technologyreseller.co.uk 17 great opportunity to move into that space. I’m not saying it’s the only space that MSPs should move into, but it’s a key one because regulation across the industry is only going to become tighter. TR: Egnyte clearly has many potential benefits for MSPs, so what are you doing to attract more of them and to expand your partner network? DT: We have a good number of MSPs already, and some key partners are enjoying those benefits I mentioned – saving time in the support desk, creating recurring revenues, providing a good customer experience. Something else I’m super-positive about is that Egnyte is a product-first company. There are so many IT products and services out there, and let’s say the really good ones are maybe 90% good. What I’m sensing and hearing as I talk to end user customers, partners, resellers and MSPs is that we’re five nines. Egnyte’s the Hoover of its space – it’s the name and really, really well known, but because we have lacked a true channel focus until now, it is not something we’ve really exploited to date. So, going back to your question of what we’re doing to attract MSPs. That’s one of the reasons I’m here. I’m a bit like an SDR (sales development representative) in terms of my role, albeit with a different title and different pay grade. I’m just a small cog in the wheel. We’ve also got a Senior VP of Global Sales, Bob Gagnon, working out of the States. We’ve got Gardiner Smith, who as Channel Leader heads up our global VAR business. We’ve got me looking after MSPs in EMEA and two peers of mine in the US looking after North America and Australasia. We’re making a real commitment to move forward and grow in this space. TR: Do you have any targets for the number of MSPs you want to recruit, and are there particular qualities you are looking for in MSP partners? DT: For me, it’s more about quality than quantity. There will be a volume play, because there always is, but I’m looking to get MSPs and VARs with an Egnyte mindshare. We have MSP partners today that are Egnyte-first. In some cases, it’s in their stack so if an end user customer doesn’t take Egnyte, they don’t become a customer of that MSP – it’s part of their security and governance play in terms of how they look after their clients. I’m not expecting that of everyone. What I’m looking for are people who want to grow their MSP business and to do that it’s important to be able to differentiate yourself. We all say we’re great and we all say we’re best value, but how do you back that up? Egnyte gives you something else to lead with, or an alternative because we can complement SharePoint too. It’s not just a SharePoint or Egnyte play. One of the challenges MSPs face is that they’re often accidental entrepreneurs who have just wound up running a business. They are technology-focused, operationally focused, but struggle with sales. I recognise that when an MSP takes on Egnyte there will be a certain sales cycle. Typically an MSP might have 2,500 endpoints and 50 customers, say, of which 70% might be right for Egnyte. Once you have engaged, Egnyte’s a pretty simple sale because you’re often solving a problem, such as difficulties with collaboration or concerns about data privacy and governance. It’s an easy discussion, but maybe due to a lack of sales confidence or ability, the sale could take three to six months or more. I understand that. For me, the perfect customer is an MSP that brings some business every quarter, that gets Egnyte, that understands it, that has it as a part of their discussions and looks to put it in the right places. TR: What can partners expect from Egnyte in the next 12 months? DT: I’ve known Egnyte for nearly four years, but it’s not been up in lights, and it really should be because it is such a first-class, first-rate product. So, one of my goals is to raise our profile in this space. Also, we’ve just launched a new partner portal. A sceptic might say ‘oh, another partner portal’ but those who know Egnyte will recognise that this hasn’t been an area of strength for us; it’s not been our core focus. That has now changed. You’re going to see much more of us and if you’re not working with Egnyte, others will be and you may see them penetrating your customer base or working on deals that you’re trying to win. We’re going to be everywhere and we’re going to be winning the right partners and helping them to drive their business forward. TR: So, a lot to look forward to. How should MSPs and resellers that want to find out more get in touch with you? DT: There are many ways to get in touch with us, but my suggestion is to visit www. egnyte.com, complete a form and we’ll be in touch. We’ve got great resources here already – sales managers for MSPs, sales managers for VARs and direct sellers that can also help MSPs with their sales. We’re looking to create a channel that coexists with what we’ve got already and to support MSPs with our own sales expertise. www.egnyte.com INTERVIEW EGNYTE JOINS THE PAX8 MARKETPLACE Egnyte is furthering its channel expansion strategy by offering its solutions through the Pax8 marketplace, giving the latter’s global network of 40,000 Managed Service Providers (MSPs) an opportunity to deliver higher-value cloud services centred on collaboration, intelligence, security and governance. Stan Hansen, Chief Operating Officer of Egnyte, said: “Egnyte’s hybrid cloud capabilities and native desktop integrations empower MSPs to move beyond basic file sharing and offer high-value services in collaboration, intelligence, security and governance. We’re combining powerful AI, seamless Microsoft integration and deep hybrid cloud experience to unlock new growth and profitability opportunities for Pax8 partners around the world. This provides MSPs with the flexibility to meet their clients wherever they are on their cloud journey, ensuring secure collaboration without disrupting workflows.” Egnyte’s platform helps MSPs seamlessly migrate customers from on-premises file servers to the cloud, modernising their content management without compromising performance or compliance. On average, MSPs leveraging Egnyte report a 30% reduction in support tickets, driven by enhanced usability and automation. Egnyte is one of just a few partners that integrate directly with Microsoft 365 and Azure while meeting the stringent standards of Microsoft’s CSPP+ certification program. This ensures that MSPs can deliver secure, compliant collaboration, especially for large-file workloads in industries like construction, design, financial services, media & entertainment, manufacturing, oil & gas and life sciences. Earlier this year, Egnyte redesigned its Partner Program to equip partners with robust training and sales resources and to support co-selling success as part of a commitment to support its global partner network.
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