For ConnectWise's Automate RMM solution, should we emphasize expanding third-party integrations or enhancing native capabilities to better serve our core MSP customers?

Introduction

For ConnectWise's Automate RMM solution, we're facing a critical trade-off between expanding third-party integrations and enhancing native capabilities to better serve our core MSP customers. This decision will significantly impact our product strategy, user experience, and market positioning. I'll analyze this trade-off by examining our product's current state, evaluating potential impacts, and proposing a data-driven approach to make an informed decision.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Based on our market position, I'm thinking this decision could significantly impact our competitive advantage. Could you provide more context on our current market share and main competitors in the RMM space?

Why it matters: Helps assess the urgency and potential impact of our decision Expected answer: We're a top 3 player with 20-30% market share, facing increasing pressure from cloud-native solutions Impact on approach: Would prioritize features that differentiate us from cloud-native competitors

• Considering our revenue model, I assume Automate is a key revenue driver. Can you confirm the percentage of our overall revenue that Automate contributes and its growth trajectory?

Why it matters: Aligns our decision with financial impact and growth strategy Expected answer: Automate contributes 40-50% of revenue with 10-15% YoY growth Impact on approach: Would focus on options that accelerate growth and protect this revenue stream

• Regarding user impact, I'm curious about our customer segmentation. What percentage of our MSP customers are small (1-10 employees) vs. medium (11-50) vs. large (50+), and how does their usage of third-party integrations vs. native features differ?

Why it matters: Ensures our decision caters to the needs of our most valuable customer segments Expected answer: 60% small, 30% medium, 10% large; larger MSPs tend to use more third-party integrations Impact on approach: Would consider a tiered approach to feature development based on segment needs

• From a technical perspective, I'm wondering about the current state of our API and integration capabilities. How robust is our existing API, and what's the average time-to-integration for a new third-party tool?

Why it matters: Assesses the feasibility and potential timeline for expanding integrations Expected answer: API is stable but could be more comprehensive; average integration takes 2-4 weeks Impact on approach: Would influence the balance between improving API vs. building native features

• Regarding resources, can you give me an idea of our current team structure and capacity? What's the split between engineers working on native features vs. integration/API development?

Why it matters: Helps understand our ability to execute on different strategies Expected answer: 70% on native features, 30% on integrations/API; at full capacity Impact on approach: Would impact the feasibility of pursuing both strategies simultaneously or need for team restructuring