Managed service providers are more than just technical troubleshooters — they’re essential compliance coaches, guiding clients through complex requirements and helping them avoid costly mistakes before they happen. Here’s how smart MSPs can position themselves as compliance coaches, using technology and education to drive measurable client success (and how tools like Blacksmith make that journey easier).​

The Coach’s Mindset: Proactive Education, Not Passive Enforcement

Great MSPs understand that compliance isn’t just a one-time checklist or a “necessary evil” — it’s a continuous process and a business differentiator. When MSPs approach compliance as an ongoing conversation and education strategy, clients are far less likely to slip into audit trouble or regulatory hot water.​

• Compliance is about creating a security-aware culture, not just installing tools.​

• Clients empowered with regular education and risk conversations are quicker to recognize and address potential pitfalls.

Step One: Assess and Map Regulatory Risks

MSPs should start every client engagement with a tailored compliance risk assessment. This means understanding which frameworks apply (HIPAA, CMMC, PCI DSS, and so on), then working with the client to map out current gaps and prioritize fixes.

• Blacksmith offers a free, open source risk assessment tool MSPs can use to start these important conversations, providing both structured analysis and a jumping-off point for custom client roadmaps.​

• By inviting clients into the assessment process, MSPs help demystify compliance and encourage buy-in from all levels of their client’s organization.

Building a Robust Educational Program

Education is the linchpin of effective compliance coaching:

• Schedule regular training for client staff, covering the regulatory pitfalls most relevant to their roles.​

• Reinforce lessons with real-life scenarios gleaned from audits, incidents, and regulatory guidance.​

• Blacksmith and similar platforms can automate much of the education delivery, tracking which users have completed required topics and surfacing areas that need more attention.​

Ongoing Risk Reviews and Compliance Checkups

One-and-done compliance efforts leave organizations exposed. Instead:

• MSPs should conduct recurring risk assessments and gap analyses, following up on previous findings to ensure progress.

• Using a risk assessment tool and Blacksmith’s Compliance Roadmap regularly provides clients with visual evidence of improvement or areas still needing work — keeping compliance at the front of everyone’s mind.​

Communication: Turning Compliance Into a Two-Way Conversation

Open dialogue is essential for successful compliance coaching. Rather than simply distributing reports, MSPs should:

• Meet with clients regularly to review risk assessment results, discuss policy changes, and get feedback.

• Deliver easy-to-read summaries and dashboards, such as those offered by Blacksmith, to keep non-technical executives engaged in compliance outcomes.​

Automation and Accountability

What stops most MSPs from monetizing compliance? Time — or at least a perception of how much time it will take to bring compliance into the stack. With hours and effort at a premium, MSPs should seize automation:

• Leverage MSP compliance tools to automate documentation collection, reminders, and policy monitoring — cutting down human error and freeing MSP teams to focus on higher value consulting work.​

Shifting the Conversation: Compliance as a Value Driver

The best MSPs move compliance out of the realm of “something to get over with” and show how it builds resilience, protects reputation, and even opens doors to new business opportunities.

• Position compliance as a means to secure long-term growth, not just a hurdle to clear for auditors or regulators.​

How Blacksmith Helps MSPs — and Their Clients — Stay Ahead

To begin (or strengthen) the compliance coaching journey, MSPs can take advantage of Blacksmith’s free risk assessment tool. This no-obligation assessment gives both a starting point and establishes the MSP as an active coach — one invested in preventing regulatory missteps before they become disasters.

• Use the assessment findings to frame practical, client-specific compliance action plans.

• Demonstrate ongoing coaching and results, solidifying long-term client trust and loyalty.​

By embracing the role of compliance coach — and using scalable platforms like Blacksmith — MSPs stand out, deliver real value, and build partnerships where regulatory mistakes become a thing of the past.​