Running a successful MSP today requires far more than simply offering antivirus and backup. With cybersecurity threats growing, cloud technologies evolving, and clients expecting increasingly strategic guidance, your team’s technical abilities must be sharp, current, and aligned with your service portfolio.
“Due to the skills shortage, MSPs can’t simply hire their way to improved security-centric revenue streams. So, technology steps in to fill the gap,” Scott Sacket, senior vice president of partner strategy at AvePoint, advised in a previous article.
Scott Sacket
But how do you know if your staff has the right skills to handle new technology or where you’re falling short? That’s where a technical skills gap analysis comes in.
Conducting a Technical Skills Gap Analysis
This isn’t just a check-the-box exercise. It’s a roadmap for better service delivery, higher customer satisfaction, and smarter investments in training.
Step 1: Define the Skills Your Business Needs
Start your technical skills gap analysis by documenting the capabilities that are essential to your business goals today and in the near future. If you’re adding advanced cybersecurity services, your team might need deeper knowledge in threat hunting, compliance frameworks, or endpoint detection and response (EDR). Planning to offer Microsoft Azure support? Then certifications like AZ-104 or hands-on experience with cloud migrations will matter.
Don’t just think in terms of products. Focus on competencies, such as network troubleshooting, scripting, cloud architecture, and client communication. These skill sets form the backbone of what your clients are buying from you.
Step 2: Inventory Your Team’s Current Skills
Next, take stock of your team’s current knowledge. This step is as much about honesty as it is about assessment. You can start with self-assessments, where each employee rates their proficiency in key areas. However, those should be followed by manager evaluations or real-world testing.
Look at certifications as well as performance in recent projects. Who handled the last complex firewall configuration? Who’s stepped up in onboarding a new client to your RMM tool? You’re trying to match what people can do with what they need to be doing.
Step 3: Identify the Gaps
Once you’ve mapped what you need versus what you have, the skills gaps should become clear. Maybe your Tier 1 techs are strong on desktop support but weak on modern authentication protocols. Maybe your service manager is great with scheduling and customer issues but lacks technical depth in cybersecurity, making it harder to upsell services effectively.
The key here is not to treat gaps as weaknesses but as opportunities. Gaps tell you where to focus your training budget and internal development efforts.
Step 4: Prioritize the Gaps That Matter Most
Not all skill gaps are equally urgent. Some can be addressed over time; others block your ability to serve clients or grow revenue right now. Prioritize based on your service roadmap, client demands, and competitive differentiation. For example, if HIPAA compliance is a new focus, the need for knowledge in data governance and risk assessments jumps to the top of the list.
You might find that one gap is shared across your team, such as a lack of scripting or automation skills. In that case, consider group training or cross-training efforts.
Step 5: Close the Gaps Strategically
Once the top priorities are clear, it’s time to act. This doesn’t mean sending everyone to week-long bootcamps. There are a range of options, including:
- Certifications: Choose those aligned with your vendors and services.
- Peer Learning: Pair junior techs with senior staff on real projects.
- Online Platforms: Leverage self-paced training from vendors or marketplaces like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, or ITProTV.
- Lunch and Learns: Have team members share expertise in informal sessions.
For larger or recurring skill gaps, create internal learning paths with timelines and milestones. Set expectations and hold managers accountable for helping staff meet their goals.
Step 6: Make It a Recurring Process
One-off assessments are helpful, but real success comes from repetition. Build skills gap analyses into your quarterly or semi-annual review processes. That way, your workforce evolves in sync with your offerings and you avoid surprise shortages of expertise when launching a new service.
Final Thoughts
A technical skills gap analysis isn’t about pointing fingers. It’s about aligning your most important asset — your people — with your most important goal: delivering value to clients. MSPs that invest in this process build stronger, more capable teams that are ready for what’s next.
If you haven’t done this exercise before, there’s no better time to start. You may be surprised by what your team is ready for. See what’s possible with the right training and support.
Next Steps
- Want more helpful guidance on this topic? Check out our Staffing and Team Development Answer Center.
- Have a question for our experts? Send it to editors@channelpronetwork.com
ChannelPro has created this resource to help busy MSPs streamline their decision-making process. This resource offers a starting point for evaluating key business choices, saving time and providing clarity. While this resource is designed to guide you through important considerations, we encourage you to seek more references and professional advice to ensure fully informed decisions.
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