The 9 (new) services offered by managed services providers

To meet the new needs of organizations and help them become ‘Digital Leaders’, managed services providers have expanded their range of services. They have shifted their focus projects that offer the highest return on investment and generate substantial savings.

#1: Develop and integrate PaaS

PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) is a form of cloud computing that enables  new application to be developped and deployed rapidly, without having to recode everything and freeing you from the cumbersome contraints of old systems. Cloud-native applications are cheaper, easier to maintain and scalable. As IT operations managers have the tools they need to configure and to manage their business, they are more responsive to business demands. Managed Services Providers (MSPs) also facilitate the integration of third-party PaaS solutions, such as customer relationship management (CRM).

#2: Offer a premium client experience

Clients and citizens expect fluid, personalized services across a range of digital channels, including the web, mobile, social media, and conversational agents as chatbots. The 2023 edition of CGI's study, Voice of our Clients, found that client experience has become a key competitive differentiator. MSPs enable companies to deliver a premium customer experience by focusing on their core business, thanks to their industry expertise, data analytics, and ability to scale.

#3: Accelerate the transition to the cloud

Organizations are adopting the cloud to accelerate their digital transformation, store and access data, and collaborate across physical boundaries. Managed services providers are integrating the cloud as standard in their new solutions. They provide a secure, unified management platform with common standards for all applications and data.

#4: Balance costs, quality and performance

Leading MSPs use models that guarantee both quality and optimum cost/performance ratios for application development and maintenance. Clients are assured of the same level of performance, whether they are involved in traditional, agile or DevOps Delivery activities. An experienced partner also guarantees the success of a constantly evolving transformation, securing processes and developing team skills.

#5: Reinforce cyber security

Cyber threats are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated. Companies are rushing to strengthen their defences against data breaches, ransomware or other types of threat. Investments in cybersecurity solutions and specific training are increasing significantly. To safeguard their assets, "Digital Leaders" are partnering with managed services providers (MSPs) to implement more robust security controls with market-leading solutions.

#6: Regulatory compliance and risk management

Organizations are operating in an increasingly demanding environment in terms of data protection and compliance. They are investing to prevent incidents and demonstrate their commitment to responsible business practices. MSPs help these organizations to meet the specific requirements of regulators and stakeholders, drawing on their expertise in compliance and risk management.

#7: Leverage the power of AI and automation

Tools that harness the full potential of data drive efficiency. They reduce costs by automating manual and repetitive tasks, through Intelligent Process Automation (IPA) and Machine Learning (ML), two top priority investments. To develop and implement these solutions, MSPs provide their expertise. With one objective: to build solid foundations to roll out responsible AI.

#8: Adopt value- and results-based pricing models

MSPs  adopte a  pricing model based on results. For example, for a hospital, this might be "the number of admissions processed on time" or for a bank, it could be  "time to mortgage approval. Outcome-based pricing is beneficial because it keeps both the MSP and the clients focused on two key objectives: revenue growth and margin improvement.

#9: Ensure cultural alignment and fit