Managed Service Providers (MSPs) have evolved far beyond their traditional role of offering reactive support in the Unified Communications & Collaboration (UC&C) space. Today, they are strategic partners, helping businesses future-proof their operations by proactively identifying and resolving UC&C performance issues while ensuring business resilience and continuity. They also play a key role in guiding organizations through emerging trends like hybrid work and AI-driven collaboration.
With the right monitoring solutions in place, MSPs can not only optimize UC&C performance but also differentiate themselves in a competitive market—delivering the seamless communication experiences that organizations increasingly rely on.
I sat down with Laura Pritchett, Account Director of Service Providers at IR, to discuss the changing role of MSPs in today’s market and how monitoring tools can be leveraged to stand out.
Monitoring Tools as Competitive Differentiators
For MSPs, UC&C monitoring tools are no longer just about identifying issues. Performance monitoring solutions have evolved from reactive troubleshooting tools into proactive enablers of business success, providing real-time insights that drive efficiency, cost savings, and customer satisfaction.
“We had a case where an MSP was spending countless hours manually troubleshooting recurring performance issues, increasing customer frustration and draining profit margins,” Pritchett shares.
“Once they deployed our Collaborate monitoring solution, the MSP was able to instantly pinpoint the issue and facilitate a quick resolution, saving both time and money.”
Beyond troubleshooting, monitoring solutions help MSPs add value by transforming raw data into actionable intelligence. Insights into user behavior, network usage, license utilization, and collaboration patterns drive smarter adoption strategies and maximize ROI—particularly in work-from-home scenarios.
In one instance, a contact center agent experienced regular connection degradation every afternoon. A quick inspection helped identify the root cause.
“It turned out to be their kids returning from school and streaming content, which strained the network,” Pritchett says. “Thanks to performance monitoring, the MSP could recommend a separate network setup—instantly solving the issue.”
Another critical advantage of UC&C performance monitoring tools is service level agreement (SLA) management. Many MSPs are responsible for maintaining SLAs, sometimes with financial penalties for non-compliance.
“The right monitoring tools help MSPs track SLA performance, proactively remediate issues, and provide customers with data-driven proof that service commitments are being met.”
Aligning Monitoring with Customer Experience Strategy
For MSPs managing hundreds or thousands of customers, a monitoring solution must also seamlessly align with their overall customer experience strategy. Such integration enables them to deliver personalized experiences while maintaining comprehensive oversight of all interconnected systems.
“When a person calls a contact center managed by an MSP, that single interaction involves numerous technical components,” Pritchett explains. “An effective monitoring solution gives MSPs visibility into every element affecting that specific call while simultaneously showing how these components interact with the broader system.”
This holistic approach allows MSPs to manage both the micro and macro aspects of performance, improving operational efficiency, strengthening client relationships, and setting them apart in a competitive market.
From Providers to Partners: Strategies for Standing Out
By leveraging UC&C monitoring solutions such as IR Collaborate, MSPs can not only enhance their end customers’ performance but also differentiate themselves in a crowded market. Here are some additional insights from Pritchett:
“Monitoring tools not only help identify the source of issues quickly—they also help prevent them in the first place,” she says. “Predictive analytics can be used to prevent disruptions, improve user experience, and increase ROI.”
“Additionally, MSPs can use monitoring to anticipate threats, ensure secure communications, and maintain regulatory compliance,” she adds.
Finally, monitoring tools can be leveraged to enhance personalization for end customers. “Based on their business objectives and digital transformation goals, MSPs can provide tailored support for each customer,” Pritchett suggests.
To learn more about IR Collaborate for UC&C performance monitoring, visit IR’s website
This post originally appeared on Service Management - Enterprise - Channel News - UC Today.