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General Tips For Any Managed Services Provider

MSP Service Mgmt

There are plenty of events, news and items of interest circulating in our community.  So, I thought I would simply get back to the basics.  The basics about what your MSP needs or has to do. Hopefully the image selected for the post reminds us all of the K.I.S.S acronym for simplicity!

As I had my morning cup of coffee and watched Fox News warn American’s about the possibility of another global meltdown, striking fear into the very heart of America, I got thinking about what I learned from the previous meltdown in our economy.

First, we are still here and very much alive. Here are some of my basic tips to running a successful MSP.

  1. Avoid complexities – Complex solutions confuse our clients.  Complexities can also hurt our businesses.  Avoid them.  For me, it is back to keep it simple.  ‘What do I do well?’ and ‘What can I do each day to provide value to the clients I serve?’.
  2. Get the right tools and stick with them – I have witnessed MSP after MSP change RMM tools, PSAs and anything else at an alarming rate.  Work with your peers; find out what they use.  Join communities and solicit feedback from those who use the products and services.  There are some great tools to help your business; invest in them.
  3. Observe – Keep your eyes open for new ways to do things.  I recently learned about a Password Management System that is catching fire in the IT industry.  It is quick finds like this that may help your business reduce complexities and be the ideal tool to help you better serve your clients.  Be on the lookout for things like that that will help you and watch for new trends and new ways to do things.  Remembering rule 1 and 2 at all times.
  4. The Client signs your paycheck – The client is the most important part of your business.  Not your PSA, not your remote monitoring software, not your iPad.  The client is the most important, and everything revolves around keeping them happy.  I was fortunate a few weeks ago to see Magic Johnson talk to a group of VARs in Los Angeles, and he said “gone are the days of simply meeting our clients’ expectations, we must over exceed them every day”.  This is so true.  The client signs your paycheck.  Never forget that.
  5. Get a Live Help Desk! – I am not just saying that because it is the title of this blog! I see so many IT partners wanting to do it for themselves.  You can’t.  Put your trust in a reputable managed service help desk to help you over exceed your service levels to your clients.  I can’t harp on this enough.  Get a help desk partner who can help your clients around the clock and help you focus on running a successful business.
  6. Marketing, Marketing, Marketing – enough said!

Running an MSP business doesn’t have to be difficult.  But, many of us make it difficult; and we struggle to run it successfully.

There are plenty of folks out there to help.  Reach out to the likes of MSP University, TruMethods, HTG and others to help you with your journey or check out the upcoming MSP High Scalability event that we are throwing to help you improve your Sales and Marketing programs/skills.

Here is my last tip – You have to EXECUTE.  No use planning and getting your business organized and then do nothing.  EXECUTE at all levels.