Climb launches people-led model to help MSP growth

Climb Channel Solutions has launched a ‘People + Platform’ partnership model for managed service providers, aimed at reshaping how IT distribution supports MSP growth.

The offer combines an eight-stage partnership framework with discovery sessions, operational support and a toolkit for MSPs. It is intended to move distribution away from a marketplace-led, transactional model and towards one focused more on direct support and planning.

The launch comes amid a wider channel debate about the role of distributors as MSPs face tighter margins, hiring pressures and growing complexity in service delivery. Marketplace platforms are now a common route for procuring and managing technology, but Climb argues that automation alone does not solve challenges such as pricing, service design and long-term strategy.

Under the model, the first stage is a Climb-led discovery session examining an MSP’s priorities, customer focus, existing technology estate and business challenges. Vendors are not involved at that stage, so any later recommendations are shaped around partner needs rather than product pitches.

The process then feeds into a broader programme spanning assessment, service launch, customer acquisition and ongoing optimisation. Alongside the framework, Climb is introducing an MSP Growth Toolkit, a webinar series focused on MSP issues and a new user community called the MSP Growth Collective.

Channel shift

The move reflects how distributors are trying to redefine their role in the technology sales chain as partners demand more than fulfilment and procurement services. MSPs increasingly want support with business planning, sales execution and the practical work of packaging services for end customers, especially in crowded markets where differentiation is difficult.

Climb, the UK arm of Climb Global Solutions, distributes technology across security, artificial intelligence, data management, connectivity, storage, cloud and software. Its latest model is intended to address the gap between transactional buying tools and the day-to-day decisions MSPs face when building and scaling services.

Chris Chandler outlined the rationale for the launch.

“Climb is redefining what MSPs should expect from distribution. We have listened to the challenges MSPs are facing and have decided to build a model that tackles these head on. At its core is people and human relationships, which is why our vendors and partners choose to engage and do business with Climb,” said Chris Chandler, Head of MSP at Climb.

The emphasis on human support comes as many parts of the channel increase their use of digital self-service tools. Those systems can streamline quoting, fulfilment and licence management, but channel executives have also argued that they can leave partners without enough guidance on how to turn technology into a profitable service offering.

Climb’s model is based on the view that distribution should play a more consultative role for MSPs, particularly in the early stages of service development. By bringing vendors in later, the company is seeking to show that its starting point is partner need rather than supplier inventory.

MSP pressures

The issues Climb highlights are familiar across the managed services market. Providers face ongoing pressure to protect margins while investing in staff, adapting to customer demand and keeping pace with changes in software, cloud and security. Recruitment constraints have added to that strain, making it harder for smaller providers in particular to develop specialist expertise in-house.

That backdrop has created an opening for distributors and channel intermediaries that can offer not only access to vendors, but also repeatable frameworks and advisory support. Climb’s eight-stage structure is an attempt to formalise that support into a more consistent process for partners.

Chandler said automation alone is not enough.

“Automation is essential but not transformative. What makes the difference is how MSPs package, position, and deliver their services. That’s where people, experience, and structure come in, and that’s where we will focus,” he said.