Different sectors across the UK are facing more complexity as customer needs change and legislation evolves. As businesses look for support with their changing technology requirements, resellers, MSPs and their partners are finding plenty of success by focusing on verticalisation.
Verticalisation is the process of developing offerings that cater to the needs of specific sectors: from healthcare or education, through to construction or manufacturing.
In some ways, this shift towards vertical offerings is because of advancements to the underlying technology. “Pushing generic, one-size-fits-all solutions is a losing game in today’s market,” explained Jason Uslan, vice president of sales at Wildix. “With customisation advancing by the day, the real winners take a vertical approach, focusing on industry-specific challenges and delivering purpose-built solutions that drive real business outcomes.”
Uslan added that success starts with understanding the unique needs of a vertical. He commented, “Don’t just sell tech. Be a problem-solver. Resellers and MSPs must speak the language of their target industries, identify pain points, and recognise areas of opportunity. It’s not about offering slight adjustments to existing products; it’s about delivering flexible, fully customised solutions. Partnering with vendors who prioritise purpose-driven innovation is critical.”
This trend towards vertical offerings taps into rising expectations in all areas across sectors. “Customer expectations are higher than ever, making deep industry expertise a critical competitive advantage,” explained Paul O’Riordan, vice president, Northern Europe, Sage. “The ability to design and configure tailored, flexible solutions is key to standing out and delivering more value.
“That said, trying to be everything to everyone rarely works. Resellers who spread themselves too thin risk losing focus and impact. Instead, the most successful ones double down on their strengths, develop signature offerings and build strategic partnerships that enhance their capabilities. Specialising in this way not only makes them more valuable to customers but also helps them drive long-term growth.”
Collaborative efforts
Many compelling vertical offerings available in the Channel are the result of close collaboration between partners. “The key to creating great vertical offerings is collaboration between the vendor, service provider, channel partner and, most of all, end user,” said Will Morey, business director, Gamma.
He continued, “The first step is to gain really deep insight and understanding of the end user’s world. What do they operate in, and what challenges do they face? Which opportunities are they targeting and what kind of language is being used? What are their KPIs and key metrics that drives business growth forward?”
Morey added that, once channel companies understand this, they can “dig deeper” into the technology and understand the applications, processes, regulations and funding mechanisms that might exist.
Speaking to customers or prospects in that language of their industry is critical to success. Drew Morris, sales director, Neos Networks, said, “Effective vertical targeting requires resellers and MSPs to meticulously align their positioning and language with their chosen industry. For instance, penetrating the legal sector necessitates understanding and addressing its unique challenges through tailored messaging.
“This will enable them to look, feel and sound like an industry insider, building credibility and recognition. Compelling case studies are crucial for demonstrating successful outcomes.
“MSPs must analyse the competitive landscape within their target sector. Market saturation or under-servicing presents distinct challenges and opportunities. A comprehensive understanding of competitors enables unique positioning and differentiation.”
Jack Michalski, director of channel partnerships at TSI, added, “A really simple point when it comes to best practice is that the reseller should ensure they use the language that resonates with the target market to build trust and credibility with potential customers, and to demonstrate an understanding of that vertical. Just because we know our ADSL from our SIP, doesn’t mean the target industry will!”
Michalski highlighted the importance of being able to meet the expectations of particular verticals. He said, “In order to sell a product effectively, it also needs to be well-supported. Consider response times and SLAs – certain industries like healthcare may need 24/7 support for critical systems, so resellers need to ensure they have the support models in place to fully support.”
The good news is that many channel companies can use their own data to guide them on their way to vertical success. “To deliver a successful vertical offering, analysing existing customer data is a good place to start,” commented Martin Saunders, COO at Highlight. “Identify if you have a natural technology and product alignment with particular industries and look for trends among current clients to find the verticals that are already most receptive to your services.”
Morey explained how Gamma helps partners to do just that. He said, “Our team can share data insights to help partners understand their own strengths in different verticals across their customer base. Access to those data insights is a core part of our channel offering, as it helps partners find the verticals they’re best placed to address.”
In addition, plenty of channel companies have expertise within their team that they can bring to the table. “Take the time to get your team together and discuss the pain points of the industry you’re targeting, and how your proposition provides a compelling solution,” explained Will Kennedy, chief revenue officer, Comms365. “Different teams will all have different perspectives, so bear in mind that, while sales may still contribute the most, support, operations, even billing teams, may all have valuable input that could enhance your collective understanding.
“Don’t forget to use your existing customers in your chosen industry to not only highlight and promote your expertise, but enhance your offering through their feedback. As well as helping to showcase the quality of your solutions and your awareness of industry challenges, case studies, testimonials, references, recommendations and interviews can all inspire honest conversations where you can learn from your customers and find new opportunities to evolve your products and services.”
Cost-effective solutions
There are some sectors where the Channel has historically been able to perform well. Simon Blackwell, chief marketing officer, Nebula, explained, “In the UK, MSPs have traditionally excelled in verticals with high IT dependency, regulatory complexity, the need for cost-effective solutions and public funding availability, such as healthcare, government, education.”
That perspective struck a chord with Saunders, from Highlight, who also discussed sectors that require support to meet their technology needs. He commented, “The Channel has historically performed well in verticals where businesses rely heavily on their providers for technology support.
“Retail and hospitality are prime examples, as these industries often have multiple locations and depend on a stable network and technology infrastructure to operate efficiently. In addition, given the intense competition in retail and the shift toward omnichannel sales, providers with a deep understanding of industry trends can offer valuable solutions to these businesses.”
Saunders added the public sector is potentially lucrative for providers, but he cautioned there is a need for preparation and market understanding. He said, “Accessing this market requires meeting strict requirements, such as being listed on platforms like G-Cloud and obtaining specific accreditations.
“Similarly, the health and social care industry offers strong potential but comes with stringent requirements. From personal experience, these are difficult sectors and can often result in wasted resources and lost opportunities.”
Building vertical offerings
The partnerships that exist across the Channel lend themselves to the knowledge sharing that can add firepower to vertical offerings.
“Vendor and wholesale partners can support resellers and MSPs by providing solid customer case studies and real-world examples that demonstrate success within specific industries,” explained Saunders, from Highlight. “These resources help resellers showcase proven outcomes and build credibility with potential clients.
“A strong vendor partnership can assist in refining and tailoring offerings to meet the unique needs of a particular market. This helps in the development of more targeted solutions that align with the demands in that vertical sector and ensure services are more compelling and effective.”
Morris, from Neos Networks, added, “To enhance MSP vertical offerings, wholesale partners should prioritise aligning their capabilities with MSP requirements, guaranteeing optimal service delivery. They can provide valuable support through vertical-specific case studies, demonstrating the practical application of their services. These case studies enable MSPs to assess infrastructure performance and suitability for their clients.
“Additionally, there are opportunities to assist in less direct ways. For example, supporting marketing and brand awareness through joint PR and media opportunities can help to drive awareness. Together, collaboration allows MSPs to better serve niche markets with personalised services utilising the resources made available to them.”
The technology itself can also either aid or hinder the development of vertical offerings. TSI’s Michalski commented, “The vendor or wholesale partner needs to offer platforms which are customisable so they can be adapted for the needs of different industries. For example, the needs of a hotel will be very different from that of a financial institution.
“Security and operational resilience also plays a big part. Cloud solutions need to be optimised for PCI compliance in the retail space, and DORA, where financial entities are required to ensure they can withstand, respond and recover from IT-related disruptions and threats. This is where value added services which are included as standard, such as call recording, really come to the fore.”
Depending on what technology or solution is being offered, vendors can offer support ranging from educational content through to sales assistance.
Kennedy, from Comms365, said, “Make it clear how the product/services can impact a particular industry and leverage whitepapers and end-user surveys to quantify that impact. Offer sales and marketing assets that speak directly to those points and enable resellers to quickly and efficiently spread the message. And, where possible, create templates and onboarding processes that take the nuances of particular industries into account.
“Support them in the pre-sales and implementation stages, using deep technical resource and expertise to field complex questions, anticipate pushbacks, create bespoke integrations and ensure a seamless deployment. This will help build confidence in selling and delivering the service.”
Jonathan Walker, managing director, Luminate, added, “We’ve seen how powerful verticalisation can be when resellers and MSPs take a strategic, insight-led approach to their offering. Understanding your customer’s world and designing solutions that fit their language, workflows and pain points is crucial.”
Walker explained that the most successful vertical strategies his company has supported were built around five key principles: starting with real-world insight, build a clear use case, proving value with a strong success story, tailoring the entire proposition, and then designing for referrals.
On that last area, he said, “In vertical markets, word-of-mouth still matters. Once you’ve delivered results for one customer, others in the sector will hear about it. That means your solution needs to not only work, but it also needs to stand up to recommendation.”
Complex requirements
Verticalisation can also help your company to stand out from the competition for customers looking for simple solutions to complex challenges. “Sectors that rely heavily on network infrastructure, unified communications, Wi-Fi and switching are particularly well-suited to having their technology needs met by the Channel,” explained Saunders, from Highlight.
He continued, “Those industries with complex connectivity requirements, such as retail, hospitality, healthcare and the public sector, benefit significantly from resellers and MSPs that can provide seamless, reliable solutions. They often look to their providers to resolve any technical issues rather than managing them in-house.”
Blackwell, from Nebula, added, “Public sector verticals like healthcare and government have always been significant drivers due to their reliance on frameworks. But they aren’t always the holy grail – they’re price sensitive, have long procurement cycles and are tough to win, which makes them high risk. Private sectors like legal services, meanwhile, fuel growth through sheer volume and recurring service needs.”
Many organisations are looking for a provider who can manage all of their technology requirements. Michalski, from TSI, said, “MSPs are particularly well-suited to providing technology to education, retail, financial and healthcare sectors because they require a solution that is secure, reliable and just works. Organisations in these sectors often have high usage and are required to meet certain regulatory standards, and the Channel is able to provide solutions which meet these needs.
“By providing call recording, for example, the Channel meets the needs of financial and legal institutions because they are able to demonstrate compliance with industry regulations, and easily report on their activities.
“Plus, they can quickly provide call recordings if required to do so. Any business looking to reduce operational expenditure on their communications solution can work with a channel provider because all their communications needs can often be met through one provider.”
Finding your focus
Some technologies are suited to being adapted for particular verticals. Uslan, from Wildix, pointed to UC or CC platforms. He said, “Some technologies naturally lend themselves to industry-specific adaptations. AI-powered communication platforms, for instance, can be tailored for sales teams by integrating with CRM systems to optimise pipelines, streamline workflows and boost collaboration, leading to increased productivity and higher deal closure rates.
“Another example is in retail, where AI-powered solutions are being adapted to address industry challenges such as theft detection, queue management and in-store safety alerts, helping retailers enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience.”
For Kennedy, from Comms365, technologies within the IoT space are particularly adaptable. He said, “The great thing about IoT is that its benefits can be moulded to any industry. For example, every business can leverage smart metering and automatic utilities to save money. Energy and utility businesses are taking that even further with predictive maintenance, and remote monitoring to improve operational reliability and sustainability.
“But don’t forget that connectivity and telecoms are vital to everyone’s everyday operations, no matter what vertical you’re focusing on, so consider resiliency as an essential add-on too. Business-critical systems like IoT, comms and connectivity all need a failover that’s ready at a moment’s notice if there’s ever an outage. The best providers also build that into their propositions for a true digital-transformation-in-a-box proposition.”
The rapid adoption of, at least experimentation with, artificial intelligence (AI) will also have an impact. O’Riordan, from Sage, explained, “AI has the potential to transform every industry – but only when it’s applied in a way that fits a business’s specific needs. That’s why AI works best as part of a tailored tech stack, where it can automate processes, boost productivity and improve decision-making.”
He pointed to accounting, where he said AI can eliminate tedious admin work. AI can scan and extract data from bills, generate reports in real-time across different time zones and reduce errors in data entry.
O’Riordan added, “Every industry has its own unique use cases and that’s where channel partners play a crucial role. By making AI more accessible, simplifying adoption and providing industry-specific solutions, resellers and MSPs can help businesses unlock the real potential of AI – without requiring expensive in-house development.”
Demonstrating your expertise will light the path to successful deals. “Resellers can significantly build traction in a specific vertical market by creating case studies illustrating how they have resolved issues within that sector,” explained Adrian Sunderland, CEO, Jola. “You will appear more credible and achieve greater success in a vertical market when you can discuss how you have assisted others in that area.”
Sunderland pointed to Jola’s specialism in supporting retail and security deployments as two areas where resellers can demonstrate expertise.
He explained, “Supermarkets, clothes shops, and bus and train stations are investing in digital signage solutions. Digital advertising boards require 24/7, reliable connectivity that can be rapidly deployed. Typically, the advertising screens belong to a third party who needs a mobile broadband solution they control and manage across multiple sites.”
Sunderland also discussed why specialist security providers are also having success with mobile solutions. He said, “Security specialists are investing in mobile broadband in rural locations, where 4G or 5G speeds are fast and fixed-line services are slow. 4G CCTV is growing in popularity as it doesn’t require direct power or a Wi-Fi connection.”
Luminate’s Walker highlighted why this matters. He said, “Verticalisation works when it’s underpinned by real understanding, flexible technology and the right support. MSPs have a real opportunity to lead in this space, and the right wholesale partner can make all the difference.”
This feature was included in our May 2025 print issue. You can read the magazine in full here.