Why MSPs Need to Plan for M&A

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been a hot topic in the channel for a while now. Economic disruptions and uncertainties in 2020 might have stalled things a bit, but activity has risen during the past year and shows no signs of slowing down.

A growing number of MSP mergers and acquisitions reflects the interests of private equity in the channel. Managed services are good business. Those of us who work in the MSP world know this, and now we’re seeing larger organizations and investment firms take an interest. Especially during the pandemic, demand for IT services from remote work solutions to infrastructure to cybersecurity has soared.

Meanwhile, global IT spending—particularly in cloud computing—is only going up. By extension, MSPs and IT providers in general are sitting in a great spot with respect to long-term profitability. With increased competition and staffing challenges, MSPs themselves are taking a harder look at M&A as well, with more than 25% saying they’re looking to acquire other MSPs during the next few years.

No matter which way you slice it, M&A should be on your radar. Even if you’re not planning to buy or sell, having a potential exit strategy or a plan for when a potential buyer comes knocking is a good idea. Chances are high you’ll be hearing a lot more about MSP mergers and acquisitions in the near future.

Why Would an MSP Consider M&A?

Other than the benefit of just being good business planning, there are all kinds of reasons an MSP would consider a merger or acquisition. Regardless of whether you’re looking to take over another solution provider or managed services business tomorrow, potential M&A scenarios should still be a part of your playbook.

From a seller’s perspective, maybe you’re looking for a bigger company to help share financial burden, or maybe you want to use the profits of a sale for a new endeavour. Maybe you’re simply ready to get out of the business. Either way, the M&A market could offer an attractive option for allowing your business to live on—if stepping away is the path you choose to take.

If you’re on the buyer’s side of things, your motives are probably a bit different. Ultimately, you probably want to grow your business and generate more revenue; buying or merging with another MSP can help you achieve economies of scope and scale. To the same end, you might be looking to expand your portfolio. Acquiring another MSP that specializes in the services you want to add to your stack can be a faster route to achieving your goal, as opposed to hiring the necessary talent and building out the service internally.

Market saturation with increased competition is another reason MSPs consider an M&A strategy. Merger and acquisitions traditionally involve a certain level of risk. But in a market where it’s increasingly harder to differentiate yourself, customer acquisition costs are rising, and taking on that risk is less of a barrier. So, if you’re looking to consolidate market share or take on larger clients, merging with or acquiring another MSP could be your answer. Like they say, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

What You’ll Need on Your M&A Journey

You can’t just stumble blindly into the M&A market unless you want a disaster on your hands. Buyers and sellers should have several key elements in order before they get into the process and on-hand throughout their M&A journey.

For buyers:

…the whole deal in many ways. To help prevent employee churn and ensure a smooth transition, make sure the cultures of both companies are compatible. The role of the exiting business owner (who probably built the clientele) is often overlooked. The same holds true for the client base, which can erode quickly with culture shock.

For sellers:

Navigating the M&A Space

With more and more announcements of MSP mergers and acquisitions coming out daily, it makes sense that many channel partners are weighing their options. It doesn’t matter if you’re not planning to sell your MSP or buy another one right now, but it does matter that you’re prepared. Having a plan sketched out before getting into the thick of things will help you find your footing if the situation ever does arise.

In the meantime, working with a strong channel partner can help you develop such a plan. Sherweb has tons of expert resources on hand to help make it happen. Reach out to us for more information about how we can help your business achieve its goals.

Michel Marleau is Head of Sales, MSP Services, Sherweb. Michel has helped channel partners grow for more than 25 years and brings a wealth of experience in the field. A passionate channel advocate, Michel engages with the Sherweb community of partners and is dedicated to helping MSPs scale and build a more profitable business, one successful partner at a time.

This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.