It’s the start of a new year, making it the perfect time to reflect and plan ahead! As you know, the MSP landscape is always changing, and staying ahead is essential to remaining competitive.
Through our community of Members and Vendor Partners, we get a front-row seat on the latest trends and what’s working (and what’s not) for MSPs right now.
Here’s what we see as key areas MSPs should focus on in 2026 …
1. AI and automation are becoming core operations
Increasingly, we’re seeing more MSPs embed automation into everyday service delivery, from ticket handling and monitoring, to reporting and decision-making. This shift isn’t about replacing people, it’s about freeing up teams to focus on higher-value, strategic work that clients expect, while improving consistency and margins.
What is clear, is there is a lot of hype around AI, and still a lot of to figure out. In our community, we’re learning from each other, exploring how to use it most effectively and where the real opportunities lie.
2. Cybersecurity is no longer an add-on – it’s an embedded service
Security is no longer an optional extra, it’s a core part of how MSPs deliver value. Through our community, we’re seeing MSPs designing their operations around security from the outset, rather that layering it on to other services. This includes building security into service packages, using proactive monitoring and threat management, and making security a visible part of the value they deliver to clients.
In 2026, we think embedding security in this way will only continue to grow, not only to protect clients but also strengthening trust, differentiating MSPs in a competitive market and providing a solid foundation for other services like cloud, networking and compliance.
3. Intensified regulatory and compliance expectations
As MSPs, you sit at the centre of your clients’ systems, data, and operations. This position comes with responsibility, trust, and increasingly, scrutiny. Stricter data protection and cybersecurity standards mean customers will increasingly choose MSPs that can demonstrate reliability, compliance and a genuine commitment to security.
As a community, we’re raising the bar, making a commitment that all Members retain Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certification. This commitment isn’t about compliance for the sake of it, it comes from our community who are continually looking at what ‘good’ looks like and what’s raising standards across the channel.
You can read more about it here: Why MSPs are raising the bar together.
By working together, our community is turning industry change into opportunity, strengthening trust, delivering greater value and building resilient businesses together so that we’re all ready for what comes next.
