ConnectWise – both the organization and the people – have an infectious energy that carries into everything they do. It was evident this week at the company’s IT Nation Connect 2023 conference in Orlando, FL, where ConnectWise rolled out an electrifying array of products in front of an estimated gathering of more than 6,500 attendees, vendors, and other industry partners.
Throughout the event, key leaders broke news about innovations designed to boost efficiency, enhance customer service, and streamline MSP operations.
The Evolution of ConnectWise: From RMM to UMM
The first announcement that created buzz was the shift from Remote Monitoring & Management
(RMM) to a Unified Monitoring & Management (UMM) approach. The UMM approach caters to the growing needs of MSPs by diving deeper into network, cloud, and backup monitoring. ConnectWise’s platform now integrates RMM functionalities into the robust Asio platform, offering a streamlined workflow and AI-assisted PowerShell scripting.
The advantage for MSPs lies in simplifying operations and enhancing client environments through a single, intuitive user interface.
In an exclusive interview with ChannelPro, ConnectWise EVP & GM, Unified Monitoring & Management Ameer Karim weighed in on the news by emphasizing the expansive nature of the UMM portfolio, indicating that it isn’t confined to a single product or tool but encompasses various crucial tools and solutions.
Ameer Karim (left) speaks with Editorial Director Jonathan Browning
“This shift towards a more unified, all-in-one solution allows users to access all these functionalities through a single, integrated platform,” he noted.
Robotic Process Automation: A Game-Changer
Another showstopper was the introduction of ConnectWise RPA, a powerful tool that embraces hyperautomation. This innovation, also integrated within the Asio platform, simplifies the creation, deployment, and management of software robots. Leveraging machine learning, including Help Desk chat powered by OpenAI, ConnectWise RPA brings significant efficiency gains to the tech workflow. It cuts manual effort and offers potential revenue generation if sold standalone or bundled with expert services.
Sidekick integrated into ConnectWise Manage
ConnectWise Sidekick: AI at Your Service
ConnectWise turned heads with the announcement of ConnectWise Sidekick, the organization’s first purpose-built AI companion for IT services companies.
The tool’s ability to fast-track problem resolution and automate complex tasks was displayed during ConnectWise CEO Jason Macgee‘s keynote address on the first night of the event. Its natural-language prompts drive powerful automations, allowing MSPs and their SMB clients to save valuable time.
“Sidekick, our AI model, is a blend of generative AI, large language models, and machine learning. It’s a proprietary tool, ensuring the privacy and security of our partners’ data,” Karim noted.
Extraordinary Monitoring Capabilities
ConnectWise highlighted expanded backup monitoring supporting various vendor partners, allowing MSPs to track client backups on-premises and in the cloud. The introduction of cloud monitoring for the Microsoft Azure Cloud empowers MSPs with crucial visibility into client cloud health and proactive troubleshooting abilities. The fresh user experience offers single-pane, real-time visibility, and interactive monitoring across the entire client environment.
The Promise for MSPs
ConnectWise’s new toolset presents its small and mid-sized MSP customers with tangible growth opportunities. These innovations are about more than automating rote tasks or answering simple questions. They’re designed to help MSPs deliver the kind of customer service that fosters loyalty and retention, all within an intuitive, cost-effective framework.
One overlooked element is ConnectWise’s commitment to collaboration, integration, and building a vibrant channel ecosystem, according to Karim.
“We believe in an open ecosystem. That’s why if you go into the solutions pavilion, you’ll see so many other vendors around us – even some competitors. If the ecosystem thrives, then we all benefit from it.”
