Pax8 empowers Germany-based MSP to drive operational efficiency and 20% year-on-year growth
Problem
Cumbersome manual licensing processes and lack of MSP-centric vendors
Niteflite Networxx started out as an owner-managed IT systems house in Germany in 1998 and has transitioned to a managed service provider (MSP). The company understood that switching its business model from project-based to a managed service offering had tremendous benefits. But without the right support, it had a number of challenges along the way. Partnering with a traditional distributor didn’t help Niteflite Networxx simplify and elevate their cloud business.
“We had our licensing business with a classic broadline distributor, but despite their size, they were not flexible and progressive. There was no distributor in the local market that had hands-on knowledge of an MSP business, and that was the biggest problem we faced.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Time-consuming and laborious manual invoicing processes and the lack of an automated integration hampered the efficiency and productivity of the business.
“We always had a problem with manual invoicing and billing processes. Manually counting hundreds of licences for multiple tenants and users took an excessive amount of time and energy.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Finding vendors primarily focused on MSPs and their SMB clients was another hurdle, making the licensing process even more challenging for Niteflite Networxx.
“Working with vendors that have no understanding of what MSP businesses are like is frustrating – that was one of our main pain points in the past. Due to the vendors’ old legacy licensing models, we often had to buy annual licences, split them into monthly licences, and resell them to our clients as an MSP service, which prevented us from driving maximum efficiency for our business.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Although some vendors in the United States delivered the products Niteflite Networxx needed, they did not have any offerings in Germany, making the solutions inaccessible to the MSP. After its launch in mainland Europe, Pax8 stepped into the breach to provide advanced solutions and opportunities for growth for MSPs on the continent.
Solution
Bridging the gap with a value-added partnership
Niteflite Networxx discovered Pax8 at one of the world’s largest MSP-centric events in the US and was eager to benefit from the world-class technology products and services it offers. As soon as Pax8 expanded into mainland Europe in 2021, Niteflite Networxx seized the opportunity.
“My first encounter with Pax8 was at the DattoCon and Autotask Community Live event in the United States. I was so impressed with the professionalism of Pax8 representatives that every time I met them, I asked when they would have a footprint in Europe. When Pax8 entered the European market and started doing business in Germany, I was very happy to make the most of its value-based offerings and top-notch support.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Pax8 started simplifying the MSP’s cloud journey from day one through a seamless onboarding experience.
“The onboarding process was really easy, with zero downtime. Migrating our tenants to Pax8 was absolutely smooth and simple, and we did not encounter any problems along the way. We were provided with support and guidance before, during, and after the move and got all the help we needed.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Through its innovative technology, superior solutions, and best-in-class support, Pax8 not only solved the issues that were vexing Niteflite Networxx, but also provided even more value to their business.
“I am very service-oriented, and I appreciate working with the company that has a good understanding of partner services. Focusing not on selling products but keeping its partners happy – that is what I love about Pax8.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Benefit
Seamless PSA integrations
In the MSP space, optimisation and efficiency are critical for success. Niteflite Networxx’s previous distributor did not offer any professional services automation (PSA) integration, making managing hundreds of licences a juggling act. Pfister understood that simplified cloud management requires automation and PSA integration.
“We wanted to consolidate all of our licences in one place to have a single pane of glass. Our previous distributor didn’t provide integration with PSA tools. One of the biggest ways that Pax8 adds value is offering PSA integrations with our preferred vendors. The process was so seamless that we decided to transition all of our Office 365 licensing to Pax8.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Through integration with industry-leading PSA tools, Niteflite Networxx can now automate provisioning, consolidate and customise billing, place orders, update seat counts, browse products, and do so much more – all within the single Pax8 Marketplace, with just a few clicks, and for free.
Extensive vendor portfolio relevant for MSPs
The expansive catalogue of best-in-class vendor solutions available through the innovative Pax8 Marketplace offered another significant benefit for Niteflite Networxx. To ensure a seamless partner experience, Pax8 carefully curates its vendor line card to best meet the needs of its partner base. Pfister was impressed with this rigorous vetting process and the vast selection of technology vendors that are focused on delivering MSP solutions.
“It is really important to build your tech stack with competing and qualified products from vendors that understand what an MSP business is like. The very special thing about Pax8 is that it has a huge portfolio with very relevant products for MSPs, which always provides us with inspiration and new ideas for expanding our MSP offerings.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Pax8 Marketplace as a one-stop shop for different cloud solutions
Previously, Niteflite Networxx was inundated with documentation, various bills and administrative tasks caused by interfacing several different vendors. Making the switch to Pax8 made those headaches disappear as the MSP is now taking advantage of bundling multiple vendor products and solutions together through a single platform – the Pax8 Marketplace.
“When Pax8 didn’t have a presence in Germany two-three years ago, we had to purchase cloud solutions directly from vendors or from different distributors, which was not operationally efficient and cost-effective. By partnering with Pax8, we can now order, provision, and bill our full stack from a single platform.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Speedy response and outstanding support
Pfister says that time is of the essence for MSP businesses. One of the primary reasons that he appreciates having Pax8 as a partner is the added benefit of saving time by offering prompt responses and fast resolutions to any issues that arise. With free 24/7 pre- and post-sales support, Pax8 acts as a single point of contact for its partners whenever needed.
“As an MSP business, if we need support, most of the time, it’s really urgent. When we have questions, we need prompt answers since everything is very time-critical to us. Pax8 representatives respond to our questions and provide superior support in a timely manner – and that’s a really big advantage.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Expert education and professional guidance
To simplify cloud management and drive more market adoption, Pax8 also helps its partners navigate the complexities of Microsoft solutions by offering in-depth training courses. As a business, Niteflite Networxx relies on Pax8 Microsoft experts to deepen their team members’ technical knowledge and get experienced guidance to make the most of their Microsoft business.
“We also benefitted from the Microsoft Azure training courses organised by Pax8. Two of my employees participated in the two-day training session, which was a really helpful way to get hands-on learning and develop technical fundamentals for deploying and managing Azure technologies.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Results
Time saved, billing simplified, and operational efficiency increased
The automated billing service provided through the integration of the Pax8 Marketplace with leading PSA tools eliminated laborious manual billing processes, streamlining daily operations and saving the company a considerable amount of time and effort.
“Pax8 offered us solutions to make our business processes smoother and get rid of manual tasks. This saved us valuable time so we could spend those hours on better supporting our clients and investing in more important business operations. Thanks to the automation and PSA integrations, we now save at least one day a month on invoicing, which is less than half the time it used to take.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
The MSP no longer has to deal with a pile of different invoices from different vendors or distributors and interact with multiple stakeholders. Leveraging automation, integrations, and cloud technologies helped Niteflite Networxx create a seamless experience between different solutions.
“Working with other distributors or directly with vendors is difficult because they have different accounting periods, different invoices, different contact people, and different charges. Pax8 made our life easier by significantly reducing paperwork and consolidating everything into a single invoice.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
Tremendous growth with a reliable partner
By delivering the best partner experience through its award-winning technology, responsive support, and innovative resources, Pax8 enabled Niteflite Networxx to accelerate their growth and scale their business. Since partnering with Pax8, the MSP has achieved incremental growth, allowing the company to expand its capabilities and product offerings.
“We are experiencing around 20% year-on-year growth at the moment, which is substantial. Compared to former times, we have doubled our business, and Pax8 has definitely played a major role in this as our trusted partner.” – Maximilian Pfister, Managing Director of Niteflite Networxx
About Niteflite Networxx
Niteflite Networxx offers efficient solutions to enable medium-sized companies to manage their IT infrastructure securely. With more than 20 years’ expertise and in-depth IT know-how, Niteflite Networxx ensures stable IT operations based on fixed agreed service levels and predictable conditions. The company proactively manages and controls IT assets and can therefore identify and solve problems immediately, long before the business is affected. Whether it is individual IT services or complete support, the MSP empowers clients with industry-leading tools and enhanced cloud solutions to grow their business and achieve great success.