24 01732 759725 lies the issue. A lot of MSPs don’t fully understand AEO, as opposed to SEO. But it is probably the opportunity of a lifetime for us to reset,” explains McAlpine. “Because SEO is focused on keywords and backlinks and the average age of content on Google is 3.9 years that model has favoured MSPs that have been established for 20 years and have built up credibility in the industry. They’re now starting to see that decline because I think only 0.2% of weighting in AEO comes from backlinks and the average age of content on AEO is closer to two years. It’s really levelled the playing field.” CompareIT for SMEs So, how does the platform work? SMEs can search for an MSP, at no cost, by using the site’s guided AI search or by manually filling in their requirements. It will then present a list of MSPs within the specified area that meet those requirements, comparing 197 data points either automatically harvested by nine APIs or provided by MSPs. An Action button linked to each MSP will provide high-level information such as basic company information and Google, Trustpilot and Glassdoor ratings, as well as whether their capabilities have been verified by CompareIT (see below). A ‘See MSP’ button takes the user through to additional details, including a bio, videos, capabilities, accreditations, vendor relationships and sector experience. In addition to free Search, SMEs can pay to monitor MSPs, including their existing provider and ones they might be interested in working with in the future. This provides realtime notifications of any changes to the provider information supplied, reviews and ratings or financial indicators. It also gives SMEs a heads-up when their contracts are up for renewal and the ability to upload MSP contracts for analysis by AI. “Monitoring is an opportunity service provider for about five years. Where we are today, with businesses leveraging things like AI to grow quicker and faster, the technology landscape is so much more complex that they need the resource and expertise an MSP provides much sooner. I think we’re going to see a ramp-up of smaller startup businesses coming to market for a first-time MSP outsource and that will drive the volume up as well.” On the other side of the equation, McAlpine points out that MSPs themselves are finding it harder and more costly to find new business. “When we interact with managed service providers through our Sales Meddic business they almost unanimously tell us they’re really struggling with lead generation. And they’re not just struggling with volume; they’re struggling with quality too.” Everyone benefits CompareIT is designed to bring these two communities together for the benefit of both. It enables SMEs to search for and compare more than 8,000 MSPs, using a combination of conversational AI and detailed provider data to identify the strongest matches. “That’s the critical part,” says McAlpine. “They match to a real requirement that isn’t just driven by whoever appears at the top of Google and spends the most on a marketing budget. They’re looking for the MSPs that really meet their requirements, both technically and culturally.” For MSPs, it lowers client acquisition costs, provides better qualified leads and reduces the sales cycle at a time when SEO is rapidly fading. “We are seeing a substantial decline in SEO. It depends on who you listen to, but statistics show that about 60% of searches are moving to zero click or AI to find the answer to a question. And therein CompareIT, the UK’s first AIpowered MSP comparison and monitoring site, gives small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) a quicker and more effective way of finding a managed service provider (MSP) with the expertise and capabilities best suited to their needs. The platform has been founded by Simon McAlpine and Mark Flinders, who both established and grew award-winning MSP businesses before exiting to the same private-equity-backed group. The pair later worked together at Air IT in senior transformation roles before founding MSP growth consultancy Sales Meddic in 2024. McAlpine says CompareIT is being launched at a time when all the indicators suggest SMEs are finding it harder to find an MSP that meets their needs. “We’ve gone through a period of substantial consolidation over the last few years and that has led to many more market movements, by which I mean SMEs moving from one managed service provider to another. Some data suggests that that volume of movement is 3.6 times higher than it was only three years ago.” That said, he points out that typically only 5% of the market is looking to switch to a new MSP at any one time. While there are no accurate statistics on the subject, he believes a large proportion of the other 95% of SMEs are underwhelmed with the service they are getting and have remained with their existing MSP only because they lack a real reason to move or because they don’t know that there’s anything better. McAlpine adds that, at the same time, businesses are starting to look for MSPs much earlier in their development cycle, which is increasing the number of firms that could benefit from CompareIT. “I’ve been in this industry for 25 years and, typically, a new business wouldn’t employ a managed AI-powered MSP monitoring and comparison platform launched to help businesses find the right partner – with benefits for SMEs and MSPs Match-making for SMEs and MSPs MANAGED SERVICES Simon McAlpine
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