Automation empowers MSPs to save time. The resulting efficiency provides flexibility in how they grow their business.
Saving time has always been a quiet goal in managed services. But in today’s fast-paced IT landscape, it has become the top pursuit of successful MSPs. Every minute reclaimed can mean better service, happier clients, and more room for growth. That focus on efficiency took center stage during the March 26 CEO Summit Fireside Chat, moderated by Cork Protection, Inc.‘s CEO Dan Candee.
Candee was joined by three very notable members of the vendor community:
Together, they explored how MSPs can save time by aligning their people, processes, and technology. The panelists’ insights weren’t just about doing more. They were about doing less of what wastes time. Below are some of the sharpest quotes, lightly edited, from the event.
Key Quotes from the CEO Summit Fireside Chat
1. “The best part about business is you get to pick who you do business with.” – McChord
Trust was a recurring theme, and McChord drove it home. His point was that choosing partners based on alignment — not just price — builds long-term MSP success. He emphasized that a vendor’s values and ability to support your service delivery should outweigh short-term incentives.
2. “When you give the MSP time … you’re giving them another option to scale their business other than just always hiring.” – Chernin
3. “Best in breed is seeing a comeback because MSPs want to tailor the technologies to match the needs of their clients.” – McChord
McChord argued that the era of rigid platforms is giving way to smarter integrations and more customization.
4. “We’re already seeing this today where automated MSPs are going after clients of manual MSPs.” – Chernin
Automation isn’t optional in 2025; it’s a competitive differentiator. MSPs that delay implementing automation will increasingly lose clients to those that can deliver faster, more efficient service.
5. “You know what takes more time than automating? Not automating.” – Chernin
This was among the most quotable lines of the event and a blunt truth for any MSP that is afraid of investing time to automate. Chernin’s point was that the long-term time savings and scalability advantage make automating a must.
6. “Time is the thing that an MSP wants to multiplex the most in order to drive the best revenue proposition. ” – McChord
McChord laid out a key truth: MSPs win when they optimize time, whether it’s through better interfaces, faster setup, or more reliable tools. Any vendor that helps reduce time-to-value gives MSPs a direct advantage.
7. “Imagine if all of your vendors had every one of their customers on a call together every week.” – Chernin
Community-led growth is at the heart of Rewst’s success, and this vision of radical transparency — weekly calls with all customers — set a high bar. The message: The vendors you trust should be open to feedback, in public and in real time.
8. “Distributors… ask for a big slice of the pie, and in exchange I think that what they deliver for MSPs is sometimes relatively small.” – McChord
While not anti-distributor, McChord expressed skepticism toward indirect sales models. His preference? Direct vendor-to-MSP relationships that allow for better support, flexibility, and faster issue resolution.
9. “Who’s being punished by inefficiency at the MSP? It’s ultimately the customer, the SMB. Like if they’re spending four hours working on an issue with somebody, that should take 5 minutes—that affected the SMB business more than it did the MSP.” – Day
Beyond costing you time, inefficiency hurts your clients. Alienate them enough times and they’ll look for another IT provider.
10. “There’s no job beneath me.” – Chernin
This was perhaps the most personal — and powerful — comment of the session. Chernin’s willingness to handle customer support, sales calls, or anything else alongside his team set an example. In an industry built on service, humility still wins.
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Summing Things Up
Saving time is a benefit and the outcome of true alignment. The CEO Summit made it clear: Every decision an MSP makes, from automation strategy to vendor selection, either streamlines operations or adds friction. For those willing to rethink how they work, the reward is more time to focus on what matters most — serving clients.
