Even with security at the forefront of so many minds, data breaches continue to be in the news all too often. Remember the recent headline-grabbing faux pas from industry giants like Capital One and Equifax where millions of customers were affected? Now we have the recent revelation by the New York Fire Department Emergency Medical Services that more than 10,000 patients who were treated or transported have potentially had their personal information compromised.

It doesn’t matter the size of the organization or what services they provide, it’s an undeniable fact that someone somewhere would love to have access to their customer’s private data. In owning and operating an IT services business, of course, you work hard to ensure that your infrastructure is secure. But have you considered the far-reaching impact it would have on you, your customers, and brand reputation if you were to start offering top-level security services as part of the services you resell?

We’re not talking about years of certification training or retooling your entire setup. Smart VARs are leveraging strategic partnerships in order to expand their portfolios. And with a focus on security services, you can drive your growth faster than ever before.

Why is Security Suddenly So Important?

If it feels like security has been on the tip of many tongues these last couple of years, that’s because it has. Organizations are collecting more and more useful information and data than ever before, and that data is quite valuable to cyber thieves and other nefarious parties. It isn’t that security is more or less important than ever before, it’s that the stakes are so much higher now. More data, more hackers, every infrastructure is a target and the entry point of an attack can come from almost anywhere, including the core services you are reselling.

As a result, almost any technology investment by your current and future clients will invariably include a discussion about security. How is this application protected? Who has access to the data? How long is the data stored and where? What monitoring and proactive behaviors are taken to make sure the data is safe?

24/7 “Eyes On” Means Peace of Mind

Truth be told, the mass majority of your clients aren’t likely to monitor their systems around the clock on their own. Additionally, unless you’re already a specialized security VAR, remote monitoring just isn’t a service you are likely to provide yourself.

Outages and breach attempts can wreak havoc on your client’s operations if they aren’t addressed and resolved immediately. By adding remote security monitoring to your service offerings, technicians and automated tools are watching client environments 24×7 for errors and alerts. This means that problems are addressed or escalated quickly instead of being left unaddressed.

If your reseller business includes any infrastructure components then you have to be mindful that there are continuously evolving attacks tailored to every cloud platform. As such, it’s a missed opportunity if you do not provide proactive threat prevention, detection, and remediation. The right partnership can provide your clients with layers of protection and provide you with new revenue streams. You’ll also be able to provide a commitment of ensuring the highest standards for their data protection and uninterrupted access to their data.

Taking a security-first approach and proactively looking for vulnerabilities ensures the highest level of protection for your customers’ data and can instill a deeper sense of trust for your entire service line.

As a result, your clients will be able to rest easy knowing that experts are keeping an eye on everything and they can focus on more valuable business activities other than monitoring for issues. Furthermore, you’re able to provide a valuable service and expand your offerings to enhance security from the ground up.

Why Bring Security Services to your VAR

Granting that your core service offerings may not be security-focused, it’s important to recognize how security offers an area of opportunity for your business. As mentioned before, security breaches are unavoidable in the news…but that doesn’t mean they should be unavoidable for your clients. Mentioned plainly, every client you have needs security. Not all of them need data lakes or ERP systems or software development, but when it comes to adding a service to your VAR portfolio, security is an undeniable fit. Even better, you already have an existing potential customer base in your current clients.

Our advice would be to explore how your clients are currently handling the security of their data and IT investments and work with them to address any gaps. As an existing vendor or partner, you should already be well-positioned to help solve an undeniable challenge even the most sophisticated client is facing.

The ever-changing nature of threats and how to secure an environment against those threats means that today’s rock-solid IT environment is tomorrow’s ripe target. By utilizing a consultative approach to uncover needs, you’ll be finding the places and spaces to offer additional help to customers and clients who already trust you and the services you offer.

Finding the Right Partner

Contact us today to find out how Connectria can help propel the growth of your VAR by providing the security services so many industries require these days. With a client base including Deutsche Bank and IBM, turning to Connectria as your security partner will ensure that you and your customers are in the right hands. We don’t just say we can act as an extension of your client’s IT team, we deliver on it. Since our early days, we’ve worked to secure the infrastructure of over 1,000 clients worldwide. Since day one, we’ve been at the forefront of protecting sensitive data for customers of all sizes in all industries. Relentless Security™ is a mindset instilled in our entire company.

We are committed to searching for and recognizing vulnerabilities and threats, as well as proactively taking precautions to ensure the integrity of your customers’ systems. Our team of security experts is dedicated to helping customers protect their IT investments, no matter what industry they’re in. Furthermore, the team is available to every client and can assist any of your customers with achieving their particular compliance goals – including HIPAA, PCI, GDPR, and many other compliance and security requirements.