Why MSP Is Still the Right Term (Even as the IT Industry Invents New Ones)

What’s the difference between an MSP and an MCP, MITP, MNP, MSSP, and now MIP?

Hello everyone, this is Bob Coppedge, CEO of your favorite MSP, Simplex-IT. Today, I want to talk about something that's been annoying me for some time in our industry - the never-ending rebranding of the term "MSP."

For the past 18 years, we've proudly called ourselves a Managed Service Provider, or MSP. But over the years, there have been suggestions to change this to MCP, MITP, MNP, MSSP, and now MIP. Seriously, it's like a bad game of Scrabble. Each of these acronyms stands for something slightly different, like Managed Cloud Provider, Managed IT Provider, Managed Network Provider, Managed Security Service Provider, and Managed Intelligence Provider.

While these names might sound fancy and specific, they all basically describe what we've been doing all along – providing comprehensive IT services and support to our clients. The core of our business hasn't changed, and neither has our commitment to delivering top-notch service.

Why change? Well, honestly, it’s usually due to the latest “thing” in IT. MCP was because of the cloud. MNP focusing on…wait for it…networking. MSSP was an attempt to show that “yeah, I’m an MSP, but I take security seriously.” So, if I start calling myself an MSSSP…Managed Super Security Service Provider? And now, with AI…let’s get some of that AI and Data love in there with Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP).

So why is it a bit silly? Well, constantly changing our name doesn't change the value we bring to our clients. It doesn't change the trust we've built over nearly two decades. And it certainly doesn't change the dedication and expertise of our team.

What does change it? Well, IT does. Duh. And if you look at the timeframes of these suggested name changes, they coincide with when the industry either introduced more opportunities (ie, cloud) or risks (ie, security) for our clients to at least consider.

So, who makes these suggestions about name changes? Usually, it’s the vendors who start with this. Remember, we all want to present ourselves up the supply chain as the “golden partner” who brings the latest and greatest.

And changing the name of the industry (or at least who we are) to represent the latest and greatest is a great way to get some immediate visibility. Because we’re doing the new stuff.

Shiny.

Until the next level of new stuff comes along.

So. Simplex-IT. We’re a Managed Service Provider. And we’re going to provide IT support. Cloud? Yup. Networks? Yup. Data? Yup. Security? Yup. AI? Yup.

We’re here to Simplify the Complex when it comes to integrating your IT services within your organization and help manage your IT risks and opportunities.

At the end of the day, what matters most is the quality of service we provide, not the acronym we use. So, whether you call us an MSP, MCP, MITP, MNP, MSSP, or MIP, know that we're here to support your business and help you succeed as you support your customers.

‘Cuz that’s what an MSP should do.

Thanks for listening, and here's to many more years of great service!

Still have questions or need assistance with deciding on your favorite acronym? Schedule a call with us or visit our Learning Center for more information. We're here to help!