Many managed service providers are growing like weeds these days. Even if the economy is slowing or does slow down (see Arnie Bellini’s post on the economy here), I believe that many MSPs will continue to see tremendous growth.
So if the economy won’t do it, what’s the one thing that will limit their growth?
I believe it’s a shortage of good people. This has been the limiting factor in just about any industry that has grown rapidly, and based on the sound of the article at MSPMentor, it sounds like it’s already the case for many companies in our space.
I can say from experience that it is hard damn work trying to find, hire, and train really good people once you get to the point where you are looking for several at a time. I honestly have no idea how the big companies with huge turnover do it each year. Everon has been incredibly fortunate in that we’ve had low turnover historically, but it is getting more and more difficult to find the right people to provide great IT support services.
I would suggest that it will be a competitive differentiator for those who are able to treat HR like a strategic function versus an afterthought. Something to keep in mind as you develop your business.
MRC
