Why MSPs Shouldn’t Use the Vendor Portals That Come With Their Tools

In the competitive world of Managed Service Providers (MSPs), standing out from the crowd is critical. Yet, many MSPs rely on the built-in customer portals that come with tools like ConnectWise Manage or other PSA/RMM platforms. While it may seem convenient to use these included portals, there are several compelling reasons why MSPs should reconsider and opt for a more flexible, customizable solution for most – or even all – tools in the managed service technology stack.

Brand Identity

One of the most significant challenges for MSPs is differentiation. Many tools like ConnectWise Manage have a large market share, and it's highly likely that your new client has encountered the same portal with another MSP in the past. This lack of uniqueness can weaken your brand identity.

In addition, the default portals often don’t offer adequate branding or theme customization, meaning every MSP ends up delivering the same user experience. This lack of personalization can make it difficult to communicate your value and stand out in a crowded market.

Using a white labeled customer portal allows you to fully white label your platform, giving your clients a consistent and professional self-service experience that strengthens your company’s identity.

Limited Functionality

The vendor portals included with most MSP tools are often outdated and are limited in functionality. For example, the ConnectWise Manage customer portal often frustrates users with its inefficiency and dated interface. Additionally, these vendor portals usually only support the services provided within their own product umbrella. So if you use NinjaOne for instance, and you want to offer your end users access to documents, your MSP has to use Ninja’s documentation module, even if it may be and prefer to use IT Glue.

This fragmented experience discourages customers from using the portals at all, which means they miss out on understanding the full scope of the services you offer. A unified portal can integrate all the tools you use, offering a streamlined, user-friendly experience that encourages clients to engage with your value-added services.

Vendor Portals Creates Dependency

One of the hidden dangers of using a built-in portal is becoming too dependent on a specific vendor. If you ever decide to switch platforms or add new tools to your tech stack, the process of migrating not just your data but also your client portal can become an overwhelming task. You would need to train clients, migrate logins, and potentially lose time in the transition. This is often even more overwhelming for your Clients.

Using a vendor-agnostic solution gives you the freedom to switch tools without impacting your clients’ experience. You remain in control of your technology stack, and your customers get a consistent experience regardless of which back-end tools you decide to use.

Lack of Transparency and/or Visibility

Vendor-provided portals are designed to showcase only the services offered by that vendor. This narrow focus can obscure the full range of services you offer, making it harder for customers to understand the value of your MSP. In many cases, vendor portals don't allow you to combine data or services from other platforms, limiting transparency and client engagement.

A comprehensive client portal allows you to integrate and showcase all of your services in one place. This provides your customers with complete transparency, ensuring they have access to all relevant information about their IT environment. In fact, one Admix Portal partner was able to revive a lost business opportunity within a week of launching their client portal, demonstrating the potential for transparency to drive client satisfaction and revenue growth.

Exposing Your Technology Stack

Choosing the right technology stack for your MSP is no small feat. Each component offers something unique and comes with its own drawbacks, therefore MSPs exert considerable effort to carefully select the best-fit vendor solutions for their clients. By relying on built-in vendor portals, you unintentionally expose the tools within your stack. This can be risky, as many vendors also sell directly to end-user organizations, including IT departments. By exposing the components of your technology stack, the Client could bypass your services and purchase those tools directly from the vendir leading to lost revenue and undermining the trust and value you’ve built.

Conclusion

Using the built-in portals that come with MSP tools may seem convenient, but it comes at a cost. These portals limit your brand identity, functionality, and flexibility, while also exposing your technology stack. By doing so, you risk clients bypassing your services and purchasing directly from vendors, leading to lost revenue and weakened relationships. Opting for a vendor-agnostic solution like Admix Portal helps protect your business, offering a unified, branded experience that showcases the full value of your services and keeps your tech stack secure.