No matter how much joy you get from running your own business, everybody needs a little time away from it all once in a while. Routines get tiresome and the pressure associated with managing employees and dealing with difficult clients builds over time. Conversations, even those with the nicest business partners, tend to get a bit stale. A little time away for “recharging the batteries” can also be vital for the continued success of the organization and the sanity of the other people who make it all happen. Repetition, no matter how enjoyable it may seem, can be toxic to morale and concentration for business owners— as well as their employees.
Of course, for managed services providers, the “routine” operations are what keep their clients’ business systems online and ensure their customer support remains top-notch. As most everyone in the IT industry knows, when these tools and support processes are not perfectly aligned, the life of an MSP can get quite complicated. That’s why it’s so important to not only implement industry best practices, but to continually refine them over time to ensure their effectiveness. That also makes employee onboarding and training much easier, which helps ensure long-term business stability and allows an owner to occasionally step away for a little rest and relaxation.
For those who wish to maintain their sanity AND successfully grow their business, process continuity and automation are crucial. Routine operations are best delegated to subordinates or, when possible, computer applications and other machines. When those everyday tasks are removed from an owner’s list of responsibilities, he can focus more attention on the company’s strategic plans and other imperative business pursuits—and leaves time for family, friends and non-work activities.
Four Steps to Help Keep Your Sanity in Managed Services
While summer is already underway, MSPs still have time to make changes that could let them take a few extra vacation days this year ─ or at least an afternoon off every once in a while for a quick game of golf or some time with the kids. The following four best practices can help providers achieve their summertime goals AND improve their operational capabilities so they can more effectively grow their businesses. These suggestions (and many more) can be found in the free CompTIA Quick Start Guide to Managing a Managed Services Sales Organization:
- Fully implement a PSA platform: professional services automation applications are much more than ticketing systems. They offer a variety of integrations and features that allow MSPs to streamline their operations, but many companies utilize an extremely small percentage of these capabilities. Just connecting the company’s remote monitoring tools or its accounting package can shave several hours form its workload each month.
- Automate everything you can: most MSPs implement the same technologies in their own business that they recommend to their clients, and link them into their managed services tools and PSA. Cutting-edge providers employ automatic marketing systems and unified communications, linking CRM and web processes to speed client acquisition and customer service operations (while reducing the manual labor and associated labor costs).
- Leverage business partners: MSPs who collaborate with peers and contractors have more options for building new practices, improving sales and getting away from it all. Partners often offer support for specific vertical market applications and unique technologies, or lend resources or a helping hand when needed. Training and education companies make great allies, and help desk providers can often scale up their support levels as needed.
- Cross train employees: ensure that the “home team” has the skills and expertise needed to manage multiple job responsibilities, especially when needed. Does every key staff member have a backup who can step into the role? A bench full of cross-trained techs gives an MSP more scheduling flexibility and offers options when the star player needs a day (or week) off—or leaves the organization.
While none of these best practices can be implemented overnight, there’s no better motivation than a warm, sunny summers day. Take a look out the window and start a list of the things you’d love to have more time for. Pin it prominently on your desk and start working a plan that ensures you can do every one of those activities ─ as often as you like.
Of course, improving your internal processes most often results in increase profitability and additional revenue opportunities, which will give you a lot more options for next year’s vacation.
Brian Sherman is Chief Content Officer at GetChanneled, a channel business development and marketing firm. He served previously as chief editor at Business Solutions magazine and senior director of industry alliances with Autotask. Contact Brian at Bsherman@getchanneled.com
