ITEXPO Reflections: AI, Automation, and Shortening Sales Cycles
A couple of things stood out at ITEXPO 2026:
AI and Automation is everywhere — but many MSPs are still figuring out how to meaningfully apply AI-powered automation to their own service desk as well as internal and client business processes.
At the same time, Everyone wants faster sales cycles—but without tighter alignment between vendors and their MSP and Advisor partners, that goal stays out of reach.
Both realities came through clearly in the two panels I had the opportunity to moderate.
Automation Everywhere: AI in Service Delivery & Help Desk
Tuesday, February 10th Session Recap
That reality came through clearly during the Automation Everywhere: AI in Service Delivery & Help Desk panel at ITEXPO 2026.
I had the opportunity to moderate a great discussion with industry experts:
• Bobby Jacobs, Head of Growth, Thread
• Jason Kemsley, Chief Revenue Officer, Uptime
• Jayesh Kasim, CEO, Valenta
• Hamed Zolghadri, Ph.D., Co-founder, Netverge
What stood out wasn’t just where MSPs are today — but what becomes possible once they do the work internally.
When MSPs apply AI-powered automation to their own service desk and internal operations, they’re forced to answer hard, valuable questions:
- Which processes are repetitive, manual, and error-prone?
- Where does work slow down because of handoffs, missing context, or human judgment calls?
- What outcomes actually matter enough to automate end-to-end?
That learning is the real asset.
The biggest opportunity isn’t selling clients your service-desk automations.
It’s taking the knowledge gained from fixing your own workflows and using it to help clients identify and automate their repetitive, fragile business processes — finance, HR, operations, sales, and beyond.
That’s where digital assistants become powerful:
- They automate client-specific workflows, not generic IT tasks
- They deliver measurable outcomes and ROI tied to real business friction
- They create new, recurring revenue streams for MSPs and advisors
- And they do it without adding linear headcount
Clients don’t want AI demos.
They want fewer errors, faster cycles, and less operational drag.
The MSPs that will win in 2026 will be the ones who learn automation by applying it themselves – then bring that process discovery and outcome thinking to their clients.
Thanks to the panel for a practical, grounded discussion — and to the MSPs who are starting to turn internal AI and automation experience into real client value.
If you’re an MSP or advisor thinking about how AI powered Digital Assistant as a Service (hashtag#DaaS) can turn internal automation experience into measurable client outcomes — feel free to message me – I’m happy to compare notes and share what I am seeing in the market.
And a big thank you for Joe Fabiano and Erik Linask for the invite to moderate the panels, Morten Soerensen for taking the picture, and to the ITEXPO team for putting on a great event!
Len DiCostanzo
CEO
MSP Toolkit
Cracking the Code: Vendor-Driven Strategies to Shorten Sales Cycles and Boost Partner Profitability
Thursday, February 12th Session Recap
The other reality was front and center when I had the opportunity to moderate the “Cracking the Code: Vendor-Driven Strategies to Shorten Sales Cycles and Boost Partner Profitability” panel at ITEXPO. Given how cautious buyers have become and how noisy the market is right now, the topic couldn’t have been more relevant.
What made this session especially resonant for me is that it mirrors what I see every day in my work with vendors building channel GTM strategies and channel partner programs.
I was joined by a sharp, very candid group of panelists:
Melissa Babiak, Sr. Partner Development Manager, Telarus
Dori Spade, President, Call To Action LLC
Jayesh Kasim, CEO, Valenta
What made the discussion valuable wasn’t theory or vendor marketing — it was the real-world input from the room. MSPs, Advisors, and Channel Vendors openly shared what’s working, what’s breaking down, and what they actually expect from one another if sales cycles are going to shorten.
A few realities everyone agreed on:
Buying is now a multi-stakeholder, risk-averse committee process
Product training and one-sheets don’t move deals forward
Vendors build tools, but (partners) often fail to operationalize them in live deals
AI helps but only when it shortens time-to-proof, not just proposals
What consistently came up as effective:
✅ Shared discovery and qualification
✅ Deal-ready ROI and impact models used early
✅ Co-selling that adds clarity without hijacking the relationship
✅ Simple offers, predictable delivery, and low-friction onboarding
The takeaway that stuck with me — and one I see repeatedly with vendor partner programs:
Sales cycles don’t shorten because of better messaging.
They shorten when vendors and partners remove friction together — in discovery, in delivery, and in how value is proven.
Appreciate the honest perspectives from Melissa, Dori, Jayesh, and everyone in the room who leaned into a practical, execution-focused discussion.
And a big thank you to Joe Fabiano and Erik Linask for the invitation to moderate, and to the ITEXPO team for putting on a great event with conversations that actually matter to MSPs, Technology Advisors, Vendors and the diverse channel ecosystem.
Len DiCostanzo
CEO
MSP Toolkit
Interested in any of these topics? Let’s Talk!