Are your customers allowed to ride the roller coaster without a seatbelt?

Last week, we shared an excerpt from If’s report that revealed a worrying pattern. The threat landscape for small businesses is growing, yet no actions are being taken. Among 1,012 surveyed companies with up to 49 employees, 28 percent stated that they view cyberattacks as one of the greatest threats to their operations. Still, nearly half (49 percent) have done nothing to improve their IT security in the past two years. Of those who have taken action recently to strengthen their protection against cyberattacks, most have installed a firewall or antivirus software (21 percent) or sought help from a specialist (13 percent).

This is a familiar pattern to us at Gridheart. We speak with partners daily who face the same challenge: their customers recognize the risks but lack the structure, support, or direction to take real action. So who ends up handling the attacks when they occur? That’s right – it’s you, the IT provider, who ends up dealing with the problem. Reactively.

So what if we changed perspective? Cybersecurity needs to be handled proactively, and you should therefore set minimum requirements for your customers. This should also be seen as a way to create business value – because companies that invest in security also show that they are trustworthy, professional, and ready to grow sustainably.

As an IT partner, you need to clearly demonstrate the value of the services you provide – and at the same time set boundaries for what’s required for the partnership to work. It’s not about “upselling” security services, but about establishing a clear baseline your customers must meet in order for you to manage their IT environment.

Think of it like a roller coaster. You’re not allowed to ride unless you meet certain requirements. Minimum height, right age, and of course – your seatbelt securely fastened. In the same way, your customers shouldn’t be allowed to get on board unless they have basic security measures in place.

It’s only when these requirements are met that you can take full responsibility for their IT environment – proactively, securely, and long-term.

Are you struggling to communicate cybersecurity services to your customers? Contact us at Gridheart and we’ll help you!