technologyreseller.co.uk 17 comprising humanled expertise, processes and technologies. It demands collaboration and robust process management, not just automated checks. This is particularly important in sectors such as finance and healthcare where non-compliance can be incredibly damaging, and where human judgement and experience are crucial. In addition, MSPs seeking to develop CaaS offerings must work to optimise the client experience by ensuring the platforms on which their solutions are built can integrate seamlessly with existing tools and systems. CaaS is in demand because of its potential to ease the compliance burden on employees. However, if the implementation of a CaaS solution requires major overhaul of infrastructure and/or operations, it will simply turn one headache into another. It’s critical that MSPs ensure their offerings seamlessly work with current IT setups. Another requirement is the ability to provide transparent insights to clients. Yes, clients want compliance management off their desks, but they will still want to see how the landscape is evolving and changing, so CaaS solutions must provide a window into key changes and updates, ideally through easy-to-navigate, easy-to-understand dashboards and real-time reporting features. It’s a lot for MSPs to consider. However, those that can successfully adapt, ticking each of these boxes to deliver the optimal experience for clients, will reap the rewards. CaaS is a logical step to take, and while it requires some strategic thinking and transformation internally, it could open the door to a host of new opportunities among new and existing customers. https://www.isms.online/ service providers (MSPs), this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. To achieve compliance while ensuring that alignment with legislation doesn’t become a major internal distraction or productivity black hole, many firms are seeking support from external solutions and partners. Gartner estimates that investment in governance, risk and compliance tools from legal and compliance departments could increase by 50% between 2023 and 2026. Many companies will also be looking to MSPs, trusted third parties that are already managing IT infrastructure and end-user systems, for answers to their problems. According to PwC’s survey, cybersecurity alongside data protection and privacy are the two leading priorities for companies in relation to compliance – areas in which MSPs already hold substantial expertise. The expectation is that MSPs will be able to help. The risk for MSPs that fail to meet these expectations is that clients will vote with their feet in search of comprehensive support from a single provider. Those that can integrate Complianceas‑a-Service (CaaS) into existing offerings will reap the benefits, adding value, diversifying their offerings and gaining a competitive advantage. However, capitalising on this opportunity will likely require a change in strategy. MSPs must adapt Today, many MSP business models centre around the management and delivery of automated tools. However, when it comes to CaaS, channel partners must go the extra mile to deliver the solutions their customers need. Yes, technologies are important. According to McKinsey, organisations can reduce compliance costs by up to 30% through process optimisation and automation. However, it’s important to recognise and convey to clients that compliance is not a case of ‘set and forget’. It is an ongoing process that requires continuous management, specialist support and reliable tools to achieve results. CaaS must be an integrated offering Regulatory burdens have weighed heavily on the shoulders of UK businesses in recent years, with the rising tide of administrative complexity increasing costs, hindering innovation and productivity and presenting growth challenges. Addressing this legislative load has been on the government’s to-tackle list for many years. In 2015, for example, the Business Impact Target (BIT) was launched with the specific goal of assessing the economic impact of regulation and reducing regulatory burdens. Unfortunately, figures show that those efforts haven’t been too successful. Rather than falling, the UK Regulatory Policy Committee revealed that regulatory costs have continued to grow, rising by £7.8 billion during the 2017-2019 parliament and by a further £14.3 billion in the first three years of the 2019‑2024 parliament. Firms have felt the pressure as a result. Indeed, 85% of respondents to PwC’s Global Compliance Survey 2025 agree that compliance requirements have become more complex in the last three years. The impacts can be significant: 82% said compliance complexity has negatively affected senior leadership focus, while 81% feel it has hindered their transformation and change activities. Unfortunately, there’s little to suggest that the regulatory demands on businesses will diminish anytime soon. Not only have new frameworks such as NIS2 and DORA been introduced, the spotlight is now being shone on AI legislation, with Gartner estimating that 50% of governments globally will enforce the use of responsible AI through regulations and policies by 2026. Clients will look to MSPs for answers In essence, UK companies are faced with a growing compliance burden, demanding a compliance strategy that many do not have the time, expertise or resources to address. A one-size-fits-all approach simply isn’t adequate owing to the growing scope and specificity of regulations. For managed Mike Graham, Head of Partnerships at compliance specialist ISMS.online, explains what MSPs should do to capitalise on the opportunities in compliance Compliance challenges for MSPs – and how to address them COMPLIANCE David Tulip
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