MSPs believe most systems end up ‘shelfware’

Almost half of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), VARs and IT support organisations find it difficult to implement Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM) systems, and never end up using large parts of the system due to complexity, according to findings from research from GFI Software.
Nearly half of IT support companies and MSPs said the initial investment in RMM software is too high and 42 percent said the return on investment (ROI) never meets their expectations.
The survey interviewed more than 200 IT support companies and Managed Service providers about their satisfaction with the installation and running of RMM software, the necessary training, the pricing models and return on investment.
The most valued features of RMM, according to respondents, are Server Monitoring, LAN & Windows Monitoring, Patch Management and Remote Support. Moreover, the top reasons for using RMM are to offer a faster fix response time and to offer preventative maintenance.
The survey also found that almost half (47 percent) of respondents state it took one month or longer (from the time of purchasing RMM software) to be fully up and running. Moreover, one fifth of respondents (20 percent) say it takes six months or longer to be fully set-up and running.
Says Doug Wilson, general manager of GFI MAX, “The survey revealed dissatisfaction with many RMM systems, particularly in the areas of the time-consuming training and complex set-up needed. As I move around meeting with MSPs, one big area of concern is that big, bloated systems actually get in the way of the MSP delivering value to their customers. It has reinforced my view that bloatware equals shelfware, especially in RMM systems.
“I think that if a system can’t be up and running in 10 minutes or less, the odds of it becoming adopted as a day-to-day productivity tool for the MSP is very low. That’s why we’re continuing to focus on easier, less complex real-time systems monitoring, remote support, asset tracking, and own brand client reporting tools which can be easily implemented and adopted and have a high chance of becoming productive tools for the MSP.”