Identifying the top drivers of customer and MSP partner satisfaction

The problem

The client wanted to understand the experience of its customers (including managed service providers (MSPs), IT service providers (ITSPs) and systems integrators (SIs)) when using its products and competing solutions. In particular, our client wanted insights into customer satisfaction, as well as the ownership and buying experience of partners (MSPs, ITSPs and SIs) that sell to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs).

The solution

To uncover the most important success metrics for partner satisfaction, we:​

• conducted in-depth interviews with MSPs and documented their satisfaction across various vendors​
• conducted a business survey of 750 MSPs, ITSPs and SIs in five countries across North America (NA), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia–Pacific (APAC).

The study focused on important aspects of the customer experience and was structured to determine how competitors rank on key attributes. It covered: ​

• customer experience and journey maps (including key activities, experiences, service channels and platforms)​
• future engagement and technology trends​
• key offerings and the key service needs of MSPs and SMBs​
• benchmark of service offerings​
• emerging offerings and trends.​

Figure: Satisfaction level predictor​

The result

• We developed a predictive model to determine which attributes are the strongest drivers of overall partner satisfaction.
• ​The findings were presented to the client’s board of directors and used for investment decisions, particularly around improving key areas of the partner experience including the purchasing process, technical support and training, and the partner portal.