Why is cybersecurity training for MSPs client important?
Cybersecurity training for MSP clients is no longer optional. Employees are both the first line of defense and the weakest link. Human error plays a role in most cyberattacks. A 2024 report found that 95% of breaches involved human mistakes. Cybercriminals know this — they target employees with phishing emails, fake links, and social engineering scams. One careless click is all it takes.
In fact, 9 out of 10 data breaches in 2023 started with phishing attacks aimed at employees. This shows that many incidents begin with someone being tricked — usually someone untrained. For managed service providers (MSPs), especially those working with small and mid-sized businesses, this risk is serious. About 60% of small businesses don’t survive a major cyber incident.
That’s why cybersecurity training for MSP clients is essential. It helps users recognize threats and avoid mistakes. With proper training, employees become part of the defense, not a liability. Recent data shows that 9 out of 10 data breaches in 2023 originated from phishing attacks targeting employees. This means most cyber incidents start with someone being tricked – often an untrained or uninformed user.
For managed service providers (MSPs) supporting small and mid-sized businesses, the stakes are especially high. Smaller companies are extremely vulnerable: around 60% of small businesses don’t survive a major cyber incident. A single breach can be a life-or-death event for a business, leading to loss of clients and even closure. That’s why comprehensive cybersecurity training for MSPs client is so important – it equips users to recognize threats and avoid costly mistakes before they happen. When staff are cyber-aware, they become an active layer of defense rather than an accidental liability.
Real-world risks of untrained staff
Failing to train employees in security awareness can have dire real-world consequences for your clients. Some of the biggest risks include:
- Costly breaches and downtime: Data breaches carry steep costs – the average breach in 2023 cost organizations about $4.91 million (especially when phishing is involved). Beyond direct financial losses, attacks cause operational chaos. Ransomware attacks, for example, lead to an average 21 days of downtime for the affected company. Imagine three weeks of halted business – it’s no wonder downtime is often the most expensive impact of an attack. Untrained users are more likely to trigger these incidents by falling for phishing baits or poor security practices.
- Compliance penalties and legal fallout: Many industries require regular security training as part of regulatory compliance. If employees aren’t following proper cyber hygiene, organizations risk fines and legal trouble. Data shows that security breaches are more expensive (by ~$220,000 on average) when non-compliance is a factor. Regulators can also impose hefty penalties after a breach. For example, under healthcare laws like HIPAA, fines can reach up to $1.5 million per year for security violations and GDPR fines can be as high as €20 million or 4% of global revenue. In short, lack of employee training not only makes breaches more likely – it also leaves companies exposed to punitive fines for failing to prevent or report those incidents.
- Reputation damage and lost business: A security lapse caused by an employee can shatter customer trust. Clients may flee if their data is compromised, and news of a breach can tarnish a company’s brand for years. Untrained staff might also mishandle incidents – or hide them – making the damage worse. The downtime, legal costs, and PR fallout from a preventable breach all add up. It’s far cheaper to invest in training than to clean up after an avoidable security disaster.
In summary, the risk of not training your users is too high. Human error remains the leading cause of cybersecurity incidents, so addressing that through education is critical. MSPs have seen first-hand how one mistake by an unaware employee – clicking a bogus email or using a weak password – can knock a client’s business offline or land them in regulatory hot water. Proactive training helps avoid these nightmares, saving money and headaches for both the MSP and the client.
How does cybersecurity training for MSPs clients reduce risk?
Effective cybersecurity training directly reduces the likelihood and impact of incidents. Educated employees are less likely to be fooled by phishing and more likely to follow safe practices. Consider phishing simulation studies: roughly 33% of untrained users will fail a phishing test (click a fake malicious link). That’s one in three employees at risk. But with proper training, this failure rate drops dramatically. One analysis found a 92% decrease in phishing susceptibility when employees received ongoing security awareness training. In other words, training can turn that 33% failure rate into just a few percent, sharply cutting the odds that an attack succeeds.
Cybersecurity awareness training also encourages positive behaviors that reduce risk enterprise-wide. Trained staff are quicker to report suspicious emails instead of ignoring them – unfortunately, only ~18% of phishing simulation emails get reported by users without training. By teaching employees to report potential threats (e.g. via a phishing alert button), IT teams and MSPs can respond faster to contain threats. Training builds a security-first mindset, so employees are vigilant about things like strong passwords, software updates, and verifying requests. This security culture prevents incidents ranging from malware infections to accidental data leaks.
In short, training your clients’ employees translates into fewer successful attacks, fewer helpdesk emergencies, and fewer breaches. It is a proven way to reduce human-error risks. The investment in regular training pays off by avoiding the far higher costs of incidents. As an MSP, reducing client incidents also means less firefighting for your team. Instead of constantly reacting to security problems, you can focus on strategic work – a win-win for risk reduction and operational efficiency.
What is non-punitive security training?
“Non-punitive” security training refers to an approach that educates users without shaming or punishing them for mistakes. This is crucial for long-term success. In the past, some organizations would reprimand or even fire employees who failed phishing tests. That approach backfires badly. Punitive training only educates the small fraction of employees who get “caught,” and it breeds resentment and fear (Source). If users are afraid of being punished, they won’t admit when they slip up in real life – they might hide a clicked phishing link or avoid reporting an incident, which makes the breach far worse.
A non-punitive approach treats mistakes as learning opportunities. For example, if an employee falls for a simulated phishing email, the training platform might immediately display a brief lesson or video explaining what warning signs they missed. There’s no public shaming, no singling out – just timely education. Security leaders widely agree that phishing simulations should be educational, not humiliating. The goal is to build awareness, not to “catch people out.” When training is done in a friendly, supportive manner, employees are more engaged and willing to improve.
Unfortunately, only a few security awareness programs truly emphasize positive reinforcement. Some are beginning to incorporate gamification to make the experience more enjoyable, but it’s far from the norm. ClipTraining stands out by using phishing tests that feel more like interactive challenges than high-stakes exams. This “learn-from-it” approach transforms training into an engaging, low-pressure experience.
Users interact with realistic phishing scenarios and receive immediate feedback, helping them gradually sharpen their skills without fear of failure. Crucially, there are no penalties—just coaching. Over time, this fosters a culture where employees feel comfortable reporting accidental clicks or asking questions. They understand that the organization values learning and openness over blame and secrecy.
For MSPs, encouraging this type of non-punitive training with clients promotes a stronger security culture and greater transparency when incidents arise.
How often should employees get trained?
Regular, continuous training is far more effective than one-and-done sessions. Cyber threats evolve constantly, so a yearly seminar isn’t enough to keep employees prepared. Experts recommend updating security awareness programs at least quarterly, with more frequent mini-training touchpoints in between. In practice, many organizations find a sweet spot with brief monthly trainings or bite-sized lessons. This keeps security top-of-mind without overwhelming people. In fact, monthly security awareness training is one of the most effective ways to maximize knowledge retention and keep up with new threats.
The key is to integrate training into the regular work routine. Short, frequent lessons (for example, 5-10 minute videos or interactive quizzes) can be consumed without major disruption. ClipTraining’s platform embraces this philosophy by providing “Monthly Insights” – succinct trainings to reinforce good habits and avoid fatigue. Rather than making cybersecurity a once-a-year event, it becomes a continuous learning journey.
At minimum, ensure all employees go through a comprehensive training annually (many compliance standards require annual training as a baseline). But for better results, add ongoing reinforcement: quarterly phishing simulation campaigns, a quick monthly video, security tips in internal newsletters, etc. Regular phishing email tests throughout the year are especially useful – they both educate and let you measure improvement over time. The goal is to create a rhythm where security awareness is never forgotten. An employee who was vigilant last year might slip into bad habits next year if you don’t refresh their training. Consistent practice keeps everyone alert to new scams and helps new employees get up to speed. For MSPs, offering managed security training on an ongoing basis is a great way to continuously reduce your clients’ risk (and show year-round value).
Key cybersecurity training for MSPs clients’ features
When deploying a security awareness training program, MSPs should look for features that make training engaging, effective, and easy to manage. Here are some key training features to offer your clients:
- Short, digestible lessons: Attention spans are short, especially during a busy workday. Training content should be concise and to the point. Using bite-size video modules (just a few minutes each) allows employees to learn without losing focus. This micro-learning approach fits into daily schedules. (ClipTraining’s platform, for example, delivers “bite-size training videos” that make learning easy and digestible.)
- Real-world examples and scenarios: Abstract security theory isn’t very memorable. The best training uses real-world scenarios that employees can relate to. For instance, lessons might walk through a realistic phishing email targeting their company, or a “what if” scenario of a data leak on social media. By demonstrating actual tactics that attackers use, employees gain practical intuition on what to look for. Stories of recent breaches or common scam tricks make the training tangible. The goal is to ensure employees can recognize threats in context – not just memorize definitions.
- Phishing simulations with immediate feedback: Regular phishing email tests are a must-have feature. These simulations send fake (but realistic) phishing emails to employees to test their responses. Crucially, the program should provide instant, non-punitive feedback. If someone clicks when they shouldn’t, the system can instantly display a teaching moment (e.g. pointing out the missed red flags). Over time, simulations greatly improve phishing awareness. Look for a solution that offers “set-and-forget” automated phishing campaigns that continuously assess and train users at appropriate intervals. This ensures training isn’t a one-time event but an ongoing process, without creating a lot of manual work for the MSP. Done right, phishing tests become a positive learning exercise rather than a gotcha game.
- Tracking and compliance reporting: To show progress (and meet compliance requirements), you need solid tracking. A good training platform will automatically record who has completed modules, who passed the quizzes, and who might need extra help. Compliance tracking features let you pull reports on security training completion – useful if your client must demonstrate to auditors that all staff underwent training. It should also track phishing test results over time so you can highlight improvement. This reporting not only helps with compliance but also proves the value of the training program to stakeholders by quantifying risk reduction.
- MSP multi-tenant dashboard: As an MSP managing multiple client organizations, you’ll want a centralized dashboard to oversee training across all your clients. Managing separate portals for each customer would be inefficient. Platforms like ClipTraining offer a multi-tenant MSP dashboard where you can administer training for every client in one place (with appropriate segmentation). You can easily switch between client views, enroll new client users, and review each company’s training status and risk metrics. Consolidated management saves you time and ensures no client falls through the cracks. Additionally, MSP-focused training solutions allow you to brand the training portal with your logo, reinforcing your role in providing this valuable service.
In summary, choose a security training solution that is easy for end-users to learn from and easy for you as the MSP to manage. Short, relevant content keeps employees engaged. Automated phishing tests and reminders keep the program running continuously. And robust tracking with an MSP-friendly interface lets you deliver training at scale without extra hassle.
Conclusion: The business case for MSP-provided training
For MSPs, offering cybersecurity training isn’t just a nice add-on – it’s becoming a core part of the service mix. Clients look to their MSP to handle all aspects of IT, and that now includes the “people” part of security. By providing regular security awareness training, you help clients prevent breaches before they happen. Fewer breaches and outages mean fewer panicked calls to your support line. In effect, training your clients’ employees is an investment that reduces your own support burden and incident response costs. It’s much more efficient to teach users not to click the wrong link than to clean up after a malware outbreak.
There’s also a strong business opportunity for MSPs here. Security training services can be packaged into a monthly subscription, creating a new stream of recurring revenue for your MSP. You differentiate yourself from competitors by offering a proactive cybersecurity layer that many MSPs overlook. This positions you as a more valuable, trusted partner to your clients. It can improve client retention (since your services are embedded in their daily operations) and attract new customers who need help with employee security education. Plus, delivering training demonstrates that you take compliance seriously and can help clients meet requirements – a key selling point in regulated industries.
Ultimately, comprehensive cybersecurity training for MSPs client is safer and makes your MSP business stronger. It’s a win for everyone except the hackers. Don’t wait for a costly incident to underscore the importance of training. As an MSP, you can start making a difference now. Book a ClipTraining demo to see how you can easily roll out engaging security awareness programs across all your clients. Show your clients that you’re proactive about protecting them – and in the process, build a more resilient and profitable service for your MSP. Security awareness training is no longer optional; it’s an essential offering that cements your role as a strategic partner in your clients’ success. Now is the time to add ClipTraining’s proven security training platform to your services and help your clients stay one step ahead of cyber threats.