The Problem

Taming the ConnectWise "Monster": Kotori's Journey from Cluttered System to Streamlined Solution

Despite their extensive experience with ConnectWise, the team at Kotori found themselves grappling with a PSA system that had grown increasingly unwieldy over time. According to Derek Iannelli-Smith, COO of Kotori, it had become a "monster."

The platform was bogged down by years of accumulated data, templates, status names, work types, service boards, and more, all of which contributed to the system's cluttered state. This clutter not only hindered Kotori's business operations, but also led to mounting frustration among the team members who struggled to navigate the chaotic interface, and keep clients happy.

KRS initially wanted to clean up service boards to start, but after conversation with our consultants, it became evident that a full system improvement was more appropriate.

ConnectWise Manage PSA is a highly integrated and comprehensive system designed to streamline and automate various aspects of an MSP's business operations. Due to its interconnected nature, spot fixing or spot improving specific components is not a simple task. Each function within the platform relies on accurate data entry, automation, and seamless interaction with other features to achieve optimal efficiency. As a result, attempting to address isolated issues, like adjusting service boards without an understanding of how agreements are set up, can inadvertently impact other areas of the tool and the business.

To truly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ConnectWise Manage PSA, it was essential for SPG to conduct a thorough review of all processes and workflows that exist in KRS IT's Manage PSA instance, as well as their interdependencies. This holistic approach ensures that any adjustments made to one area of the system do not negatively impact other functions. 

The goal was to transform the "monster" into a powerful and organized tool that would empower Kotori's team to deliver exceptional service with the help of automation and accelerate business growth without necessarily adding on additional staff.

Not to mention take advantage of the automation capabilities the PSA tool has to offer, resulting in a ROI on the tool subscription cost!

The Solution

SPG's Deep Dive into Kotori's Needs and the Path to Optimization

To begin their transformative journey, SPG started by thoroughly understanding Kotori as a company (our Discovery process) and analyzing where the clutter was preventing service delivery staff from being truly productive). In Derek's words, "this in-depth discovery process pinpointed the root causes of Kotori's pain points and laid the foundation for redesigning their ConnectWise strategy."

Kotori and SPG then closely collaborated to implement key changes across the sales, service, and finance departments of the business.

Since ticket resolution time was a large pain-point greatly effecting productivity and efficiency in service delivery, we spent some extra time on the service department, implementing the following workflows and solutions: 

Automated ticket assignment: ConnectWise Manage can automate the process of assigning tickets to the appropriate technicians or teams based on their expertise, workload, and availability. This helps ensure that tickets are addressed by the right personnel without delay, resulting in faster resolution times.

Prioritization and escalation rules: The PSA system can be configured to prioritize tickets based on factors such as urgency, SLA requirements, and customer needs. This helps ensure that critical issues are addressed promptly, leading to faster resolution times. Additionally, tickets can be escalated automatically if they are not addressed within the specified time frame, ensuring that they receive the necessary attention.

Streamlined communication: ConnectWise Manage facilitates better communication between technicians, teams, and clients through features such as in-ticket messaging, email integration, and real-time notifications. This can help reduce delays caused by miscommunication and improve ticket resolution times.

Time tracking and resource utilization: The PSA system allows technicians to track the time spent on each ticket, enabling better resource allocation and helping to identify inefficiencies in the ticket resolution process. This can contribute to overall improvements in ticket resolution times.

Reporting and analytics: ConnectWise Manage provides reporting and analytics tools that can help identify trends, bottlenecks, and areas for improvement in the ticket resolution process. By addressing these issues, MSPs can further optimize their workflows and achieve faster ticket resolution times.

To ensure the long-term success and effectiveness of these changes, SPG meticulously tested the solutions within Kotori's everyday business operations. They documented the updated classification systems and processes in a reference guide and provided end-user training for Kotori's service desk team. Today, Kotori continues to use these on-boarding materials to train new hires, ensuring a consistent and efficient approach across the company.

"The process by Sierra Pacific is basically, ‘What do you need? Here’s what we’ve found out. Here’s a solution. How is this working for you?"

The Results

Kotori's Success Story: Boosted Efficiency and Effectiveness with SPG

Since partnering with SPG, the Kotori team has reported a significant increase in their efficiency and effectiveness across all departments. Some of their most notable achievements include:

Accelerated ticket resolution: Thanks to SPG's improved workflows, Kotori can now resolve tickets quickly enough (48 hours) to keep their service boards within single digits - a milestone Derek says they had never been able to achieve before. This has reduced manual work, eliminated the need to hire a service dispatcher ($60k annual salary), and provided higher client satisfaction scores.

Improved company-wide visibility: With a clearer understanding of metrics and reports in ConnectWise, Derek can now gain greater insights into the business, enabling better decision-making and the ability to course-correct when needed. Agreement Gross Margin (AGM) and Agreement Gross Profitability (AGP) reports are finally accurate.

Increased Productivity: The streamlined processes have enabled team members to focus on high-value tasks and minimize time spent on manual or administrative work. As a result, Kotori has been able to achieve more with the same resources, reducing the need for additional hires and ultimately contributing to the company's overall growth and profitability. This increased productivity has also led to a more engaged and satisfied workforce, further enhancing the company's performance and long-term success.

Moving forward, Kotori plans to maintain the momentum of their enhanced service delivery. They've already renewed their partnership with SPG, focusing on their next priority: developing strategies for ConnectWise Automate.

By reducing workloads for Kotori's service techs and increasing bandwidth, they aim to free up resources to concentrate on scaling their business to new heights.