Richard Tubb's Blog, page 19
May 30, 2024
Kaseya DattoCon Europe 2024: The Latest in IT Service Solutions
Kaseya DattoCon Europe 2024 promises to be one of the biggest events in the IT and tech space again this year! It takes place at the Convention Centre in Dublin between 11th and 13th June.
As they say themselves, the event is ideal for MSPs. Why? Because they can experience the best of both Connect and DattoCon in one event.
And, it’s a great opportunity to learn about the most powerful IT service solutions to date and gain technical insights from industry experts!
What’s on Offer for MSPs?At this year’s event, there will be two keynote speakers. Attendees will hear from Fred Voccola, CEO of Kaseya, and writer and broadcaster Louis Theroux. And there will be further opportunities over the three days to hear from other MSP experts.
Mingle with 1,500 MSPs and industry leadersMeet the event sponsorsShare tips, tricks and secrets for success in a limited-seating, strategic networking experienceGet tips to grow your business – get actionable, impactful growth strategiesImmerse yourself in Kaseya products, get your questions answered in real time and strengthen your know-how
How to Register for the EventThis year’s Kaseya DattoCon Europe 2024 takes place from 11 – 13 June at the Convention Centre, Dublin, Ireland.
Click here to find out more about the event and buy tickets.
This is a live, in-person event. Some sessions will be recorded. Click here to register and be notified when the recordings are available.
If you want to grow your business, then you need to stay up to date with the industry. Plus, as regular readers will know, I’m a big advocate for meeting and collaborating with your peers. It can be lonely running your managed service business, so I encourage you to get out there and make friends!
And there are other reasons to attend, too!
Bring a colleague at a discounted priceAdd certification training sessions to your ticketBe at the leading edge in the MSP space and get a sneak peak at the newest productsBecome a networking ninja – share ideas and create valuable relationshipsEnjoy some not-to-be-missed entertainmentAre you going to be at the event? What are you most looking forward to? Let us know in the comments!
The post Kaseya DattoCon Europe 2024: The Latest in IT Service Solutions appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 27, 2024
TubbTalk 153: The Godfather Of Modern Productivity: How To Leverage GTD For Teams
David Allen is the author of Getting Things Done, the best selling book that spawned the GTD movement, which is now a part of daily life for millions of people all over the world.
I personally refer to David as the godfather of modern productivity, and he’s got over 40 years’ experience as a management consultant and executive coach.
They have earned him the titles of personal productivity guru by Fast Company and one of the top five executive coaches by Forbes Magazine.
An Interview With David AllenDavid’s New Book: Team: Getting Things Done with OthersWhile thousands of business owners now use GTD in their everyday lives, their colleagues don’t. David explains: “It can be frustrating, because they see how it would benefit them. And so often, they’re surrounded by dysfunction in the workplace.
“So what happens is they use their own productivity tools to mitigate that. There was clearly a need for a GTD for teams book, but it was a challenge. Because teams are unique in what they do, the people in them and the experiences they bring.”
David decided to co-author the book with Ed Lamont, who is the UK partner for GTD. He has worked extensively with senior teams globally to train them in the tool.
With Ed’s experience, they identified five steps to gain control and six horizons of commitment and applied those to a team setting. Then, they expanded on planning and implementation models for a team setting.
The Tools David Recommends for GTD EnthusiastsThe beauty of GTD is that it doesn’t require specialist tools. What is important is that you’ll stick to using it. As David says: “Many high-tech people have gone back to paper planners. Because it can sometimes be frustrating and distracting to use a digital tool.
“And for me, I keep my head empty by using pen and paper. No batteries or wifi required. But that’s not my organisational system. For that, I use Microsoft Office to collect and collate everything.”
It’s designed to be flexible, so each individual user can experiment with tools to see what works for them. Consistency is what matters, and having a simple-to-use strategy to get things done.
How GTD Works in TeamsBefore doing anything else, the managers need to look at how the teams work together. “How do we communicate? What are our meetings like? How clear are we on who needs to attend a meeting?
“So in the book, Ed and I describe these as symptoms of dysfunction. We dig into the simple mechanics that you can fix now so your team can do bigger and better things. And that allows you to address the cause of the problems.
“For instance, we coached a financial management company. Once they understood GTD, they implemented a rule around meeting attendance. If an employee was invited but didn’t know why, they didn’t have to go. Too many meetings exhaust teams and distracts them from their actual work.”
How the Getting Things Done Model Improves Team ProductivityRegardless of your industry, team members have to be able to engage with each other and communicate clearly. Because the goal of any business is to deliver a quality product or service to satisfied customers.
Often, David says, big companies focus on how to improve workflow efficiency and cut waste, such as the Toyota Production System. “But they don’t always address ‘mental no waste.’ A friend of mine once described GTD as ‘lean for the brain.’
“And what that means in practice is that it enables staff to clear their mind after a meeting or a busy day. They need a methodology to process what they’ve heard and done. It makes them less reactive and more mindful, and therefore more productive.”
How to Overcome Decision FatigueEven with the GTD tools, decision fatigue is unavoidable. So David will take time out as soon as he can. “Either I do nothing and have a nap, or I meditate or have a drink. Or both together.
“And when I know I need a rest, I have one. Your brain has to archive the complexity it deals with every day. You might need to sleep more at night. Or just sit in a darkened room and relax.
“When you do that it brings a sense of release or relief. Over both the mental process and the decision making process. And that is absolutely critical. Give yourself permission to stop and turn off the monkey mind.”
Common GTD Implementation Mistakes and How to Avoid ThemFirst, David says, people don’t really capture everything. “So they still use their head to remember and remind them of things. And they have some stuff captured, but they don’t trust it either. Because neither one is complete.
“And then it becomes too much trouble to write stuff down, so they stop. But then it backs up in their head. Second, they create a list but don’t clarify and organise what’s on their list.
“They have lists everywhere and then their head fills up again. Third, people get inspired and create a system. But they don’t review and reflect and the information they store is no longer current. Again, they don’t trust it and the habit fails.”
How to Connect With David AllenGetting Things DoneFollow GTD on TwitterLike GTD on FacebookJoin the GTD LinkedIn groupConnect with David on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeBook: David Allen: Getting Things DoneCo-founder & Senior Partner of Next Action Associates (GTD partner UK & Ireland): Ed LamontIndependent research institute: Post-Industrial Institute Founder of Post-Industrial Institute: Frode L OdegardBook: Rutger Bregman: Humankind: A Hopeful HistoryBook: Theo Compernolle: BrainChains: Discover your brain, to unleash its full potential in a hyperconnected, multitasking world (Science About the Brain and Stress Explained in Simple Terms)Book: David Allen: Team: Getting Things Done with OthersPodcast: Productivity, Healthy Habits and Getting Things DoneYou Might Also be Interested inTop Tips for MSPs on World Productivity DayThe Tools I Use… Productivity TipsWhat is GTD and How it Helps With ProductivityThe post TubbTalk 153: The Godfather Of Modern Productivity: How To Leverage GTD For Teams appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 24, 2024
10 Handy AI Resources to Help Your MSP Clients Grow Their Businesses
Are your MSP clients asking you for recommendations of AI resources? Not sure where to start? Here is a curated list of tools, all recommended by TeamTubb, for you to share.
Now, this list isn’t exhaustive, and we know that the AI world is moving fast, so please check that these are still relevant when you read this blog. I’ve split them into two categories, but they could all go in either.
We’re all busy all the time. So any tool that makes life easier is always going to be a winner!
1. Understand: Tech and AI (Radio 4 series)‘Understand’ is a series from BBC Radio 4 which explains the latest in science, tech, politics and more in an easily-understandable way. If you or your clients are fairly new to AI, then this is a great first stop.
Presented in the typical BBC style, the podcast gives you everything you need to know. As the shownotes say: “We’ll take one concept per episode and explain what it is and what it does. And without any technical jargon.”
Find all episodes here.
2. ChatGPT: The Ultimate in AI ResourcesArguably the best-known AI resource and the tool that propelled it into the mainstream. ChatGPT, delivered by OpenAI, has launched its latest version (4o) at the time of writing.
While it’s frequently used for writing blogs and other types of content, ChatGPT really comes into its own when helping with research. TeamTubb members use it to find data for articles, course outlines and social media posts.
It uses an LLM (large language model) to understand user prompts. The more detailed these are, the better the outputs. Because it combs the internet for pre-existing data, there is a risk of plagiarism that your MSP clients should be aware of.
ChatGPT can help with tone of voice, style and formatting of blog articles. Other uses include: write and debug computer programmes, translate text, emulate a Linux system and simulate a chat room.
3. Microsoft CopilotMicrosoft themselves describe this as “your everyday AI companion”. It’s able to boost productivity, unlock creativity and save its users time. It’s a chatbot, but it’s still one of the more sophisticated AI resources.
It’s been known by several names and is built using OpenAI’s GPT-4 LLM. There are both free and paid-for versions, with the latter offering priority access to new features.
It can be used to summarise meetings and identify key points, automates tasks and assists with the use of Office 365 tools. While still in development, Copilot promises to be a handy resource for boosting efficiency.
Find Copilot here.
4. Google Gemini (formerly Bard)Google’s answer to Copilot, Gemini will ‘supercharge your ideas’ and help with writing, planning and learning.
It integrates with the whole suite of Google Tools and can also be used to fact-check search results. Further, there is an extension that allows people who publish online to opt-out of being scanned to train the tool.
Today, there is also a web-based version of Gemini, an integration with Android messages and a premium option. And it offers a voice chat and custom chatbot functionality. It can be used to create images, although early results proved controversial.
5. GPTZeroGPTZero is slightly different to other AI resources on this list, because it’s actually an AI detector. As the website explains: “It incorporates the latest research to detect AI resources and investigates their sources.”
In practice, this means that it looks to see whether a document was written by a human or Generative AI. GPTZero “detects AI on sentence, paragraph, and document level.” Users just copy and paste or upload their text and let the tool go to work.
There’s a Chrome extension which will run in the background, and when AI is detected users receive a description of the results to help them understand what they’re looking at.
And as you can imagine, it’s helpful in a number of situations. These include CV writing, essays and coursework, social media and exams. We’ve tested it here at Tubblog, and the results are impressive.
If your clients are looking for ways to speed up their content creation time and market their business more online, here are some tools to help.
6. Whisper Transcribe: The Do-it-All of AI ResourcesThis one is used by our podcast manager! Simply upload an audio or video file (a range of formats are accepted) and let it do the work. Within minutes, the tool will present you with all kinds of content, repurposed from your original file.
This is particularly handy if you create long-form interviews (as we do with TubbTalk) and want to share the best bits across a range of social media platforms. It creates:
A full transcript, with and without timestamps and speaker namesA comprehensive summary of the contentKey quotesShow notesBlog postLinkedIn and X social media posts7. SnipcastSnipcast creates AI-generated summaries of podcasts and videos. This is a good one for podcast fans, as the tool will extract the main ideas and takeaways from any show. And because it’s automated and integrates with any platforms, it’s really easy to use, too.
It will also work with YouTube videos, but at the moment it can only produce summaries in English. However, this tool is great for content creators. You can upload your own creations and pull out summaries to use in show notes, social posts and even visuals.
A similar tool you can use is NoteGPT, for YouTube and PDF summaries in an instant.
8. WondercraftWondercraft allows users to create podcasts, audiobooks and any other audio content in any language. And all they have to do is type. It can also be used to research, plan and publish a podcast.
Wondercraft has the functionality to support you to create a script, choose the voices for your shows and add theme music. Additionally, you can (securely) clone your own voice. This can also be used to create audio adverts.
The tool can be used by educators, media outlets and translators. It’s not cheap – while there is a free version, this only gives you four minutes of audio. However, if you want to make audio a key component of your content marketing, it’s worth it. There are customised plans and collaboration features available too.
9. ChoppityThis one is a big hit with our content support team! The Choppity homepage makes a big promise: ‘paradigm-shifting AI social media video editor’. But it is easy to use – simply upload your video and let it get to work.
The biggest selling point is that it edits like a human, producing some impressive results. As well as creating snippets of the key parts of a video, you can also add captions, block out profanities and zoom in at important moments.
Plus, you can use it for presentations delivered from the stage. And even if the speaker wanders around, it will track them for you. Upload custom fonts, add graphics and music and save templates to use in future clips.
10. CanvaIt’s easy to dismiss Canva as just a graphic-creation tool. But if you think that, then you’ve missed a lot of their amazing updates! Canva is one of the best AI resources around, especially for those of us, like your author, who can’t make things look good on their own!
Canva relies on AI in a number of its functionalities. It can add all kinds of effects to images and turn video into MP4. It’s even possible to build a (basic) website on the platform and attach it to a domain name.
Plus, you can put together presentation slides (with audio/video), ebooks, brand guidelines, workflows and CVs. You can access ready-made, professional templates, and the option to quickly resize an image for any platform is also handy! There is a Canva Assistant and Magic Write AI tool to help with ideas and questions.
There is a pro version, although the options on the free version are pretty good. You can also have a team account, which allows you to share and collaborate with others. Save your brand colours, logos and any other assets, and have them on hand for your next creative endeavour.
What about you? Which AI resources would you add to this list? Let us know in the comments!
The post 10 Handy AI Resources to Help Your MSP Clients Grow Their Businesses appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 23, 2024
Understanding Deepfake Technology: Why It’s A Risk To Your Business
Deepfake technology, sometimes colloquially named ‘deepfakes’, has been getting a lot of attention in the mainstream news media in recent years.
But now, it’s no longer just a harmless entertainment medium, it actually poses a significant threat to your business if used for nefarious purposes.
In a recent webinar from Barracuda MSP, they highlighted how the AI revolution has made deepfake technology a growing concern in today’s threat landscape.
As this is a highly topical subject, here are some of the highlights from the hour-long presentation.
The webinar; Discerning Reality: Protecting Against Deepfakes was held on the 16th April 2024.
Presented by: Ilya Gaidarov, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Barracuda.
It kicked off with a bird’s eye view of generative AI (GenAI). Then explained a bit about deepfakes and how they’re being used by threat actors in the wild.
Ilya then took a look at regulation and what that was like, before explaining way we can defend against the threat of deepfakes.
To understand AI as it is today. There are a few terms we need to define.
Generative AI – GenAI learns from patterns in its training data and predicts the expected output based on what’s being asked of it.
Neural Networks – Computational frameworks that mimic the human brain’s structure and function through a system of nodes.
Multimodality – Ingests data across multiple mediums: Text, speech, images and video. Then creates output in various mediums too.
Hallucination – When GenAI creates inaccurate, misleading or false information. This occurs because of inaccuracies or bias in the training data which leads to.
Foundation Models – These are a deep learning architecture that takes multimodal data from multiple mediums and examines it at a component level to cross analyse it more effectively.
A foundation model is continually fed information so that over time the structure changes and adapts. This is so that it can qualify more effectively the data output it creates.
Output mediums include:
Information extractionSentiment analysisImage captioningSummarisationInstruction interpret and followObject recognitionQuestion and answerCode analysis and generationPrompt EngineeringAs we get better and more precise with the prompts we use in GenAI, the better suited to our purpose the data provided becomes.
Chatbots are the most common way end-users interface with large language models (LLMs). However the landscape is vast in complexity, and is growing.
The market for GenAI apps and software include fine-tune specialist models designed for specific tasks, and AI-integrated software for productivity, collaboration and more.
AI is a Game Changer for AttackersGenAI has made it easier for cyber attackers to launch their attacks in a number of ways:
Automation has impacted on the sheer volume of attacksSimplified personalisation of attacksMade targeting easierImproved code generation to exploit vulnerabilities
Deepfakes are synthetic media. Highly realistic video or audio created using AI, making people appear to say or do things they never did.
This is done through:
Digitally synthesised voiceAttribute manipulationLip syncingFace reenactmentEntire face synthesisThe first example of a deepfake appeared on Reddit in 2017. This deepfake was done for amusement/advertising, but there’s a real risk behind them too.
The number of deepfake videos released online is increasing by 900% annually. These are videos showing people doing or saying things they haven’t done or said.
The Risks Around DeepfakesSocietal Risks
PropagandaElectoral InterferenceIndividual Risks
ExtortionReputational DamageBusiness Risks
ScamsPhishingIdentity Theft
An elderly couple received a phone call from a lawyer claiming that their son had been involved in a car accident which resulted in the death of a diplomat. The lawyer informed them their son was in jail and needed money for bail, and put their son on the line to reassure them.
Panicking the couple withdraw $15,000 from their savings to pay into a bitcoin account. However, the whole thing was a scam. The son’s voice had been synthetically reproduced! AI tools only need between 5 and 15 seconds of audio of someone’s voice to be able to accurate clone them.
In 2022 over $11m was stolen through thousands of imposter scams.
Impersonation Video ScamA multi-national company lost $25 million dollars in a scam after employees at its Hong Kong branch were fooled by deepfake technology.
One incident involved a deepfake of it’s Chief Financial Officer ordering some money transfers during a video conference call. During this call, everyone present was a deepfake, except for the victim.
The scammers used open-source intelligence (OSINT) to create the video deepfakes. For those of you unfamiliar with what OSINT is, this thread on Stack Interchange explains it in more detail.
State ActorsIn March 2024, there was an attack carried out on a concert hall in Moscow by an Islamic State (IS) group, where 140 people lost their lives and many more were injured.
Shortly after this, Russian State television aired a video of a top Ukrainian security official seemingly taking credit for this attack. But it was a deepfake, which combined footage from two recent videos with AI-generated audio.
It can be difficult to determine whether or not audio is real or a deepfake.
Recent research indicates that around 1 in 4 people can’t distinguish deepfake audio from the real thing. And while GenAI continues to improve, we can expect to see similar rates for video detection in future.
When it comes to regulation, the UK and the EU are slightly ahead of the US in terms of legislative protection against deepfakes.
European RegulationUK Online Safety Act 2023 – made it illegal to share explicit images or videos that have been digitally manipulated (but only where they have intentionally or recklessly caused distress to an individual).EU AI Act of 2024 – anyone who creates or disseminates a deepfake must disclose its official origin and provide information about the techniques used.US Federal RegulationWhile there are no current federal laws prohibiting deepfakes, there are some proposals currently being reviewed.
No Fraud AI Act – Establishes a framework to protect people against AI-generated fakes by making it illegal to create a ‘digital depiction’ – including the appearance and voice of any person, living or dead, without permission.Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe (No Fakes) Act – Established to protect the voice and visual likeness or performers.Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act – Allows people to sue over faked pornographic images of themselves.In terms of State regulation, less than half of the US have some sort of regulation in place for sexual deepfakes or against AI use in elections.
As technology partners to your clients, they will be looking to you to mitigate the risks that deepfake technology poses to them and their businesses.
1. AI-Based ApproachesTechnology is being increasingly tested in the field to spot deepfakes using deep learning AI models.
Example 1: Deep learning models trained to detect feature anomalies (such as eyes, ears, hands, etc.)Example 2: Deep learning models trained to detect biological signs (blood flow, heart rate, etc.)2. Defence in Depth Best PracticeEnsuring you have a varied layered security strategy in place to protect your assets, and those of your clients.
Security Awareness Training – Encouraging a methodology of verifying audio/video channels before trusting it, especially if requests are abnormal or suspicious. Making sure that verification is done using a different channel (phone, email, slack, etc.)
Zero Trust – Going beyond multi-factor authentication (MFA), offering continuous verification of user and device identity.
Cybersecurity-as-a-Service – For example, 24/7 proactive monitoring and threat hunting.
One of the best ways to unsure you keep up with ever-developing deepfake technology is to choose security vendors with experience in leveraging and innovating AI into their solutions.
Barracuda have been integrating natural language processing into their anomaly-detecting email security solutions since 2017.
Email is still the number one vector for attackers to breach your network. 91% of all cyberattacks start with email.
Two downloadable resources for managed service providers (MSPs) available from Barracuda MSP’s website:
CISO’s Guide to the Role of AI in CybersecurityCybernomics 101
The session finished with a quick Q&A to close.
Q1: How far behind are defences at being able to accurately spot a deepfake at the moment?
A1: The technology is only at 40% accuracy at spotting deepfakes at the moment, so it’s currently behind. That’s why it’s always good advice to verify anything you’re not sure of, using a different channel medium.
Q2: How can you prove the effectiveness of security technology at managing risk to decision makers?
A2: Email threat scanners should flag up any suspicious activity. Whether that’s emails from unusual geolocations, suspicious links or attachments, or if they’re asking for account details or confidential information.
Q3: Are there any additional training modules that Barracuda provide in how to better spot deepfakes?
A3: Not at the moment, but there will be something to cover deepfake technology in due course.
Q4: Is the distortion you see sometimes in video deepfakes intentional? As a tell tale sign that the video you’re watching is a deepfake?
A4: No, it’s not intentional. It’s just the sophistication of the technology isn’t quite there yet, but that could change in the future.
Deepfake technology is being used more and more, and not just as a means of entertainment or clever advertising.
It’s now a tool for cyber attackers to use to get into your systems, steal your data and extort money from you.
Audio deepfakes are already difficult to distinguish from the real thing, and soon video may catch up too.
While many people are prepared for suspiciously-worded emails, are you clients as prepared for vishing attacks that sound like their CFOs ordering an emergency bank transfer?
Have you seen a deepfake that one of your clients might well have fallen for? Or are you concerned that sophistication in this field, thanks to AI, could give you sleepless nights as an MSP in the future?
We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
The post Understanding Deepfake Technology: Why It’s A Risk To Your Business appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 20, 2024
Successful MSP relationships: How to Find and Nurture Them to Make Them Last
In this guest article, Jaime Hindle, an independent client success consultant, explores ways to develop and nurture MSP relationships successfully.
I’m a big advocate for spending time in your client relationships. It’s important to really get to know each customer, so you can deliver the best possible service for them. And this not only ensures they’ll stay with you long-term, but also that they’ll refer and recommend you.
Searching, scrolling, swiping, messaging… Hours spent trying to make a connection with the right person…
No this isn’t Tinder (nor any of the other dating apps out there) but it could be. Just ask any of the hard-working MSP business development folk putting the hours in, trying to strike gold.
It can be pretty tough out there
Those of us that have been in this place (MSP business development that is) will recognise the lengths it takes to get to a place where you can have a meaningful exchange with a prospect.
And that doesn’t account for the significant number of leads you’ve targeted who’ve ignored your advances and polite persistence. How many frogs will you have to kiss before finding your prince(ess)?
Getting a prospect to first base is a small business development win, but it isn’t going to pay any bills. Not with a potentially lengthy sales cycle (involving a multitude of stakeholders and influencers) still to negotiate, and maybe even some kind of tender process.
And of course there’s plenty of external recognition that B2B MSP sales can be pretty brutal, requiring often huge amounts of effort. Bain & Co, for example, has suggested it costs x5 more to attract and acquire new business than retain it – a stat has been around for some time.
And of course, different market segments do vary significantly, but you get the picture. Securing new MSP business is not easy, and post-pandemic it’s even tougher.
Treat people right
Let’s make an assumption – that you’ve navigated all that hard work and found a client who has agreed to do business with you. That’s success, right?
But just because they’ve agreed to pay for your services, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a good long-term fit. For long-term success you’ll need to properly qualify them (before swiping right… or left).
For too long (and across all kinds of businesses, not just MSPs) there’s been the mindset that ‘any sale is a good sale’ and you can ‘just hit your numbers with delivery worrying about the rest’. But this is a fundamentally flawed and divisive approach.
Firstly, the client will quickly see through the thin veil of being ‘sold to’ when they’re not getting the expected value or promised outcomes from your platform or service.
You’ve got nothing but a short-term win here, expecting that they won’t renew, and may even cancel early if contracts allow.
Secondly, if the team keeps selling promises that can’t be achieved (like a white glove service with a ridiculously short SLA, for VIP users), you’ll have a problem.
Your engineers, or more likely your SDMs will have to then pick up the pieces, conveying to clients that what was expected cannot be provided. Now you’ve got both a damaged client relationship and a damaged internal relationship too.
I’m not here to down-talk sales people – I’ve been one. But these scenarios are real, and the ill-feeling they can cause is seriously detrimental to relationship success. So what’s the solution?
Firstly, let’s recognise that the client is not your enemy, and neither are your numbers. For success, the aim can never be to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes (though if you’re the sales person and it feels like that, maybe it’s time to move on). There’s no longevity in this and certainly no integrity.
In fact the opposite is true. Successful B2B relationships – and successful MSP sales – looks like clarity, transparency and honesty. Like securing lengthy contract renewals from happy clients who recognise the value you provide.
Make it last
Assuming you’ve worked hard to get the right new client over the line, you’ll want to make the relationship work. Think of them as a ‘keeper’ to be investing time and attention in. Grow your relationship, reach and value – and your numbers flourish too. Everybody wins.
Relationships matter, at least the ones that you value, right? Those that you have with your team of co-workers, with your suppliers, with your partners, and your clients too. A good start to making it last is recognising the interdependence of all these relationships.
Because, for the most far-reaching success, you need each other working in harmony. And yes, there will be ups and downs, like any relationship, but when you’re really leveraging the principles of client success, the harmony transcends this.
It’s a term that has been around for a few years now – client (or customer) success. But there still appears to be a misunderstanding of what it means in reality.
This transcendence of the harmony in relationships, through the inevitable challenges, difficulties and disagreements, is representative of this.
Most Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platforms will have a team of customer success managers who will look after new client onboarding, product training, maybe some benefit realisation and ideally renewals too.
Client success is not just for SaaS platforms, and it’s also not about a certain department or role – rather it’s an ethos that must permeate across the business – with everyone responsible for delighting clients and providing positive client experiences (CX).
This means account managers, salespeople engineers, accounts payable and so on. For many MSPs, and service providers full stop, this is quite a shift in outlook and behaviour. But the bottom line is that if your clients succeed, then your business succeeds too.
The client success ethos needs to be supported and lived by leadership as well as the people on the ground. So everyone feels empowered to put clients at the heart of their day-to-day.
And then the flipside of that same coin is these internal teams engendering an environment and understanding where the client is able to see your MSP in an empowered way too. As a trusted partner. And an equal.
But this is a different ball game now – where the number crunching ‘sign it and hit it over the wall’ approach just can’t play. You have no choice but to be more selective about the organisations you work with as any business is not necessarily good business.
But though there needs to be the ’right fit,’ being client-centric and placing the client at the centre of your business doesn’t mean always needing to concede to all demands. It might be controversial, but the client isn’t always right!
Strategic client success
Clients get things wrong; they might not do what they should; they may even be unreasonable from time to time.
They’re human after all and like any other relationship there are at least two parties involved. And each has responsibilities and expectations (and personal lives).
You need to decide if you want to just be another supplier or vendor or if you want to be a valued strategic partner. And if the latter, you have the right to (and should) hold each other to account.
The strong bonds of long-term MSP relationships (even in B2B) are very similar to personal relationships, even marriages.
You establish rapport and credibility (aka attraction), you demonstrate your product or service is valuable and meets their needs (is this person a keeper?) And, having established rapport and delivered initial value you then do the work of building trust.
Because every successful long-term relationship must be built on trust (and mutual respect). And every relationship takes work and effort to keep alive (and vibrant). It’s empathy, honesty, compassion and proactivity. In your personal life, and in your business life too.
Let’s close with this. Client success exists as a flow state. When the client, sales/account team and service delivery team (engineers, SDMs, sys admins) coalesce with mutual respect and appreciation of the expertise and value each provides.
B2B business is still all about people and relationships – even with the ongoing technology, automation, self-serve and AI developments. People still need people and taking a client success approach to this engagement.
And doing it in a consistently effective and authentic way, supported by the good use of tech is what good service and positive CX fundamentally is.
What about you? If you have any top tips for building MSP relationships, we’d love to hear them in the comments!
Author BioJaime Hindle has over 25 years’ commercial experience. He’s seen and done quite a bit, with the battle 
scars to prove it!
Having spent decades working client-side, in creative agencies, software and IT consultancies as well as the MSP space, Jaime knows what it takes to deliver highly successful and mutually beneficial relationships with customers.
You can find out more about how Jaime supports his client over on his website, or connect with him on LinkedIn.
The post Successful MSP relationships: How to Find and Nurture Them to Make Them Last appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 17, 2024
How to Help Your MSP Clients Stay Safe When Using AI Tools
In the last post, we looked at how to support your MSP clients with AI tools. We considered some of the main pitfalls to be aware of and what impact they could have on a business.
This time, we’ll explore the data security aspects of artificial intelligence. How can you keep your MSP clients safe, and how do you communicate the importance of security with them?
If you know that your clients are keen to use AI solutions, make sure that they’re using them safely. And you don’t have to be an expert in the tool to help them, either!
In the same way that you’d encourage clients to only click on trusted links or install software from safe sites, support them to do the same with AI tools too. If they’re Microsoft users, assist them with getting Microsoft Copilot set up.
And if they’re looking for tools to make content creation quicker and easier, point them towards things like Whisper Transcribe or ChatGPT. If there are payment or licencing requirements, can you manage that for them?
We know that business owners are using AI in all sorts of ways to make life easier, but they may not think through the consequences of signing up for the latest shiny object. As a responsible IT partner, you should help keep them safe.
As with cybersecurity and data compliance, we know that people don’t like to be lectured about keeping themselves safe while using tech. But if you’ve got a good relationship with your clients already, you should be able to broach it with them.
Perhaps you could make it part of your regular review meeting with them. Ask if they’re considering an AI tool, or if they’re already using one, how it’s working out. They might not want to admit that they’re struggling or concerned about what access the tool has, so make it part of a chat, not a lecture.
And it’s also a good idea to ask them to check with their teams, too. While your client may not have introduced AI tools to the business yet, that doesn’t mean that a staff member isn’t using it to automate a task and save themselves some time!
Many MSPs are looking at ways to offer cybersecurity awareness training, as it becomes more of a priority for their clients. This can include phishing simulations, online videos or in-person training sessions.
Over time, as more people adopt AI tools, it will become more important than ever to offer security awareness training. Companies such as KnowBe4 offer AI-powered training. They say that this “enables organisations to reduce risk faster, better and more efficiently.”
Or, if you’re not in a position to offer the training yourself, look for someone you can partner with. This is where it’s handy to be part of a peer group – ask around for anyone offering MSSP (managed security services provider) services. They will have a good referral for you or deliver the training themselves.
And if your clients aren’t keen to invest time and money into awareness training, there are plenty of articles on the dangers of AI tools being exploited by cyber criminals that you can share with them.
For example, in this article from October 2023, as featured in Cyber Magazine, highlights the risks clearly. AI is being used to craft ever-more-convincing phishing emails and to create malware.
More worryingly, they are stealing login credentials for tools such as ChatGPT to access older, unprotected devices and compromise data. These passwords are sold on the Dark Web. And they command higher prices than private emails due to the sensitive nature.
As an MSP, you’re probably using some kind of remote monitoring and management (RMM) tool on your clients’ networks. A good RMM not only looks at endpoints such as workstations, but also smartphones and network devices.
Because it proactively highlights any issues on a client’s server and alerts you in real time, you can often fix problems or prevent breaches without the customer even knowing it’s happened.
So if you’ve got a client who you think is at greater risk of hacking or data compromise because of AI tools, now is a good time to help them to improve and update their security systems.
And the added advantage is that while they may not have taken you up on the service in the past, the rise in cybersecurity attacks, particularly involving compromised AI, might be enough to persuade them now.
In a recent interview, GDPR and compliance expert Robert Baugh of Keepabl discussed the challenges for business owners who use AI tools. In particular he highlights the importance of governance – ensuring that you meet legal, ethical, moral and contractual obligations.
And Robert goes on to explain the importance of a data map. This logs every piece of information you have on past and current employees, as well as anyone you’ve interviewed for a role.
When it comes to AI, he says, that companies are in such a rush to adopt it that they’re not giving enough thought to privacy. Depending on how you use a tool, anything you input could be output to another party – this is a serious breach.
Another problem is that because of the way some AI tools work, there is a risk of bias with its outputs. Again, depending on the data its been fed, this could lead to discrimination or harassment, and is against GDPR regulations.
What about you? How do you talk to your clients about AI security measures? Have you made any changes to the services you provide them to help keep them safe? Let us know in the comments!
The post How to Help Your MSP Clients Stay Safe When Using AI Tools appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 15, 2024
7 Examples of How to Promote Positive Mental Wellbeing In Your Business
Introducing a programme of good mental wellbeing into your business can take many forms.
With burnout affecting technical teams far more than any other workforce, you’re probably already aware of some of the options available when it comes to encouraging good mental wellbeing for you and your staff.
Here at Team Tubb, we each have our own ways of looking after our own mental health.
Yet as a team that is based across the UK mainland, Europe and South Africa, we also employ some other clever ways to help to keep the team supported and encouraged.
Here we explore what works for each of us, including any apps we use, as well as which resources we use in the team as a whole. Hoping that some of these ideas might inspire you and your team.
Introducing a Programme of Good Mental Wellbeing into Your BusinessDepending on the size and scale of your business, and how many offices you work from, managing good mental wellbeing can look different from one company to the next.
However, here are some good places to start when thinking about your own team strategy:
Assess Needs – think of ways to conduct surveys of your team to ensure you understand any areas of stress.
Develop a Policy – create a policy that outlines objectives, strategies and resources in alignment with the goals and culture of your business.
Training and Awareness – provide training for all levels to recognise the signs of poor mental health and promote a supportive culture within the team.
Provide Resources and Support – partner with external independent professionals to deliver support, or invest in supportive technology or apps.
Regular Check-ins – implement regular wellness check-ins with anonymous feedback mechanisms to monitor the programme’s effectiveness.
Promote a Healthy Work-Life Balance – Encourage policies that promote a healthy work-life balance, such as flexible working hours, remote working opportunities and taking regular breaks and holidays.
Support Individual Healthy Practices – Anything with a positive affect on personal wellbeing should be encouraged.
At Team Tubb, we already practice flexible working, which allows everyone in the team to work on their terms.
So to be effective, we do a great deal of our team communication through a productivity and communication platform called Slack.
While this organises our workload and allows us to prioritise and touch base with each other, we also use it to promote good wellbeing in the team.
Alongside this, we also employ a professional coach, both in group sessions and on a confidential one-to-one basis to help the team conquer any hurdles they may be experiencing.
The #Watercooler and #Wins ChannelsWe have two channels in Slack that are good to have for encouraging positive mental wellbeing.
The Watercooler channel is for sharing anything the team might find interesting, unrelated to workload or projects. These can be a nice fun distraction, as well as a reminder that we should take time out every now and then.
The Wins channel lets us celebrate nice comments or emails we get from people appreciating our work, which is important to share with our colleagues.
Truth Tuesdays and Geekbot Weekly Check-InsTruth Tuesdays is our regular check-in with each other. Our studio manager, Lara Johnson creates a post – an inspiring quote and an uplifting photo, which the team can react to or comment on.
We encourage each other to be honest about how we’re feeling, and we don’t have to give detail if we don’t want to. But just having the outlet there if we need, can be a big help if we’re not feeling our best.
We also have an automated bot that sends us a series of direct messages (DMs) on a Monday morning. The purpose of Geekbot is to let the team know what we’re all working on that week, but it’s secondary function is to be able to call for assistance if we’re feeling overwhelmed or ill.
External Mental Fitness Coaching SessionsHere at Team Tubb we realise that there’s only so much we can do for each other internally. So we also sometimes partner with an external coach, who specialises in mental fitness.
The purpose of these sessions is to equip us with the tools that we need to better communicate, manage our time better, and get the most out of the skills we have already.
The benefits of these sessions have a huge positive impact on everyone in the team, both professionally and personally.
Richard believes that technology is fantastic at helping you to keep organised. “Stress comes from knowing the right thing to do, but not doing it,” he says, recalling a quote he heard once a long time ago.
During his days as an MSP, he once read the book: “Getting Things Done” (GTD) by David Allen, in which he explains the brain is for generating ideas, not storing them. Therefore Richard uses apps such as Evernote, Todoist and Google Calendar to organise himself.
However, when it comes to mental wellbeing, Richard likes to meditate. He uses the Headspace App 10 minutes each day, every morning, to decompress. This sets him up for the rest of the day. Sometimes, if the day has been a stressful one, he’ll meditate during the day too, just to compose and re-centre himself.
Pascal FintoniPascal likes to gamify his daily task list. By organising the tasks and deliverables that need to be done, he will set himself a short 10 minute ‘reward’. These can range from listening to film scores on Spotify, to taking a short walk for some fresh air, or even doing a household chore!
His tech recommendation for a productive and distraction-free workspace is AppBlock. AppBlock stops all notifications to your mobile phone, ensuring you’re not overwhelmed with pings when you’re trying to focus.
Books he recommends include: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. Peterson, and Be Useful: Seven Rules for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
Lenka KoppovaLenka enjoys going to the gym/yoga every morning, and says a book that changed her life was Outlive by Dr Peter Attia.
She believes that learning and health go hand-in-hand – and so, those are top priorities for her.
She uses the ‘Focus Mode’ on her phone a lot, and some digital wellbeing tools to ensure interruptions are at a minimum. The Forest App is a great way to focus solely on a task, too.
As a health a neuroscience nerd, she loves the Huberman Lab podcast, and reads plenty of books about the subject in her spare time.
But she says the best thing she ever did for her mental health was to get a cat. He makes her laugh every day, so worth bearing in mind if you’re thinking of getting one!
Kareena BaratAfter overcoming severe anxiety as a child, using Reiki techniques and by talking about her issues with her mother, Kareena saw the power in challenging herself by taking on adventurous activities.
Therefore taking regular holidays is an important part of maintaining her wellbeing. By combing nature, social, creative and active pursuits into her life, it keeps her anxiety at bay.
Going to the gym is part of her daily routine. A routine that’s important to keep a healthy balance. She uses an App by Garmin Connect to design workouts, and uses the ‘Modes and Routines’ feature of her Android phone to keep her Sleep and Work set to specific times. And at the weekend, she tries to take in a hike if the weather allows.
Gudrun LauretGudrun finds having a routine difficult to stick to at the moment.
However, having a dog, she has to regularly take her out for a walk regularly each day, which also gives her a walk in the fresh air. And just watching her dog play, she says, always makes her feel better.
Another great stress reliever for her is running. Listening to music allows her to reset her mind and clear her headspace.
Gudrun sometimes finds time for journaling too, especially when she used to use her dad’s old electric typewriter. There was something therapeutic about writing things out and bashing the keys while doing it!
Even though she claims to be more analogue than digital, she does use a pomodoro timer on her computer to block out time. And leaves to-do lists all around the house.
Her book recommendation is “How to do Things” by David Cain, which is a very basic productivity book. The system is simple and not overwhelming, and can be broken down and made even simpler for when you ARE overwhelmed.
Stephen McCormickGood mental wellbeing for me consists of both healthy activities and enjoyable creative pursuits.
I go to the gym three times a week, and keep a healthy diet, cutting out processed sugar and salt where possible. I take part in activities in my spare time that unplug myself from technology.
For example, I have a regular board game social group, and I like the tactile problem-solving and communication which comes with doing escape rooms with friends.
I also find stress relief in any creative activity where I can use my hands, suh as painting miniatures for the kinds of board games I play.
In terms of technology, I love the bedtime mode on my android phone, which prevents notifications while I sleep, and turns the screen greyscale. And the My Wellness App for the gym workout data is very helpful to track my progress.
Lastly Arnold’s Pump Club is an excellent podcast that gives you ten minutes of motivational advice from Arnold Schwarzenegger, taken from his newsletter, and read out by an AI in Arnold’s voice.
Lara JohnsonFinally, Lara finds herself very busy looking after her children when she isn’t working.
However, when she can find the time, she also likes to pursue fitness at the gym as a way to keep strong physically and mentally.
Here are five more Apps that might you might find useful:
Headspace – This app offers guided meditation and mindfulness practices to reduce stress and anxiety.Calm – Provides sleep aids, meditation tools, and resources to help with relaxation and stress management.5 Minute Journal – A daily mood tracker and micro journaling App with inspirational quotes and reminders available.Moodfit – Helps track and improve your mood, providing tools to manage your mental health day-to-day.The Body Coach App – Provides a personalised structured workout and nutrition plan with access to community support and live workouts with Joe Wicks.
Resources Mentioned in This ArticleSoftware: SlackSoftware: GeekbotWebsite: Adventurous CoachingBook: Getting Things Done (GTD) by David AllenSoftware: EvernoteSoftware: TodoistSoftware: Google CalendarApp: AppBlockBook: 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos by Jordan B. PetersonBook: Be Useful: Seven Rules for Life by Arnold SchwarzeneggerBook: Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Dr Peter AttiaApp: Forest AppPodcast: Huberman Lab (Spotify)App: Garmin ConnectWebsite: Pomofocus (Pomodoro Timer)Book: How to Do Things: Productivity for the Productivity Challenged by David CainApp: Technogym MyWellnessPodcast: Arnold’s Pump Club (Spotify)App: HeadspaceApp: CalmApp: 5 Minute JournalApp: MoodfitVideos: The Body Coach App
What Mental Wellbeing Tools and Practices Work for You?When it comes to taking control of mental wellbeing, knowing is half the battle.
We hope you already have in place some great tools and services to help you manage your own mental health, as well as that of your staff. And if you’re looking for ideas, we hope this article has given you a few more examples to look into.
We’d love to hear what tools, apps and resources you’re using in your business. Please let us know in the comments!
The post 7 Examples of How to Promote Positive Mental Wellbeing In Your Business appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 14, 2024
How to Better Support Your MSP Clients With AI Tools
Artificial intelligence is here to stay, whether we like it or not. And as managed service providers (MSPs) we’ve probably already anticipated the changes to business and life that AI tools will bring about.
However, you may not have given much thought to what AI will actually mean for your clients’ businesses. As their tech partner, your clients look to you as the expert, even if you’re not totally confident in much outside of Microsoft Co-Pilot.
And of course, there are myriad ways to use AI– you’re clients are most likely using it already without realising. As their adviser, you have a responsibility to make sure any of your clients wanting to use AI for business, even if it’s just in a small way, know how to do so responsibly.
Let’s take a look at just a few of the key areas that you need to focus on when it comes to AI tools and apps for your MSP’s clients.
Cybersecurity is a priority for most MSPs, and especially those who are transitioning to be an MSSP (managed security service provider).
And as cybercriminals are able to gain access to networks through emails from the ‘CEO’, legitimate-looking links and more, it’s perhaps unsurprising that AI is a target too.
The UK’s NCSC recently conducted a study to look at the short-term risks of AI and cyber threats. They found that while AI can actually be a positive tool for rapid threat detection, it is also vulnerable.
So in the coming year or so, existing tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) will evolve and be enhanced, and those pose the greatest risk. For now, cyber threat actors, even those who aren’t especially skilled, are employing AI from anywhere in the world.
As a tech partner, what do MSPs need to know? Well, as the criminals access high-quality data and improve their skills, they will employ more sophisticated techniques from 2025 onwards.
More concerning for now is that AI offers what the NCSC terms ‘capability uplift’ in both social engineering and reconnaissance. This makes both more efficient and effective, and also harder to detect.
Now would be a good time to start educating your clients on this, and look at how you could offer awareness training. If you don’t have the capacity to do that yourself, perhaps you can partner with another MSP who does?
As a writer, I know first-hand how busy people are and that they struggle to make time for content marketing. The arrival of AI tools like ChatGPT has made it much quicker and easier for rushed business owners to put together a blog post.
Aside from the issues around the quality of the output, and how much it sounds like you, there’s a real risk that your MSP client could be accused of plagiarism. And that could cause reputational damage.
ChatGPT is a large language model (LLM) which is capable of searching for and generating text based on a prompt. By asking it a question (prompt), the tool will write you whatever you want. As well as blogs, it can be used for emails, course outlines or poetry.
However, not all AI tools come up with this output on their own. Instead, it combs the internet for information which is already out there. If you asked it, “How do I make a Christmas pudding?”, for instance, the results it presents to you have already been published.
So there is a real risk of copying someone else’s content, even if you didn’t mean to. And there are also ethical questions being raised. If you’ve used AI tools which use machine learning, then you haven’t stolen someone else’s work. But you haven’t written it either.
The good news is, there are tools you can use that will scan a piece of text for you. If there’s someone else’s work there, you can remove it. Alternatively, cite it as research or even summarise it in your own words.
If your clients are using ChatGPT to save them time in their marketing efforts, are they reading the output? Too often we see badly-written blogs published on a website. But more worrying is that if you don’t check it before you share it, it could be factually incorrect.
Where did the tool find the information? Can you verify the source document? The tech sector moves fast, and data that was relevant and up-to-date one day might be might be meaningless the next.
By relying on the AI tool to do the research and the work for you, you’re handing over quality control. Encourage your MSP clients to read through blog posts to make sure it doesn’t have information from unreliable or discredited sources shared as facts. Again, think about the reputational impact.
Likewise, if they’re using AI for automation, has everything been set up right? Are there safeguards in place to prevent mistakes? For instance, if it produces reports for clients, is it up to date? A process for regular reviews of AI tools is a good idea.
Depending on the industry your clients work in, they may need to be selective about their AI tools. Any company dealing with sensitive information, or has government contracts, will be bound by specific legislation.
As we’ve seen, cyber criminals use AI for nefarious purposes. Your clients may not be aware of the risks, or even realise that they’re not supposed to use a specific tool. Smaller companies are always the most vulnerable, so if your client is an SMB or in a supply chain with one, take preventative measures.
Your clients also need to consider what information they allow the AI tools to access. There are GDPR rules around sharing and storing personal data, for instance, and breaching those can lead to large fines and other sanctions.
Do they hold proprietary information, whether their own or that of their own clients? How can this be safeguarded from AI tools accessing networks? It’s important to be transparent with customers and suppliers if AI is being used somewhere within a business.
And AI tools aren’t infallible! They can make mistakes (hallucinations) and things can go wrong. So far there haven’t been any final court decisions about AI errors. But it’s unlikely that a judge would accept blaming AI for any negligence. So check and recheck the work that these types of tools do for you!
What about you? Do your MSPs clients ask you for help with choosing and implementing AI tools? Do you have a strategy to support them? Let us know in the comments!
The post How to Better Support Your MSP Clients With AI Tools appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 13, 2024
TubbTalk 152: The MSP Owner’s Guide to Becoming a Better Leader
Juan Fernandez is the Global Channel Chief at SuperOps, the next gen platform for MSPs. A former MSP and investor, Juan’s achievements have been recognised across the industry, winning numerous awards. He shares his advice on being a better MSP leader.
An Interview With Juan FernandezHow the CEO of SuperOps Takes a Different Approach to BusinessJuan says he and Arvind are aligned with what they want to do: “He’d been very successful in previous roles, but he’s not motivated by money. He wants to empower others, and I’m the same.
“I want to do the right thing, and Arvin’s goal was to create jobs for the community and legacy wealth for our employees. That aligns with my goals. As a leader, our job is not to tell people what to do.
“It’s to empower them to be more successful and to create those jobs and those opportunities for people to find success. That’s the moment that I love the most. Arvind’s vision is different to most CEOs.”
What Juan Looks for in Team MembersJuan says that as an MSP leader, he’s looking for people with drive, determination and passion. But too often, leaders are only looking for people who can do the job. “That’s why I want people with passion, because they can be aligned to the role.
“So often, people have been in unfulfilling jobs. But when you give them the opportunity to find something they’re passionate about, they’re unstoppable. I’m looking for people who want to enact change and take charge of their destiny themselves.”
How an MSP Leader Should Support Staff not Reaching Their PotentialThere sometimes comes a time when you’ve encouraged a team member to try a role or take on more responsibility but it hasn’t worked. So what should you do? Juan says he tries to encourage people to self-select.
“But the problem is often their mindset. I might feel confident that they’re capable, but they don’t think they are. Where possible, help them to see what they can do. If they don’t have the desire to step up to the challenge, it’s frustrating as a leader.
“In those situations, you can try to encourage them. Or you can realise that there’s something holding them back which could damage the entire team. They have to all work to the same goal, and if someone isn’t you have to let them go.”
How to Build Resilience as an MSP LeaderJuan says that his approach to being an MSP leader is to lead by example. “I tell my team, ‘I won’t ask you to do anything I wouldn’t. So I always do things first, no matter how small.
“By demonstrating that something is possible, then you know you can do it too. It’s my job to help them understand it. And if they really don’t have faith in themselves, then maybe it isn’t the right role. That’s ok.”
Juan says there are different approaches to leadership you can take. “Maybe you prefer to be in control, but I like the team vote. Everyone gets a say. As a leader, we feel that we have to make all the decisions. But if you empower the team, you build resilience for yourself and them.”
How Juan Became a Published AuthorJuan explains he met his co-author by chance after he won MSP Shark Tank. “Marnie Stockman contacted me on LinkedIn. And I always reply to people who connect with me.
“We just hit it off and had similar backgrounds. We talked, did a joint presentation at an event, and then we decided to write a book together. So, we wrote The MSP Owner’s Handbook QBR version. Since then, we’ve co-written other versions, including one for SaaS businesses.
“It’s been translated into different languages, and the SaaS version is used as educational material for SaaS companies on how to approach MSPs and understand their mindsets. It’s been incredible.”
Why Not Having a Mentor Helps Juan be a Better MSP LeaderJuan has always been open about the fact that he doesn’t look up to anyone. “From a young age, I learned from what I saw around me. When I saw behaviours I didn’t like, I’d say: ‘When I’m a leader, I will never do that.’
“So I still do that today. And it really helps me focus my leadership skills. I can say that there are tactics I’ve seen that I won’t use. It lets me push myself away from something I don’t want to be towards what I DO want to be.”
How to Connect With Juan FernandezSuperOpsFollow SuperOps on LinkedInLike SuperOps on FacebookFollow SuperOps on XConnect with Juan on LinkedInemail JuanText call+505-270-6588" target="_blank" rel="noopener">JuanHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeCloud business suite: ZohoHelpdesk and ticketing software: FreshdeskCybersecurity solutions: RSATubbTalk 147: One Woman in Tech’s Remarkable Journey from MSP to Community ManagerMSP peer group: CompTIAJuan’s book: The MSP Owner’s Handbook: QBR EditionAuthor and MSP sales expert: Marnie StockmanResearch firm: Lifecycle InsightsInteractive audio and video walkthroughs: TalkTrackAntivirus: Microsoft DefenderCloud solutions Provider: SherwebTubbTalk 150: 25 Years an MSP – Valuable Lessons You Learn from LongevityYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: Global Expansion, Harnessing the Power of AI and Serving the MSP Channel BetterA Blueprint for Success: Sensational Insights Revealed at SuperSummit 2024SuperSummit Virtual: Strategies for Successful MSP Growth and ScaleThe post TubbTalk 152: The MSP Owner’s Guide to Becoming a Better Leader appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
May 10, 2024
Encouraging Wellbeing as an Important Investment for Your Business
Wellbeing is crucial part of building a long-lasting and happy team.
Investing in your employees’ mental and physical health is just as important as making sure they have the necessary tools and skills to do their job.
So, what can we do as employers and business owners to help build a culture of good wellbeing?
In this article we explore some of the practices, and the benefits of a strong wellbeing-centric workforce.
We all know that professional people work hard and experience stress from time to time. Managed service provider (MSP) businesses are no different. Analytical problem-solving and keeping to tight deadlines within a technical environment requires intelligence, professionalism and an attention to detail.
However, if we’re not careful, that stress can lead to burnout if not properly managed.
According to the Workplace Health Report 2023, conducted by Champion Health:
76% of employees experienced moderate-to-high levels of stress (up from 67% in 2022)33% of employees reported that high stress impacted on their productivitySource: Champion Health Insights
The challenges of retaining top talent mean that once we find great people to work with, we should be doing our best to keep them engaged, healthy and happy.
Therefore, this article will address some of the things we can do to encourage a strong culture of wellbeing. As well as highlighting some of areas we should keep a close eye on.
It’s crucial that investment in wellbeing should come from the top down.
Leadership commitment is as important as employee buy-in when it comes to making wellbeing a part of your company strategy. Burnout can affect anyone, and it’s a massive risk to your business if not managed properly.
However, it’s an investment, and that means there’s a cost. Initiatives promoting wellbeing in your workplace can require time and money to implement. At the very least, you may have to change operational practices to accommodate a healthier work/life balance.
A commitment to wellbeing is something to mention when you’re hiring, be part of your onboarding, and be a strong part of your culture throughout your operations.
Besides, if you can prove the strength of your commitment, it can be a way of attracting talent. Especially for those people whom health and wellbeing is an important factor is deciding to work for a company.
This is a broad subject, but here we’re specifically talking about giving employees options and control over where and how they work.
It’s also about enabling them to be more effective in their roles by providing the right tools and training to do their jobs effectively. As well as making sure the support is in place when they need it.
Furthermore, the impression that they’re being listened to, as well being rewarded for hard work goes a long way.
Striking a balance to make sure your employees are not overworked and are taking adequate breaks will increase their long-term productivity.
Microbreaks every 2-3 hours are proven to increase productivity and creativity. And they can help lower stress too. There’s a great article about the science behind microbreaks here.
Create a Social Fund that Focuses on WellbeingFor those of you lucky enough to be able to spend time with your team outside of normal working hours, it’s good to engage in social activities together. And those that promote health and wellbeing can demonstrate the commitment you have to building resilience. It can also deepen the trust you have between you and your team.
The social bonds you create as a result will also help lower stress, but be careful to not blur the lines — keep respectful boundaries to preserve your integrity.
Carry Out Some Charity WorkDoing your bit for charity always feels good. As an employer, if you get opportunities to help local charities in the community, it also helps with your brand marketing, and social proof too.
If you can allow or, even better, encourage your staff to take part in work that benefits a charity or local community, it helps them feel good by doing some good.
You should allow your team the time off in lieu (TOIL) if this charity work falls outside of normal working hours. And perhaps reward them with a team meal or something similar.
Mentoring Schemes and CounsellingSometimes we can be so wrapped up in our day-to-day work schedules, we can be too narrowly focused to see the bigger picture.
Having someone to talk to who can help us set long-term goals, resolve difficulties and put things into perspective can be very useful. Both mentors and counsellors can help you manage your stress and set context for change in your schedules or new challenges.
Healthy Lifestyle IncentivesProving your commitment to wellbeing extends to improving healthy lifestyles and habits too.
Promoting the government’s cycle to work scheme, or partnering with a local gym to offer discounts are just two ways you can build healthy habits.
You don’t have to replace ‘Friday Morning Doughnuts’, but you might also consider holding ‘Fruit Bowl Mondays’ too.
Implementing a Responsive Employee Assistance ProgrammeAn employee assistance programme is an employer-paid service that offers confidential support and professional advice to employees.
This is to help them deal with their professional or personal problems, especially if they’re impacting on their work, or their physical or mental health.
This assistance is voluntary, but it’s there to be used if and when staff need it.
Maintain Adequate Staffing – Where service demand is high, and tight deadlines are commonplace in your business, it can take a heavy toll on your workforce if there aren’t enough members in your team to meet the demand.
Depression and high blood pressure are common side effects of being overworked. This can lead to members of the team taking time off sick, which further exacerbates the problem.
While hiring more staff can seem costly, it’s even more costly to let your good staff take extended periods of sick leave due to stress. They may even seek employment elsewhere if they’re unhappy with how the demand is managed.
Smarter Working, Not Harder Working – We must all remember that time is a finite resource.
According to American Author Zig Ziglar: “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four-hour days.”
We must employ effective tools and processes that help us to use that time wisely. Automation, productivity hacks and ensuring we’re not wasting time on things that offer no value, will help you deliver more in smarter ways.
The savings you make in leaner processes will allow you more time to pursue the worthwhile things you want to do. For your team this could mean allowing them time to focus on learning new skills or developing creative solutions to problems.
Quiet Quitting or Presenteeism – When morale is low through stress or through other means, some employees may just choose to turn up and do the bare minimum. This is known as ‘quiet quitting’, and it can be disruptive.
Presenteeism brings problems of a different kind. Though it may appear to be a good thing that employees are present, staff who are ill will be less productive. If the illness is contagious, it can be spread to other members of the team, and they may be prone to burnout if they’re working when they should be resting.
Furthermore, if the employee feels compelled to be at work when they’re ill, this is a cause for concern, as it demonstrates they’re fearful of not being at work.
Everyone is different, and we manage our wellbeing in different ways.
According to the NHS website, the 5 steps to mental wellbeing include:
Taking time to connect with other people – This could be spending time with friends and family, having lunch with a colleague or joining a club/volunteeringBeing physically active – Exercise can raise your self-esteem, improve fitness and generate natural endorphins in the brainLearning new skills – To boost self-confidence and garner a sense of purpose or achievement. This could also lead to greater opportunities and improved self-relianceGive to others – Connect with other people through kindness to create positive feelings. Giving up your time to help others or just finding ways to express gratitude can help you achieve thisPractice mindfulness – Be in the moment and take time to notice what’s happening all around youIn a future article, we’ll explore some of the tools and apps that you can use to build greater resilience in your own personal wellbeing.
There are dozens of tools and apps to help manage an individual wellbeing.
These apps and wearables can help track stress levels, physical activity, and even sleep patterns.
While they offer some excellent health benefits, not all employees will be comfortable in sharing this personal data, either with the manufacturer of the software, or their employer.
And these tools should augment other wellbeing practices that offer more human interaction, in order to keep that personal touch.
In a future article we’ll explore some of these in more detail.
When you encourage personal development or healthy pursuits in your staff, you should also encourage them to celebrate their achievements through social media. This is especially true if they’ve met a milestone that they’re proud of, or done something for charity.
Promoting it through your LinkedIn company page is a great way to demonstrate your commitment to personal development, health and wellbeing. And it will raise the profile of the people who work for you too.
This will reflect positively back on your business, showing your ethos is of a company that cares about the wellbeing of its people.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) leader Salesforce has some unique ways of promoting holistic wellbeing as an investment.
Some of those that stand out are:
Ohana Culture: Salesforce promotes a culture of “Ohana,” which means “family” in Hawaiian. This philosophy underscores that the health and happiness of each employee are integral to the functioning of the company as a wholeMindfulness Zones: Salesforce offices worldwide are equipped with mindfulness zones — quiet spaces where employees can take a break, meditate, or practice mindfulness to rejuvenate during a hectic workdayB-Well Together Program: This initiative focuses on mental health and includes virtual wellness sessions. It features speakers and experts on topics ranging from psychological health to physical fitness, accessible to all employees globallyFurthermore, these initiatives are continually being improved through employee feedback. This underscores their effectiveness, and keeps the programmes in step with how staff are feeling.
Find out more about Salesforce’s Wellbeing Playbook.
Wellbeing might not be the most important thing to think about as a business owner, but it does come with a number of important benefits.
Invest in wellbeing and you can expect:
A higher retention of staff or lower turnoverFewer staff sickness days takenIncreased productivity and overall moraleGreater loyalty and buy-in from your teamIt’s a sensible investment, just like anything else. Though the returns may not seem tangible in the short term, it’s very much part of a long-term strategy.
Also, young people are much less motivated by remuneration as previous generations. Therefore better working conditions and benefits are much more appealing to new candidates.
What do you to encourage better wellbeing for you and your team? Has burnout affected you or your employees? And have you seen positive results after prioritising wellbeing as an investment in your business? We would love to hear your stories in the comments.
The post Encouraging Wellbeing as an Important Investment for Your Business appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.
