- ‘MSP Playbook for Working Smarter, Not Harder’ addresses the MSP opportunity as SMB agentic AI adoption set to accelerate
- Practical frameworks for onboarding, incident response, vendor consolidation, and scalable client delivery available as a single downloadable resource
SUNNYVALE, Calif., June 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Proofpoint, Inc., a leading cybersecurity and compliance company, today announced the launch of a new playbook by Proofpoint MSP Platform, its new business unit dedicated to serving managed service providers (MSPs) and small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The MSP Playbook for Working Smarter, Not Harder provides MSPs with clear, actionable strategies to scale their organizations while helping SMBs navigate new and emerging challenges from AI adoption.
This playbook has been created in response to the growing cybersecurity needs of SMBs, from evolving cybercrime threats to increasing compliance demands. It is designed to arm MSPs with the tools and insights needed to handle all daily functions at pace while scaling their business in the era of AI. Topics like AI, vendor consolidation, effective onboarding, and ongoing customer management are all difficult to handle effectively, especially at scale, and the information laid out in the playbook can help MSPs get their processes optimized to address each one effectively.
Daniel Hofmann, GM & EVP, Proofpoint MSP Platform, said: “MSPs are crucial partners to businesses that need secure, reliable and efficient technology support. The need for clearer guidance, stronger protection, and better ways of working – such as automation – have become key factors for MSP success, turning operational efficiency into better outcomes for their customers and long-term success for businesses. MSPs are a critical part of the cybersecurity ecosystem and these practices are structured to be an essential part of their toolkit.”
Operational Pillars for MSP Growth and Efficiency
The playbook follows seven key areas crafted to help MSPs operate more efficiently, strengthen client delivery, and build more profitable services. It provides learnings and actionable guidance on:
- How to tackle time-consuming onboarding from a client-focused perspective to ensure the process is both efficient and establishes the strongest possible relationship.
- Multi-step processes for a best-in-class approach to response in the event of an incident.
- The pressing cybersecurity threats that an MSP must be aware of to offer strategic guidance to their customers.
A Dedicated AI Chapter: From Experimentation to Governance
An entire chapter is dedicated to both the disruption and opportunity presented by AI for MSPs and their customers. As businesses shift from ad hoc Gen AI experimentation to more structured adoption, MSPs have a powerful role to play in guiding and shaping their customers’ usage.
For many SMBs, AI adoption begins with the automation of simple business processes through basic chatbots. While these types of AI solutions are generally easier to deploy and maintain, the landscape becomes more complex with the introduction of agentic AI. Although AI agents are currently used primarily within enterprise environments, adoption is expected to expand into the SMB and mid-market sectors over time. As this transition accelerates, those MSPs that establish clear guidance and best practices for the implementation and management of AI agents will be well positioned to strengthen customer retention by serving as trusted technology advisors to their clients.
Daniel Blank, SVP, Global MSP Sales, Proofpoint MSP Platform, said: “In the last quarter alone, several MSPs have told us that their SMB clients are increasingly asking about AI governance. Organizations are looking for practical guidance on how AI should be used, how it’s already being adopted by employees, and what policies and controls need to be established. This creates a significant opportunity for MSPs to expand their role as trusted technology advisors, helping clients move beyond experimentation toward stronger governance, greater oversight, and measurable business outcomes.”
The full playbook offers MSPs a reference point as they assess their current approach and plan their next steps.
About Proofpoint, Inc.
Proofpoint, Inc. is a global leader in human- and agent-centric cybersecurity, securing how people, data, and AI agents connect across email, cloud, and collaboration tools. Proofpoint is a trusted partner to over 80 of the Fortune 100, over 10,000 large enterprises, and millions of smaller organizations in stopping threats, preventing data loss, and building resilience across people and AI workflows. Proofpoint’s collaboration and data security platform helps organizations of all sizes protect and empower their people while embracing AI securely and confidently.
Proofpoint is a registered trademark or tradename of Proofpoint, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.
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