Profit By Doubling Down With Business Tools: PSA, RMM and More
A good carpenter has the skills and knowledge to construct almost anything their clients need using the proper materials and tools. Of course, the quality of a craftsman isn’t determined by the quantity of the instruments in his toolbox, but by the results of their work. Multi-purpose tools, such as combination power drills/screwdrivers, often save contractors both time and space—making it easier to organize and transport to a worksite.
The quantity of tools is never as important as the quality, as the proper instruments simplify the work and may expand the user’s skills and capacity. For example, a hospital wouldn’t purchase a million dollar laser just so its surgeons could make simple incisions, especially with comparable, inexpensive options available that can do a comparable job. Justifying that tremendous expense is extremely difficult, but when that tool allows them to conduct complex procedures or increase the number of surgeries performed each year, the investment may be worthwhile.
How to Automate Your Business
The same “tool rules” apply in a solution provider’s business: when their systems and equipment make them more productive, profitability will increase. That’s why it’s so important to streamline and automate operational and business software, especially for MSPs with a minimal tech team. Integrations play a significant role in automation, eliminating manual steps and simplifying communications. These links typically collect real-time business information, including alerts and billing details, leading to benefits such as quicker emergency response and improved cash flow.
When MSPs use remote monitoring solutions and PSA platforms without key alerting and billing connections in place, productivity suffers. Their employees are performing manual steps that these systems can do automatically, which can add significant labor costs over the course of a year. Integration reduces double data entry—and the errors and lost data that go with it. Though set up and employee training will take some time, it’s a minimal investment with a quick ROI.
Almost all integrations provide some value to an MSP, especially when they enhance client reporting options. Of course, too much information can be a distraction, so vendors often spend a lot of their development time identifying the specific data and details solution providers and their customers want (and need). When well designed, these reports demonstrate the value of the MSP’s services and allow them to point out infrastructure and system deficiencies. That level of detail is critical to a provider’s customer satisfaction and revenue growth (new projects and services)—especially when it’s generated with minimal employee effort.
Common Starting Points
Which solution provider tools are most commonly integrated to a PSA?
- Remote monitoring and management (RMM)
- Accounting packages
- Quoting systems
- Email management
- Security solutions
- Online backup and recovery
- Help desk services
- Print managed services
As long-time solution providers know, integration is not a one-time event, but a process that should be reviewed on a frequent basis. Many MSPs assign a champion for each of their tools or services; someone who will guide new implementations and ensure each employee is properly trained to handle their responsibilities. They also serve as the vendor contact and update their co-workers and management team on new features and system changes.
That’s a crucial responsibility, especially for the individuals in charge of the critical and continually evolving PSA platform. With dozens of features and integrations available, successful MSPs select the ones that offer them the best competitive advantage and maximize their efficiencies and effectiveness. That’s why assigning a lead is so important, demonstrating a commitment to these tools for employees and clients. And by “doubling down” on the company’s software and system integrations, and configuring each for your specific customer needs, profitability and customer satisfaction are more likely to escalate.
Ted Roller is VP of channel development Intronis, the cloud backup specialist. Monthly guest blogs such as this one are part of The VAR Guy’s annual platinum sponsorship program. Read the archived Intronis guest blogs here.
