Supercharge Your MSP: 5 Crucial Business Processes to Refine for Peak Efficiency

Efficiency is the name of the game when it comes to operating as an MSP. Or, should I say...time is money! How often do you evaluate your internal workflows and processes for efficiency? 

To help your team optimize for internal efficiency, Sierra Pacific Group has compiled five tactics that every MSP should consider: 

1. Streamlining service requests
2. Setting protocols for system changes
3. Preparing for unexpected service incidents
4. Allocating company resources carefully
5. Optimizing billing and invoicing for cash flow
   
   

Let’s dive in. 

#1: Streamline service requests

Every MSP shares a common goal: delivering services to clients as quickly and effectively as possible. To achieve it, they must optimize how they receive, sort, and assign service requests. Here are three low-lift tips to do so: 

Evaluate & Revamp Request Forms

Are your request forms as clear, concise, and easy-to-navigate as possible? If not, your clients may view communicating their needs with your team as difficult. Take a close look at your request forms and ensure they are user-friendly.

Simplify the language and layout to make it easy for clients to communicate their needs effectively. Consider using a structured form format with dropdown menus or checkboxes to standardize information collection. By improving the usability of your request forms, you can enhance the client experience and facilitate smoother communication between clients and your team.

Automate Ticket Generation

If you spend the time to optimize your PSA, your service technicians will no longer have to sort emails to create and log tickets, saving hours of manual efforts. Implement automation across your ticketing systems to generate tickets automatically based on incoming requests.

This automation eliminates the need for manual intervention and saves your service technicians valuable time. With automated ticket generation, you can streamline the process, reduce administrative overhead, and ensure that every client request is promptly captured and tracked.

CW TIP: You can do this in ConnectWise PSA (formerly Manage) by configuring the email connector feature to automatically generate tickets from incoming emails. Set up rules and filters to categorize and route emails based on predefined criteria.

Automate Ticket Routing

When executed properly, these workflows will automatically route every ticket to the appropriate team or tech for resolution. Efficient ticket routing is crucial for effective service delivery. By implementing automated workflows, you can ensure that each ticket is automatically assigned to the appropriate team or technician based on predefined criteria.

This eliminates the need for manual ticket assignment and reduces the chances of tickets getting lost or delayed. With automated ticket routing, you can improve response times, enhance team collaboration, and ensure that service requests are resolved by the right resources in a timely manner.

CW TIP: You can do this in ConnectWise PSA (formerly Manage) by configuring service boards in ConnectWise PSA to align with your team structure and service offerings. Set up routing rules based on criteria like service type, client location, or priority to automatically assign tickets to the appropriate teams or technicians. Create workflow rules in ConnectWise Manage to automate ticket routing based on specific conditions or triggers. For example, you can define rules to assign tickets to technicians with specific skills or certifications.

#2: Establish protocols for changes to systems

Changing a detail (however small) of your client’s system could dramatically alter their day-to-day processes. To account for this, MSPs should make sure every system alteration is handled in a controlled, consistent manner. 

Standardizing an Approval Process for System Changes

Design a form within ConnectWise Manage to capture all necessary information for system changes. Include fields such as the description of the change, reason for the change, impact analysis, and required approvals.

Set up a predefined workflow in ConnectWise Manage to route change requests to the appropriate stakeholders for review and approval. Assign specific individuals or teams as approvers based on the nature and magnitude of the change.

Utilize custom statuses within ConnectWise Manage to clearly indicate the progress of change requests, such as "Submitted," "Under Review," "Approved," or "Rejected." This allows for easy tracking and visibility of the approval process.

Thoroughly Document the Decision-Making and Technicalities of Change

Use the ConnectWise Manage document management feature. Attach relevant documentation, such as change request forms, technical specifications, diagrams, or test plans, to the corresponding change records in ConnectWise Manage. This ensures all information related to the change is easily accessible and well-documented.

Encourage technicians and stakeholders to document the rationale behind the change, including the identified benefits, risks, and alternatives considered. This information can be recorded as notes or comments within ConnectWise Manage.

Clearly Communicate Changes 

Use the ConnectWise Manage document management feature. Attach relevant documentation, such as change request forms, technical specifications, diagrams, or test plans, to the corresponding change records in ConnectWise Manage. This ensures all information related to the change is easily accessible and well-documented.

Encourage technicians and stakeholders to document the rationale behind the change, including the identified benefits, risks, and alternatives considered. This information can be recorded as notes or comments within ConnectWise Manage.

By implementing these practices in ConnectWise Manage, MSPs can establish a structured change management process, maintain comprehensive documentation, and foster effective communication with clients regarding system alterations. Sierra Pacific Group's ConnectWise experts can assist in configuring these protocols within ConnectWise Manage and provide guidance on best practices for change management in the MSP environment.

#3: Be prepared for unexpected incidents

Every MSP needs to account for the possibility of unplanned events (i.e., system-wide downtime) that impact service operations and quality. Instead of panicking, your techs should be able to: 

• Identify the event or issue
• Investigate its source or cause
• Resolve the issue to restore regular service
• Document the issue thoroughly to avoid repeat incidents

Define Incident Management Procedures

Train every new tech on those protocols. Create a comprehensive incident management guide that outlines the steps to be followed when handling service interruptions or system-wide downtime.

Include instructions for identifying, investigating, and resolving issues. Provide training to all new technicians on the defined incident management procedures. Ensure they understand the importance of following the protocols and know how to execute them effectively within ConnectWise Manage.

Automate Process for Incident Routing and Escalation

Configure automated workflows: Leverage ConnectWise Manage's workflow automation capabilities to create predefined workflows for incident routing and escalation. Design workflows that automatically assign incidents to the appropriate teams or technicians based on the nature of the issue, severity level, or predefined criteria.

Set up escalation procedures: Define escalation rules within ConnectWise Manage to ensure that incidents are escalated to higher-level technicians or management if they remain unresolved within a specified timeframe. This helps prevent delays in addressing critical issues.

Communicate with Clients ASAP

Establish proactive communication channels: Use ConnectWise Manage's communication features to promptly notify clients about service interruptions or incidents. Set up automated email notifications or system-generated alerts to inform clients as soon as incidents occur.

Provide regular updates: Throughout the incident resolution process, maintain open lines of communication with clients by sharing frequent updates on the progress and steps being taken to resolve the issue. This helps manage client expectations and fosters transparency.

#4: Allocate resources carefully

To effectively allocate resources in your MSP and optimize budgeting, consider the following strategies using ConnectWise Manage:

Monitor and Compare Budgeting vs. Actual Spending

Utilize ConnectWise Manage's financial tracking features. Leverage the budgeting and accounting capabilities within ConnectWise Manage to closely monitor and compare your budgeted expenses with actual spending patterns. Regularly review financial reports and analyze any variances to identify areas where adjustments or optimizations can be made.

Use reporting and analytics. Generate reports in ConnectWise Manage to gain insights into resource allocation, project expenses, and overall financial performance. By analyzing these reports, you can identify trends, spot inefficiencies, and make informed decisions to improve resource allocation.

Implement Automation for Resource Management

Leverage ConnectWise Manage's automation capabilities: Automate resource tracking and planning processes within ConnectWise Manage to streamline resource management. Set up automated workflows to capture resource utilization, track billable hours, and monitor project costs. This reduces manual effort and provides real-time visibility into resource allocation.

Utilize integrated tools: ConnectWise Manage integrates with various tools and platforms, such as time tracking software, project management tools, and financial systems. Explore these integrations to automate data synchronization and streamline resource allocation processes across different systems.

Training and Development for Efficient Resource Allocation

Educate company leaders on resource allocation. During training and development sessions, emphasize the importance of efficient resource allocation. Provide guidance on best practices, such as prioritizing projects, optimizing team workloads, and aligning resource allocation with business objectives. Encourage leaders to leverage the features and capabilities of ConnectWise Manage to support effective resource allocation.

Foster a culture of accountability. Promote a culture where team leaders take ownership of resource allocation within their respective teams or departments. Encourage regular communication and collaboration to ensure resources are allocated effectively and aligned with project requirements.

By closely monitoring budgeting, implementing automation, and providing training on resource allocation, your MSP can optimize resource management using ConnectWise Manage. Sierra Pacific Group's ConnectWise experts can assist in setting up automated workflows, generating insightful reports, and providing guidance on resource allocation best practices within ConnectWise Manage.

#5: Optimize billing & invoicing for improved cash flow

Sierra Pacific Group is the standard for MSP efficiency

By streamlining and optimizing your service requests, system changes, incident responses, resource management, and billing and invoicing — your MSP can expect to supercharge its efficiency. From there, efficient internal processes translate to efficient service delivery and bolstered client satisfaction and retention. 

These five tactics can be game-changing. They’re also just the tip of the iceberg. 

For a true expert-level look at how your MSP can seriously level up efficiency on every side, schedule an intro call with Sierra Pacific Group’s consultants. With combined decades in optimizing MSP performance, we’re the standard in efficiency.