Efficiency is the name of the game for any business. Labor-intensive operations require more people, time, and money, and few organizations can afford to waste any of those resources. The MSP community derives a lot of revenue from the premise of process improvement.
Through a myriad of software applications, platforms, and other solutions, your firm can deliver and manage automation tools that will streamline some extremely complex business operations. MSPs fuel the efficiency engine for the SMB.
No matter how frequently this topic comes up, it may never be enough to highlight the value of automation for those who own an MSP business ̶ as well as your customers. Unfortunately, many providers openly admit to not getting the most value out of the tools they possess, often due to time and resource constraints. Others forget all the capabilities of MSP automation platforms and fail to set aside time to review and implement various features and functionality of the software. As a result, those providers are limiting both the growth opportunities and cash flow in their business.
With competition on the rise and margins under increasing pressure, every business must put more focus on efficiency. MSP automation and integrations are an essential part of that conversation. In the IT industry, where tech talent is hard to find and a significant investment, providers are increasingly reliant on tools that gather and distribute information relating to their clients’ networks, devices, and applications.
The faster that information can be collected and shared, the quicker the decision-making process can begin for that MSP. Regardless of whether people or machines oversee that final step, MSP automation, including software integrations with other IT tools and platforms, can save providers dozens, if not hundreds of labor hours each month. That time will be better spent prospecting sales opportunities, creating innovative solutions, and onboarding new business customers.
Maximize your tech resources with MSP automation
The great news for MSP owners is that scores of MSP automation options are already available. With a host of software applications, tools, and integrations at your disposal, it is easier than ever to create large-scale platforms that remove a significant amount of your company’s labor costs and headaches.
MSP automation is the perfect foundation for IT professionals who want to scale their services businesses quickly. Of course, a significant first step will be to eliminate every unnecessary manual process in the organization. Focus on the labor-sapping parts of those operations first, including the steps for opening and closing trouble tickets. PSAs and RMMs, when effectively integrated, are invaluable tools, populating and updating information across the combined platforms (as well as to other connected software).
Those MSP automation systems will route tech resources to the proper locations so they can quickly resolve issues and keep customers productive and happy. An effectively integrated platform will ensure the right team members receive the trouble ticket with the appropriate information. Automation also allows their managers to track time and resource utilization easily.
When no alerts or performance issues showing on their PSA platform, MSPs can focus on the activities that generate even more recurring revenue. Automation relieves anxiety. These solutions allow providers to rest easy knowing their systems will notify the appropriate people when a client issue or internal business problem deserves their attention.
Of course, the value of MSP automation does not stop at PSAs and RMMs. Backup and disaster recovery and cybersecurity solutions are crucial to business continuity, which is why linking those software applications and tools into a management portal, to monitor performance and speed notifications, has become the industry standard. Failure is not an option, and MSP automation reduces the potential issues that could affect your backup and restoration capabilities. Platform integrations help you stay ahead of possible data protection and retention issues so both you and your clients can rest a little easier each night.
MSP automation can manage behind the scenes
Of course, these tools can bring you more than peace of mind. When properly configured and fully implemented, MSP automation platforms and integrations provide an almost immediate ROI by reducing labor costs, eliminating billing delays, and improving efficiency across the company’s operations.
These solutions can also improve customer experience and boost retention rates. MSP automation speeds (or eliminate the need for) communications between providers and end-users when issues arise, reducing the time between initial notifications and problem resolution. As with your clients, software can make a big difference in your MSP business.
Those same benefits apply to your back-office operations. MSP automation can streamline invoicing, collections, and accounting systems, so you not only get paid faster but save a significant amount of time and effort in the process. What used to take hours can take minutes with the right software solutions, and your associated payroll costs will drop exponentially.
For example, an integrated platform consisting of ConnectWise, QuoteWerks, QuickBooks, and ConnectBooster offers a variety of options for an MSP. Each has its own attributes and serves a unique function in a managed services firm’s daily operations. MSP automation increases that power significantly as they collectively function as a single, synchronized management platform.
For example, the ConnectBooster platform integration with QuoteWerks assures that accepted quotes and payments are updated and saved in a secure payment gateway vault. All transactions run through ConnectBooster are automatically reconciled in QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online, as the invoice between ConnectWise and Autotask and other accounting software. MSP automation does all the work for you.
These tools and platforms are all about the data. Each software application collects and processes information to accomplish its mission and can share relevant details through various integration points. Connecting complementary solutions creates a “single pane of glass” for providers. MSP automation breaks down the individual silos of information that can stifle the growth of a managed services business.
These software platforms allow IT, service professionals, to leverage data more effectively. Centralized reporting and management tools give you greater control over internal as well as client-oriented operations, as well as give you more insight into your overall managed services ecosystem.
MSP automation is an invaluable tool for running an IT service business. Check out the drop-down options on the ConnectBooster website to get the latest information on all our software and solution integration options.
