ScotlandIS, the trade body and cluster management organisation for Scotland’s digital sector, has announced the launch of the IT Managed Service Provider (ITMSP) Cluster and Best Practice Charter.
These initiatives represent a significant step forward in strengthening Scotland’s ITMSP industry and setting new standards for excellence.
In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, where technology is integral to business success, adherence to best practices is paramount. ScotlandIS recognises the importance of fostering collaboration within the tech community to harness its full potential.
As the demand for ITMSPs continues to grow, with more organisations outsourcing their IT services, ScotlandIS has developed the ITMSP Cluster. This cluster creates a dedicated hub for the industry, cultivating knowledge sharing, quality standardisation and enriched partnership working among ScotlandIS’ extensive network of over 200 IT Managed Services Providers.
Karen Meechan, Chief Executive at ScotlandIS, said: “In today’s digital landscape, where digitalisation is imperative and the risk of cyber threats is high, effective IT management plays a pivotal role. The seamless operation, success and strength of a business hinges upon the robustness of its IT infrastructure. This new cluster supported by the Scottish Government’s Cyber Resillience Unit, is hugely important in ensuring that Scotland is cyber resilient and allows companies to share a wealth of expertise in one place.”
Complementing the ITMSP Cluster, ScotlandIS has launched a Best Practice Charter, designed to standardise service quality and clarify the roles of clients and ITMSPs. This charter aims to reduce the potential for gaps in a business’s IT robustness, ultimately enhancing its cyber posture.
Launched today at ScotlandIS’ annual ScotSoft conference, the Best Practice Charter establishes clear standards that customers can expect from IT Managed Service providers across Scotland. It aims to empower businesses with the knowledge and tools needed to deliver exceptional services, maintain high levels of cyber security, and build customer trust. Additionally, the Charter serves as a badge of excellence, signifying a steadfast commitment to best practices that elevates business reputation within the industry and with clients.
Most importantly, the Charter, which was spearheaded by ScotlandIS Head of Cyber, Beverly Bowles, has been created by the community, for the community. This initiative has been 18 months in the making, and brought together individuals from across the spectrum of IT Managed Service Providers from the length and breadth of Scotland. It was important to ScotlandIS to ensure that the Charter truly reflected the wants and needs of the ITMSPs who will adhere to it.
Karen Meechan added: “The Charter has been established to help protect both parties. It will enable businesses to define the boundaries of their digital protections while allowing IT service providers to clearly communicate and agree on their scope.”
Leading figures within the industry express confidence in these initiatives’ potential to promote good working practices for ITMSPs and provide customers with clarity on outsourced services.
David Massey, Managing Director of The Apprentice Store, commented: “The charter has been supported in its development by Scottish MSPs so I am confident that it will be able to foster good working practices for MSPs and give customers confidence and clarity on the services that they outsource. The Apprentice Store supported the development of the charter to ensure that the commitments were suitable for large and small MSPs whilst meeting the wider goal of improving the security of Scotland. I personally look forward to seeing the charter develop further and be embraced by ITMSPs as a force for good in the sector.”
Amanda Stewart, Managing Director of Illuminate Technology, added: “This is an exciting step forward for Scotland’s ITMSP industry, to be ahead of the curve of the rest of the UK towards regulation.
“Signing up to this charter is the best proof to those looking to hire ITMSP’s that they are partnering with organisations that take their shared responsibilities seriously.”
For any IT Managed Service Providers that are interested in learning more, they are encouraged to contact Nicola Taylor at nicola.taylor@scotlandis.com, or visit the ScotlandIS website.