How Partners Unlock 6x Returns With OpenText

MSPs partnering with OpenText are seeing impressive results, earning up to $6.73 for every dollar sold. In this CRNtv Executive Interview, host Sydney Neely sits down with Michael DePalma, vice president of business development at OpenText, and Rich DePierro, CEO of 2 Dog Digital and an OpenText partner, to share how MSPs are building recurring revenue, scaling services and delivering long-term customer value.

Sydney: For partners just starting out, what is a smart entry point? What should they be bundling or focusing on first?

Michael: I love email security. It is something everybody needs, and we offer a line of products that is either a la carte or bundled together. We also have a self-service option where you can click a button and purchase. Email protection, cloud-to-cloud backup, encryption and archiving can all be bundled because every client needs them. And because we are also a Microsoft CSP, we can weave it right in with 365 and others. With this bundle, I know I can protect my clients’ email needs, backup and front-end protection. Email security is a must-have no matter what. It is an easy entry point and brings enterprise-grade products into the SMB space.

Sydney: Margins really matter for MSPs. How is OpenText helping partners make more money without making things harder to manage?

Michael: The ease of management is what’s key. We have a secure cloud portal that allows you to manage all of your devices, including Microsoft licenses if you purchase them through us. It is very simple to use. As vendors, that is the focus we need to have. The product needs to be great, but it is also designed for MSPs to manage. You can see all of your clients’ tenants, manage them and handle procurement easily. We also have a strong account management team and support team. Profitability comes from many layers, not just one thing, and each adds to the ability to drive margin for our partners.

Sydney: You have worked closely with partners across the board. What sets the top-performing ones apart, especially those moving from resale to recurring revenue?

Michael: The common theme I see across successful MSPs is they never talk about their stack of products or their technology. They talk about their services—what they are offering to clients. Successful MSPs do not view themselves as resellers or just a help desk. It is about the business relationship they have, their unique value proposition and what differentiates them in the market. That tends to be one of the key factors across the board.

Sydney: Rich, you have been a partner with OpenText for a little over a year. From your perspective, how has that relationship helped drive growth and success at 2 Dog Digital?

Rich: From day one, OpenText has been huge for us. MSPs want to be partners with their customers, not commodities. I do not feel like a commodity with OpenText—I feel like a partner. It is a collaborative relationship. When we first started with them, we had a new customer we were onboarding. The other IT company was upset about losing the customer and cut off 100 percent of their services immediately. OpenText had them back up in about 20 minutes. Why is this important? That customer lost $20,000 an hour when they could not work. That was immediately the hero story. They are now my largest customer, spread across 27 states.

The ability to try products without being locked into a long-term contract is also huge. We can do trials with our customers to see if they like a product or not. It allows me to try all the products OpenText offers with no risk and give my customers what they are looking for without risk to them either.

For MSPs looking to scale their business, now is the time to take a closer look at what OpenText is offering. For more information, visit cybersecurity.opentext.com