By now, many SMBs already have Copilot licenses. The question isn’t whether they’ll use AI — it’s how you can help them use it profitably.
The end-user benefits of AI are clear: boosted productivity, amplified creativity and time saved. But, for managed service providers (MSPs), there are different considerations. Most importantly, how can you make money and grow your business with AI tools like Copilot for Microsoft 365?
Let’s explore the opportunity that comes with AI, how you can use Copilot to strengthen client partnerships and how to build a profitable service offer around it.
Want a bigger perspective? Learn how smart MSPs lead the Copilot conversation in this post by Jermaine Clark, Sherweb’s Modern Work, D365 and Copilot Lead Sales Manager.
Is using AI good for your business?
AI is not a future trend; it’s a powerful technology already changing the way businesses work.
According to Microsoft, AI adoption is accelerating faster than ever, with tools like ChatGPT reaching 100 million users in just three months (it took Facebook over four years to reach that number and cell phones took 16 years).
Beyond the sheer number of users, 87% of organizations believe AI will give them a competitive edge, and 70% of people would delegate as much as possible to AI to lessen their workload. This demand and curiosity around AI present a real opportunity for MSPs. While SMBs want to use AI tools, they might not know where to start.
That’s where you come in. Investing in AI expertise now establishes you as a trusted guide and partner who can confidently lead clients through AI adoption. It also gives you a competitive edge over other MSPs who are hesitant or unaware of the opportunity. It’s a win-win situation.
Level up your MSP’s AI readiness: Download your free guide to get started today!
Becoming a trusted Microsoft 365 Copilot advisor
For many SMBs, Copilot for Microsoft 365 is their entry point into AI. Microsoft’s AI companion seamlessly integrates with the Microsoft 365 apps many of us already know and use daily—Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and more. This familiarity and functionality, combined with enterprise-grade security, position Copilot as the AI tool of choice for SMBs.
When it comes to selling Copilot, however, it goes beyond just selling a license. There is no one-size-fits-all approach, so this is a real opportunity for MSPs to step into an advisory role and guide their customers through the AI adoption process. This is your chance to build trust and strengthen your partnership while helping them maximize their benefits from this tool.
This advisory mindset is also key to bridging the gap between selling licenses and creating a unique and profitable offer that adds value for your clients and boosts your bottom line. Let’s explore how to do that.
How to build a profitable Copilot offer
One of the top ways to make Copilot profitable is to lead with your advisory expertise. Create your own unique offer by packaging complementary services around Copilot. These services help differentiate your offer, increase your margins and enhance customer satisfaction with AI and your MSP.
One way of building your service offering is to align with the Copilot deployment journey: getting clients AI-ready, selling and deploying Copilot and post-adoption management.
You don’t have to do everything—start by choosing the categories that match your strengths. Focus on your areas of expertise and identify where most of your clients are in their AI journey. This will help you define your services and show their value.
You also don’t have to start from scratch. You may already offer similar professional services that you can tailor to the Copilot journey. Leverage Microsoft and Sherweb resources to start building your service offering.
Top 11 services to package with Copilot for Microsoft 365
Pre-deployment: Getting your clients AI ready
This is one of the most important steps in the process. Before adopting Copilot, there’s some legwork that needs to be done—proper licensing, security considerations, data management and more. This stage is the perfect opportunity to develop services that help your clients prepare.
- Migration services: One of the foundational prerequisites of using an AI tool like Copilot is having your data in the Microsoft cloud. That means any clients still using on-premises servers will have to migrate to the cloud before adopting Copilot. Offering migration services to help them in this transition is a great way to add value at a foundational stage of their AI journey.
- AI readiness assessment: Before adopting Copilot, you need to consider licensing, security, data management and business needs. Use tools like Microsoft’s AI readiness assessment template to determine where your clients stand and define their next steps.
- Security assessment: If there’s one area that needs to be rock solid before rolling out Copilot, security is it. Understanding the security and compliance implications of AI is crucial for successful Copilot adoption, which makes it a great area to develop services around.
As a starting point, you can access a tenant’s Secure Score in the Microsoft Defender portal. This provides a good snapshot of where clients are starting out and will help you determine next steps.
Another great tool is Microsoft 365 Lighthouse. It provides a holistic view of your clients’ security posture with the ability to drill down into specific devices without having to navigate multiple portals or tenants.
Supplement these tools and resources with your own expertise to build a security assessment that really works for you and your clients.
- Gap analysis: This is another area where Microsoft provides a good starting point. Check out your Microsoft tenant for lots of good data points that can help you assess where your clients are in their AI journey and help you create an individualized roadmap for their Copilot adoption. If you’ve helped clients make the move from on-prem to the cloud or to Azure, you may already have a document you can adapt and use for Copilot, as it’s a similar journey.
- CSP briefings: This Microsoft program is a one-to-many partner-led event available through Sherweb. It provides you with the content you need to deliver a workshop about Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Copilot for Microsoft 365. Besides being a great way to get the Copilot conversation started with your clients, it’s also an incentivized program with Microsoft. Reach out to the Sherweb team to learn more about CSP briefings.
Adoption: Deploy and configure Copilot
At this stage, focus on services that will help your clients see the value of Copilot based on their business needs, get them to use it for themselves and help them start rolling it out to their users.
- Demos and use cases: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to Copilot. That’s why it’s helpful to show your clients Copilot in action and how it applies to them with specific use cases for their industry, role and business goals. Get started with Microsoft’s demo content or give them a demo based on your experience by showing them how you use it. You can also work with them to prepare specific use cases based on their business needs.
- Pilot programs: Help clients organize and run a pilot program. Identify users in different functions to try out Copilot with a limited number of licenses. This is a good way for your clients to see the value for themselves before committing to a full rollout.
- Deployment and configuration assistance: When your clients are ready to start using Copilot, work with them to set up policies and preferences to ensure that it’s properly configured for their needs. This also gives you the opportunity to identify and resolve issues prior to deployment.
- Copilot Agents: Go beyond standard features by building and integrating custom Copilot Agents for your clients. Using Microsoft Copilot Studio, you can create task-oriented agents that automate specific business processes and workflows, like customer service inquiries or IT support. This allows you to offer high-value, tailored solutions that solve unique client challenges and create new recurring revenue streams for your MSP.
- Training sessions: Ongoing training helps your clients get the most out of Copilot and establishes your role as an expert and advisor. Whether it’s one-on-one or one-to-many, a training component will give your clients confidence that they have a reliable partner as they get up and running with Copilot. We see this every quarter in Sherweb’s Copilot Masterclasses, partner roadshows and other events — real packaging is what makes Copilot stick.
Post-adoption: Managing and improving results
This stage is all about evolving your offer and continuing to provide value even after a successful Copilot rollout.
- Monitoring and improvement sessions: Another perfect opportunity to step into that advisory role, regular business reviews—quarterly or annually—give you the opportunity to connect with your clients, share your expertise and help them get the most from Copilot.
Leverage the Copilot dashboard for actionable insights that you can share with your clients about Copilot usage in their organization and ways they can improve outcomes. This technology continues to evolve, so this will ensure your clients continue to get the most from it.
Beyond services, another way to boost the profitability of your Copilot offer is through Microsoft incentives. These programs are designed to reward MSPs for adopting Copilot for themselves (a crucial element of successful reselling) and for rolling it out to their clients. Contact the Sherweb team today to learn more about what incentives are available to you, and make sure to stay up to date on Microsoft’s latest changes to its CSP program.
Simplifying Copilot for Microsoft 365 for MSPs
With Sherweb, you can get started with Copilot and begin driving adoption with confidence. Our team of experts is here to help you every step of the way. We’ve been mastering the Microsoft ecosystem since 2005, and we have the expertise and the resources to help you get more from Microsoft and Copilot.
If you’re looking for an experienced partner you’ve come to the right place!
Want to stay on top of Microsoft Copilot developments? Ready to experience the future of work? Copilot is available for MSPs to offer to their clients via Sherweb’s portal. Not yet a Sherweb partner? Getting started is easy: learn more about the Microsoft Cloud Solution Provider Program at Sherweb.
Sherweb is committed to helping MSPs make the most of their Microsoft relationship while also capitalizing on opportunities that will drive growth for their business. As Copilot for M365 continues to evolve, we’ll keep providing updates and assisting our partners and their clients in leveraging this AI technology for their benefit. Our expert team will guide you through the implementation process and help you unlock the full potential of this revolutionary tool.
