How to win more business by becoming a Microsoft MSP

As customers are now Cloud-first and AI adoption is soaring, the demands on MSPs are greater than ever. Finding ways to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive market is key. 

In a cloud-native business world, integrating Microsoft 365 into your service offering could be the key to winning more business. Discover how standardizing on the Microsoft stack could help you scale your services and respond to growing customer demands.

What is a Microsoft MSP?

A Microsoft MSP or Microsoft-centric MSP is an IT services provider which has chosen to standardize their services around the Microsoft stack. Instead of using best-of-breed, third-party tools, they are using the enterprise-grade solutions available inside the existing Microsoft licenses their customers have already purchased. 

How has the MSP landscape changed?

The MSP landscape has changed significantly over the last twenty years. The days of break-fix support are long gone, and even traditional managed services are beginning to become obsolete as Cloud services and AI solutions rise. 

Since the onset of Covid in 2020, small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) have needed to implement effective remote working practices centred around Cloud computing. As a result of this mass shift to digital infrastructure, cyber security has also become a major priority for SMBs. Preventing malicious attacks and securing business data is now a non-negotiable for MSPs.

How has Microsoft security improved?

For years, Microsoft 365 has been at the heart of SMB productivity, with the impressive suite of productivity apps allowing SMBs to communicate and collaborate with ease, even when working remotely. 

However, traditionally, MSPs have not used Microsoft for their cyber security. In the past, MSPs have sold their customers Microsoft 365 Business Standard licenses, allowing SMBs access to the Microsoft 365 productivity apps such as Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and OneDrive. When it comes to security, most MSPs have preferred to build their own stacks by selecting individual solutions from MSP-centric vendors.

Now, things have changed. Between 2020 and 2025, Microsoft invested $20 billion into their cyber security and hired 34,000 full-time security engineers. This significant investment made Microsoft 365 security a very different beast. A Microsoft 365 Business Premium license now contains everything you need to secure your customers:

• Microsoft Defender to protect against ransomware and other cyber threats
• Microsoft Defender for Office 365 to defend against phishing attacks
• Entra ID for identity access management to protect against password theft and help employees access business apps securely from anywhere
• Intune for device management
• Purview for data protection and security 
  

As your customers are already using Microsoft 365 for their business productivity, it makes sense to upgrade them to Business Premium licenses, standardize on the Microsoft stack, and take advantage of these integrated, enterprise-grade security tools. 

How could becoming a Microsoft MSP benefit you?

Of course, switching away from the third-party stack you’ve built will not be an easy decision. It’s not that simple to just rip out your existing solutions and replace them with Microsoft, but the benefits you can gain from standardizing with Microsoft make it worth it. 

Your customers are already Microsoft advocates. By becoming a Microsoft MSP, you will stay relevant by aligning with customer expectations and industry trends. Additionally, there are a range of benefits for your business operations, your team, and your customers that will make switching to a Microsoft-first approach a no-brainer. 

Benefits for your team 

Standardizing around the Microsoft stack allows your engineers to deepen their expertise and become true Microsoft specialists. 

By allowing them to upskill and heavily investing in their development, you will build a highly-skilled, motivated, and engaged workforce who are eager to tackle high-value, non-commoditized Microsoft projects. You’ll also be able to offer clear progression and career paths which helps with employee retention. 

Benefits for your business

Standardizing with Microsoft reduces your dependence on third-party tools, consolidating service delivery, lowering operational costs, and increasing profitability.

You can increase margins by delivering high-value Microsoft projects that differentiate you in the market. You can also win larger customers by upskilling your team and offering specialist Microsoft expertise to fill the knowledge gaps of customers with existing internal IT teams.

Standardizing with one vendor also makes it easier to scale, so your MSP becomes a more attractive prospect for potential acquisitions.

Benefits for your customers

Most of your customer will already be using Microsoft solutions in some capacity. Microsoft has a monopoly on modern work and is a trusted and valued brand for SMBs. You can help customers to get more return on investment from their Microsoft licenses by using it for security as well as productivity.

The modern MSP and Microsoft

Want to learn the strategies you need to become a truly Microsoft MSP? Download our eBook to discover the winning strategies you need to secure new business, deliver high-value projects, and stay competitive.