BDR 101: Could You Pick Your Customers Out Of A Police Lineup?
Every data and backup and disaster recovery (BDR) customer has its own unique set of traits. Some are large, while others are small. Some demand more, while others demand less. You may think you know your customers — but could you pick them out of a police lineup?
As an MSP, it’s your duty to “manage” what sets your customers apart from each other. Every customer may look the same, but every customer has different needs. What are those needs? Who are your customers?
Once you understand the individual needs of a customer, everything else falls into place. Start on the outside, but end on the inside. It’s fine to initially group BDR customers into broader categories (e.g. small, large, etc.), but slim these categories down afterward. (This is where the sifting process begins).
Begin to ask yourself questions: Which verticals are my customers in? How many employees do my customers have? Do they have more than one office? What kind of BDR solutions do they need? What do their disaster recovery plans look like? Do they have a business continuity plan in place? Are they technical?
As you begin to ask yourself these questions, dig deeper: Do they understand the differences between backup, BDR and business continuity? Are they prepared for disaster (if not, you should probably get on that). Who is my point of contact in case of an emergency? Where are their backups located in their offices?
After finding the answers to some of the questions above, you’ll begin to realize how different your customers really are. By doing this simple exercise, you’ll be able to work more effectively and efficiently with your BDR customers. And, it may be easier for you to pitch more managed services down the road.
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