65% of midmarket IT leaders are considering switching MSPs in the next 12 months. Yet 95.8% trust their current provider to act in their best interest. It isn’t dissatisfaction driving the switch — it’s readiness for what’s next.
Download this report to learn:
- Why two-thirds of satisfied customers are shopping anyway — and what’s actually driving switching intent
- The AI and automation gap: 33% cite limited AI/automation support as a reason to leave
- Data integration as a buying criterion: 99.7% say a partner must integrate data across systems — 25% say theirs can’t
- What midmarket leaders now expect a partner to own: cybersecurity operations, data integration, and AI readiness
About this research
Corsica Technologies commissioned Censuswide to survey 600 IT and security decision-makers, including CIOs, CISOs, CTOs and other senior technology and security leaders, at US-headquartered organizations that rely on an MSP or MSSP. Fieldwork ran May 8 to 21, 2026.
Cite this report: Corsica Technologies, The MSP Trust Gap Report, August 2026, corsicatech.com/resources/msp-trust-gap-report/
1. 65% of mid-market IT and security leaders are considering switching MSPs in the next 12 months.
This number is the headline, but the surprise is who’s behind it. These aren’t organizations in crisis. Rather, most respondents describe their provider in positive terms. They also report satisfaction with the strategic guidance they receive, and they say technology has gotten easier to manage over the past year.
So what’s going on?
Why are so many midmarket companies looking at switching MSPs?
The survey data provides a unique insight.
2. Switching is driven by MSP capabilities, not complaints.
They’re considering switching MSPs because the question they’re asking has changed. It’s no longer whether their MSP has performed well, but whether their MSP is ready for what’s coming next in security, AI, and data.
These aren’t complaints about a bad ticket or a missed SLA. They’re judgments about what a provider can’t do yet. Switching intent here reflects a broader reassessment of fit. In that case, the providers most at risk may be the ones who see no warning signs at all.
3. Customer confidence falls when the question shifts to the future.
Ask midmarket organizations how their MSP handles security and operations today, and 79% say they’re extremely or very confident in those capabilities.
Ask whether that same provider can support their AI and automation needs, and the figure slips to 74%, with a sizable share landing in the noncommittal “somewhat confident” middle.
That gap is small in absolute terms but telling in direction. Here, we see confidence eroding precisely where expectations are climbing the fastest. We’re not looking at distrust or visible failure; instead, we’re seeing uncertainty about whether the provider is current, capable, and proactive enough for what’s ahead.
4. Data integration has become a buying criterion.
In the past, companies hired specialized consultants to handle integration projects. Our findings indicate a dramatic shift here. Today, a technology partner is simply expected to own data integration. 35% of respondents say so, putting this capability just behind cybersecurity among the responsibilities that organizations want covered.
Meanwhile, 25% of respondents already name limited data integration as a real frustration with their current provider. 40% want outside help connecting the systems that run the business: CRM, ERP, ticketing.
This combination of high expectation and unmet need is what makes integration such a clear read on whether a provider is built for what’s next.
The takeaway: Top MSPs must shift with midmarket demands
For MSPs, it’s not enough to manage IT and cybersecurity. In the age of AI, data integration complexity, and evolving cyber threats, midmarket customers need far more.
Download the report now to get a comprehensive view of where the MSP market stands—and what’s next.
