I often tell my (now adult) children that many of life’s most impactful lessons are learned the hard way. Well, in 20+ years of leading managed services I’ve learned plenty the hard way, and I’d like to think—despite the scars—that I and the services I influence at PTP are better off for it. Since today is my birthday (please, hold your applause until the end), it felt like a good time to reflect and share some of those lessons in hopes that they provide value to others.
Lesson 1: Services, Not Engineering
It’s called Managed Services for a reason—not Managed Engineering, Managed Technician, or Managed Analyst. Hire people who have the skills to perform the job well, but also look for those with empathy, business awareness, and a deep commitment to customer satisfaction. Well-written scopes of work matter, but going above and beyond is what renews contracts. This is especially true for teams delivering managed IT services for life sciences companies where stakes are often high.
Lesson 2: No “MSP” Can Do It All
If they say they can, run. Fast. I once heard a client say that MSPs grow until they stop performing well. Often, their early success comes from a few brilliant people who can handle everything—until they can’t. The model breaks under scale. A strong IT managed service provider for life sciences, or any industry, knows how to say no for the right reasons and focuses on operational efficiency through a well-defined tech stack.
Lesson 3: Offshore is Cheaper, Not Better
Offshore teams can be part of a smart strategy—but only in limited roles. I’ve seen it work best during night/weekend support or for repetitive tasks that follow clear runbooks. Especially for biotech IT support or scientific research MSP services, clients deserve teams that know their environment, systems, and compliance requirements. The real value comes when escalation paths lead back to experienced, knowledgeable engineers who understand the client’s unique needs.
Lesson 4: Transparency and Openness
Never hide metrics or lock clients out of their tools. If a managed services team fears client visibility, that’s a red flag. Trust is the foundation of every relationship—whether personal or professional. Say what you do, do what you say, and show what you do. That level of openness is what separates average MSPs from those who earn long-term loyalty in sectors like life sciences compliance and security management.
Lesson 5: Drive for Show, Putt for Dough
Yes, it’s a golf metaphor. “Driving” in this case refers to 24×7 monitoring, alerting, and incident management. It’s necessary, it’s complex, and it’s table stakes. But it’s not what renews contracts. That comes from the “putting”—the forward-looking reviews and strategic guidance. These sessions help clients improve systems, optimize operations, and plan for the future. For MSPs serving clinical research or regulated labs, these reviews are where the real business value is proven.
Nobody has all the answers—I certainly don’t. But most of the lessons I’ve shared here weren’t taught to me; I had to live them. And every misstep has shaped how we execute today. We’re not perfect, but our clients know they’re supported by a team that works hard, performs at a high level, and puts them first.
By Gary Derheim
VP of Marketing & Business Development
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