not only covering more of the estate. It is how to do that while keeping service delivery efficient and manageable.
More coverage, more complexity Tat tension is one of the clearest pressures facing MSPs today. Providers are expected to broaden their reach, maintain operational efficiency, and add new layers of differentiation at the same time. Tose things do not always sit easily together. Tis is where complexity starts to build. In many cases, complexity comes from the way service stacks have
evolved over time. As customer needs grow, MSPs oſten add tools to cover new parts of the estate or support new requirements. Each decision makes sense in isolation, but the result can be a fragmented environment that is difficult to manage, harder to scale, and more demanding for service teams. Tat matters more than ever because technology issues are not just
operational inconveniences. Our latest research into digital friction found that 48% of respondents said it had caused delays in critical operations or projects over the past year. Eighty per cent said they lose time to dysfunctional IT, with an average of 1.3 workdays lost per month, while 42% linked it directly to burnout. For MSPs, this is the real cost of complexity: it slows operations,
puts more pressure on teams, and makes it challenging to deliver a consistent service. Reducing tool sprawl is a key part of addressing this challenge. If standard tools only work across part of the environment, providers
are oſten forced to introduce additional solutions to cover the rest. Tat brings more switching between systems (a broader skills requirement) and greater operational overhead. A more unified approach makes it possible to support a wider estate without creating the same level of complexity behind the scenes. Tis becomes even more important when shiſting from reactive
support to a more proactive model. Te goal should be to reduce the need for tickets in the first place. If issues can be identified and resolved at the endpoint before they impact
36 | May/June 2026
the user, the service becomes more efficient and the user experience improves. When a ticket is required, it should sit within a workflow that allows it to be resolved quickly, whether through automation, AI, or integration with existing service management platforms.
Taking a practical approach to AI AI will play an important role here, but it needs to be applied with a clear purpose. Tere is a lot of momentum behind AI, but for MSPs, the focus is
on where it can genuinely support service delivery. Tat depends on having the right data, clear use cases, and an understanding of when automation adds value and when human input is still needed. It is more likely to be an evolution in how services are delivered rather than a complete transformation overnight. Security also remains fundamental to scaling support effectively. Strong foundations such as single sign-on, conditional access, role-
based controls, and auditability are essential when managing access across distributed environments. Tese controls ensure that as MSPs extend their reach, they can do so in a way that is secure, compliant, and aligned with customer expectations.
A shift toward service-centric thinking Tere is also a broader shiſt taking place in how services are positioned. MSPs do not sell isolated products; they deliver outcomes. Tat means
the focus must move toward how technology supports a complete service, rather than individual capabilities in isolation. Framing solutions in terms of the service they enable helps providers deliver more effectively and communicate value more clearly to customers. Tat visibility is increasingly important. Much of the work MSPs do
is preventative, and without clear reporting or insight, it can be difficult for customers to see the full impact. Presenting data in a structured and meaningful way helps demonstrate what is being delivered and strengthens long-term relationships. Ultimately, growth should not come at the expense of manageability. Te providers that stand out will be the ones that can extend their
management boundary without making their own operations harder to run. Tat means simplifying where possible, applying automation with intent, and building services that are efficient, secure, and easy for customers to understand. In a market where expectations continue to rise, the ability to do more without adding complexity is becoming a clear point of difference.
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