In today’s highly competitive ICT services environment, prospective clients need to know your company can provide dependable and effective support. Before they pay for services, businesses will want to be certain that their provider has the appropriate skills, tools and aptitude to maintain and protect their systems. That confirmation is crucial, but it is not always easy to prove.
People buy from those they trust and most industries recognise the companies that do more to earn the confidence of their customers. Perhaps that’s why business credentials have become more prominent in the IT community, with solution providers and vendors looking for new ways to validate the processes they put in place to offer top-quality services and products.
CompTIA understands that need for confirmation. In coordination with members of its peer-led Communities, the association developed a number of respected IT industry business credentials that help solution providers and vendors validate their practices and core competencies. Organisations that receive CompTIA Trustmarks are required to adhere to a specific set of industry standards designed to ensure that their customers receive a high quality ICT service. These endorsements confidently call attention to their expertise in a number of areas, including technical capabilities, sales operations and customer service procedures.
CompTIA has a variety of specific business credentials to meet virtually every ICT organisational need. These include the IT Business Trustmark, the Managed Print Trustmark, the Managed Services Trustmark, the Security Trustmark+ and the Accredit UK Trustmark+ range.
In addition, the recently introduced Cloud Trustmark+ was developed to address many of the unknowns in the latest technology delivery model. It qualifies and differentiates vendors that offer cloud solutions through IT service providers, validating their commitment to providing top quality support, infrastructure and interoperability.
“We pursued the CompTIA Cloud Trustmark+ because we know that one of the most significant barriers to the use of cloud services is trust itself,” says Peter Groucutt, Managing Director of Databarracks, the first organisation to ever attain the credential.” Despite a long record of success (the company has been providing cloud based backup services since 2003), recognition of that accomplishment is hard to come by. “The only way we can show those potential customers or partners that they should trust us is with certification and accreditation. CompTIA and its Trustmarks are well respected in the technology industry so that external validation is incredibly valuable. In a noisy marketplace, we think it shows a strong commitment to cloud services and to the channel.”
WorkPlaceLive is another early adopter of the Cloud Trustmark+ (and the first hosted desktop provider to achieve the designation). Its leadership team truly appreciates the positive impact these credentials have when potential customers are choosing future suppliers. “It sends a strong message to our customers and future customers that we are an organisation that can be trusted, which is essential, particularly when dealing with a customer’s data,” says WorkPlaceLive CEO Joseph Blass. “The self-assessment helps providers ensure that their services and systems are at a high level.”
While quality control and efficiency are crucial in cloud services, these business credentials can have an even greater effect on company sales and outreach promotions. “We also use our Trustmark attainment in marketing programs and include it prominently on our website.”
In today’s internet-dependent business environment, MSPs have to be sure their suppliers can provide consistent, high-quality services and support. The latest CompTIA business credential validates which vendors have those capabilities and offers insight into their partner ecosystem. “Cloud providers are looking for ways to legitimise their offerings, and early adopters like Databarracks and WorkPlaceLive are great examples of how to embrace transparency in their services and channel programs,” says Miles Jobgen, Director of Trustmark Programs at CompTIA.
Total Industry Support
How do solution providers know that a program offers great financial promise for their business? When it receives broad support from vendors as well as others respected in the industry. There are few self-interests when working in the ICT channel community. What helps a vendor is typically also beneficial to its partners.For IT security vendor Webroot, support of the CompTIA program is a perfect example of that reciprocal relationship. The firm actively assists its partners in their pursuit of a Managed Services Trustmark, having funded the Trustmark for a select number of their partners. EMEA channel manager Adam Nash suggests their investments are paying off. “These credentials lead to stickier and happier customers for our MSP partners and are great for making noise in the press, through PR and in social media channels. It shows that the provider’s business is committed to self-improvement and is adapting to a changing IT landscape.”
Trustmarks also provide structure to MSPs business practices. Whether a provider is completely new to the managed services model or a ten year veteran, that framework is crucial to customer satisfaction. “The Trustmark gives customers greater confidence in your ability to deliver a quality managed service. For example, if a customer were choosing between 3-4 partners, they would be more likely to pick the firm with a recognised credential in that specialisation.” added Nash. “We think this program is great for existing service providers looking for a credential to prove their worth in this space, or for those partners just converting to this model it can serve as a guide to making the necessary changes. The CompTIA Managed Services Trustmark should give end customers confidence in the ability of their service provider to deliver consistent levels of quality throughout their managed service offerings.”
If you’re interested in improving your ICT service best practices and elevating your industry presence, sign up for one of the CompTIA Trustmark programs today. For more information go to www.comptia.org/trustmarks.
