A striking two-thirds of mid-market IT and security leaders are considering switching managed service providers within the coming year, even while nearly all express confidence in their current relationships, according to Corsica Technologies' new MSP Trust Gap report. The disconnect reveals that satisfaction alone no longer guarantees retention in a market where clients are increasingly "mentally shopping" for partners who can deliver AI capabilities, data integration, and deeper business transformation support. CEO Brian Harmison describes the phenomenon as exploratory rather than an immediate churn threat, but says it signals customers believe greater expertise may exist elsewhere.
The report found 95.8% of surveyed IT and security leaders trust their current MSP at least somewhat, while 87% report satisfaction with the strategic guidance they receive. Yet data integration emerged as a critical unmet need: 99.7% of respondents consider it important for technology partners to integrate data across security, infrastructure, cloud, and business systems. Only 35% expect their partner to own or strongly support data integration in 2026, and 25% cite limited integration support as a current pain point. Among those contemplating a provider change, 33% pointed to limited AI or automation support as the top reason, tied with reactive service.
Harmison told Channel Insider the data integration finding caught him most off guard, calling it "an unmet need by a lot of MSPs" and a significant market opportunity. He linked that demand directly to AI readiness, arguing clients can't operationalize AI effectively without first understanding how their data is connected, governed, and secured. Traditional MSP conversations around service-level agreements and operational metrics, he said, need to expand: "It's really critical that we be the ones who are guiding them along that journey of AI readiness."
According to Harmison, the broader MSP and tech industry needs to shift from talking about AI to delivering tangible business value with AI as one component of the strategy. He expects the market will soon separate providers that have invested in their own AI capabilities, customer use cases, and demonstrable proof points from those still relying on high-level positioning. "What I see now in our space is a lot of talk, not a lot of actual output," he said. The risk for MSPs is particularly acute because customers can increasingly seek AI guidance outside the traditional provider relationship, making this technology shift more dangerous than previous waves.
Harmison frames the report's findings as opportunity rather than alarm, noting the high baseline trust demonstrates the MSP model remains strong. The challenge lies in converting that trust into a deeper role inside the customer's business. He doesn't view widespread openness to switching as inherently negative, but rather as a chance for MSPs to deepen "not just wallet share, but the connection to how a business operates." The next competitive edge, the report suggests, will come less from simply resolving problems and more from proving providers can help customers navigate what comes next. For MSPs accustomed to competing on reliability and response times, the shift toward advisory services and transformation guidance represents a fundamental repositioning of the relationship itself. Providers who remain focused solely on operational excellence risk losing ground to competitors who can credibly claim they're building the customer's future, not just maintaining their present.