For most partners, change in the channel rarely arrives all at once. It builds over time. Security expectations increase. Incentive models evolve. Customer environments become more complex. Eventually, that accumulation forces a practical question many partners face: is the way we operate today still optimized?
Across the ecosystem, managed service providers (MSPs), cloud-focused partners, and hybrid providers are being asked to deliver more without adding internal capacity. Meeting higher standards while maintaining service quality has become a balancing act. As a result, more partners are stepping back to evaluate whether their current distributor still supports how they want to grow.
A Partner Decision Shaped by Rising Expectations
A recent conversation between TD SYNNEX and Australia‑based managed service provider (MSP) First Focus brought this broader market shift into clear focus. During the discussion, Reza Honarmand, Senior Vice President of Global Hybrid Cloud and Transformation at TD SYNNEX, spoke with the First Focus team about how rising CSP expectations are shaping partner decisions in practical, day‑to‑day ways.
For First Focus, increasing demands and growing operational complexity triggered a reassessment of its distributor strategy. The team took a fresh look at what it required from a distributor to operate efficiently while keeping customer experience front and center.
Rather than isolating a single driver, the conversation explored how operational efficiency, integrated teamwork, and strong support across services and offerings can meaningfully accelerate a managed services business. Ultimately, that evaluation led First Focus to migrate its Microsoft business to TD SYNNEX over other indirect provider options—a deliberate choice grounded in experience and the realities of scaling.
As Jason LaMachia, Head of Vendor Alliances at First Focus, noted, choosing the right distributor is critical to managing that complexity effectively.
“There’s a number of things that we look for [in a distributor]…we really rely on that distributor to be that connection to the vendor. We lean heavily on Tech Data for that support.”
Jason LaMachia, Head of Vendor Alliances, First Focus
Jason’s perspective reflects a wider partner reality. As vendor programs become more demanding, access alone is no longer enough. Partners increasingly value consistent relationships, clear escalation paths, and teams that help reduce operational friction while maintaining strong vendor alignment.
Reza reinforced that TD SYNNEX’s role is to support partners through these moments of reassessment, ensuring they are not navigating CSP changes alone as expectations continue to rise. That shift is now influencing how partners approach the next phase of CSP.
A Clear Takeaway for Partners
The experience of First Focus reflects a broader industry shift. More partners are taking a step back to reassess whether their distributor strategy still aligns with rising expectations. Operational scale, support depth, and vendor alignment are no longer secondary considerations. They are central to long-term planning.
For First Focus, revisiting its CSP strategy was about ensuring the business could keep pace with change without sacrificing customer focus. That same calculation is now playing out across the channel as MSPs and other partners consider what they need to remain competitive in the next phase of CSP evolution.
While the experience highlighted here reflects First Focus’ perspective, TD SYNNEX supports partners across the ecosystem, recognizing that managed service providers (MSPs), value-added resellers (VARs), independent software vendors (ISVs), and CSP partners look for different things in a distributor.
As expectations continue to rise, now is the time to reassess your approach. Connect with your local Microsoft representative or a TD SYNNEX advisor to explore the CSP path that best supports your business moving forward.
About First Focus
First Focus is a leading Australian managed service provider founded in 2003 and headquartered in Sydney, supporting mid‑market organizations (typically 20–200 seats) with managed IT, cybersecurity, cloud, connectivity and unified communications. The company employs 300+ specialists across every major Australian state with additional offices in Auckland and Manila. First Focus are known to deliver consistent, pod‑based service and a Same Day SLA™ backed by its F‑Connect customer portal to provide visibility, control and rapid response at scale. Recognised as Australia’s #1 MSP for mid‑market businesses eight years running and ranked fifth in the 2025 techpartner.news Fast50, First Focus supports tens of thousands of end users across ANZ.
