Richard Tubb's Blog, page 21

How Earth Day And Green Tech Help MSPs Put The Planet First

As MSP (managed service provider) owners and IT professionals, we’re often guilty of chasing the latest tools. But when it comes to green tech, I say that’s no bad thing! So to mark Earth Day, I want to share just a few things that I do. I hope they’re inspiring!

What is Earth Day?

Earth Day has been celebrated on 22 April since 1972. Initially founded as a response to air pollution and consumption of leaded gas in America, it has now evolved. Today, it’s about encouraging people to reflect on how we care for the world, and to inspire activism to bring about change.

After Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson became concerned about environmental damage, he took action. So, recruiting young activist Denis Hayes, Earth Day started as a way to mobilise students. And more recently, it has been a rallying point around a theme, such as 2020’s focus on climate change.

What is Green Tech?

So what is green tech and why is it important? Essentially, it’s any kind of tech that’s environmentally friendly. But it also links into scientific research, agriculture and hydrology. By using green tech, the hope is that we can mitigate or even reverse the damage that humans have done to the environment.

And what does that mean in business? Well, it might mean that you choose to make a regular donation to a charity or not-for-profit that supports environmental work. You may be more discerning about the types of companies you partner with.

Alternatively, you might introduce a green policy at work, which signals to employees, contractors and suppliers that you are committed to helping the environment. Or, you may look at ways to implement green tech solutions.

For instance, ‘green computing’ uses energy-efficient CPUs, servers and so on.  Plus, a focus on reducing resource use and correct electronic waste disposal is encouraged. If you give employees company cars, consider eco-vehicles. And if nothing else, embracing green tech can ultimately save you money AND make you more productive!

How I Embrace Green Tech at Work and at Home

TeamTubb are fully remote, meaning that we don’t have an office that uses energy. Of course, this also means that the team doesn’t have to commute to work,  so we’re not contributing to air pollution. When we do travel for events, we look at ways to minimise the impact we might have.

Personally, I have turned part of the garage at home into a recording studio, so I don’t need to travel to record the TubbTalk podcasts. And in the rest of the house, we’ve invested in several green tech devices to help the environment:

Solar panels on the roofSolar panels on the Guinea pig shed2 x home batteries in the loftTinted windows to reduce glare

And my wife Claire and I have invested in a wind-farm and a solar-farm in Scotland.

What about you? Do you use green tech in any aspect of your life? Or is there something you’d love to try? Let me know in the comments!

You Might Also be Interested inCreating a More Sustainable MSP – Why the Benefits are More Than Just Ethical

 

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TubbTalk Travelogue: MSP Show & SuperOps SuperSummit 2024

Time for another Team Tubb Travelogue!

In this instalment, Lenka Koppova catches up with Richard Tubb, Stephen McCormick and a few special guests who are currently in London at the SuperOps SuperSummit Beer & Banter afterparty after a busy week.

Grab a cup of your favourite tea or coffee or even something stronger, relax and join them for a fun conversation about the highlights from these amazing events.

Plus… the Team Tubb Travelogue Quiz is back! Can Richard and Stephen answer Lenka’s tricky questions?

What is the TubbTalk Travelogue?

These are ad-hoc, bonus episodes of our regular TubbTalk podcast, recorded live at an event. A member of TeamTubb calls Richard and/or Steve for an on-the-ground update on what they’ve learned and their highlights from the day.

Listen to the Travelogue from the MSP Show & SuperOps SuperSummitWhat to Know About The MSP Show and SuperOps SuperSummitThe MSP Show: A Thriving Hub for Collaboration

The inaugural MSP Show, co-located with the established SITS Service Desk Show, marked its territory as a must-attend event for Managed Service Providers. The atmosphere buzzed with energy as MSPs from all over connected, shared best practices, and learned from each other’s experiences.

Attendees gained valuable knowledge from industry leaders’ insightful talks, practical takeaways from educational sessions, and built strong connections with fellow MSPs, fostering a vibrant and collaborative community.

SuperOps SuperSummit: Empowering MSPs Through Knowledge and Community

The SuperOps SuperSummit shattered the mould of traditional industry events. Forget sales pitches! This summit focused on empowering MSPs through knowledge sharing and building a strong, supportive community.

A highlight was the “Super MSPs of Europe” panel discussion hosted by yours truly, Richard Tubb, where successful MSP owners offered a goldmine of practical wisdom through their insights and experiences.  The focus wasn’t on theory alone; the emphasis was on taking action. Speakers encouraged attendees to implement the learned strategies for real-world results. This collaborative environment fostered peer-to-peer learning by openly discussing both successes and the challenges faced by MSPs.

Were You There? Share Your Experience!

Did you attend the MSP Show or the SuperOps SuperSummit? We want to hear from you! Send us a voice recording with your highlights, and we will add your comments to our next Team Tubb Travelogue!

You Might Also be Interested in

For those of you who couldn’t be there, here are some TubbTalk podcast interviews we’ve done with the SuperMSPs of Europe, so you can learn from some of the wisdom they share.

Vera Tucci on Co-Managed IT, CyberSecurity and Imposter Syndrome: Top Tips for MSPsJoe Burns on How to Navigate the Cybersecurity Landscape: A Comprehensive Guide for MSPsMark Taylor on How To Transform from an MSP to MSSP for Business GrowthScott Riley on How to Build A Successful Cloud Solution Provider Business and Microsoft Stack & Why MSPs May Consider an Alt Service Desk

And make sure to check out our previous travelogues as well:

Channel Live & UpLift Live 2024The Cloud & Cybersecurity Expo 2024

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In-House or Outsourced Cybersecurity: What’s Best for MSPs?

With cybersecurity remaining a chief concern for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) amid a landscape of ever-evolving threats, it’s reasonable to expect IT providers to have a few protection route options. But should that be done in-house or should you look at outsourced cybersecurity?

MSPs have more than merely their own data and reputation to consider. They work for companies and organisations that put immense trust in their ability to manage networking and essential resources.

Therefore, MSPs must think carefully about managing cybersecurity for the best, both for their needs and clients. 

Typically, this boils down to two or three options. You can:-

Manage cybersecurity in-housePartner with or outsource your Security Operations Centre (SOC) to a specialistUse a hybrid option that offers the best of both worlds

Each of these options has pros and cons. MSPs might naturally gravitate towards option three, the hybrid.

So, in this guide, we’ll take you through the advantages and disadvantages of running cybersecurity in-house and outsourcing this work. By the end, you should have a clearer idea of what likely works best for your setup and budget.

In-House SOC: In brief

An in-house Security Operation Centre, or cybersecurity department, is a centralised team of security analysts and engineers you employ directly. They are on your payroll and might work in the same building. They do so exclusively for your MSP and any clients you white-label for.

For many providers, convenience and exclusivity are enough to “seal the deal.” However, following the COVID-19 pandemic, the lines between in-house SOC and hybrid cybersecurity support have blurred slightly.

That said, there are still other advantages to running an in-house SOC over outsourcing the expertise, just as much as there are drawbacks.

What are the benefits of in-house cybersecurity management?

In-house cybersecurity gives you immense control, privacy, and convenience. Here’s what you need to know.

In-house SOCs work to your standards

When employing an in-house cybersecurity team, it works purely to your standards – you call the shots.

You’ll benefit from an exclusive, custom cybersecurity package that you can update and tailor to your precise needs whenever necessary.

Moreover, your own SOC is familiar with your business practices and understands how you operate in-depth.

You can choose who works for you

Employing a team means choosing who’s part of that setup. Again, you call the shots regarding recruitment and interviewing. 

The knock-on benefit is choosing what skills and experience to prioritise when hiring. This is another element of control you might otherwise lose when opting for outsourcing packages.

However, as we explore a little further down, you’ll ideally need working knowledge of what a talented SOC analyst looks like and what skills they should bring to the table.

You can keep security practices private

MSPs, naturally, handle multiple clients at any given time, meaning they have strict data protocols in place. Providers, too, will want to keep practices and data private – and with an in-house team, they can ensure no data regarding their practice leaks out.

Data protection will be in place when you work with a reputable partner or outsourced platform. However, in-house is the way to go if you prefer to keep things private for internal eyes only.

You can train staff on your existing systems and software

When managing cybersecurity in-house, you can train a team to become familiar with your existing systems and processes, potentially cutting back on training and coaching time overall.

That said, whether a SOC operates in-house or externally, it still needs to choose an SIEM (security information and event management) product to integrate with existing systems. 

The integration side of SIEMs is becoming less of a concern nowadays – but there’s always going to be the need to train staff on how to use some new software when building a SOC from scratch.

You have easy access to knowledge and support

You have access to cybersecurity advice and support at a moment’s notice. When hiring in-house, you can refer to your team and arrange ad-hoc meetings when needed.

What are the drawbacks of managing cybersecurity in-house?

Unfortunately, building and managing in-house cybersecurity teams is not always easy. There are extensive costs to consider, and getting a team of specialists up to speed takes considerable time and effort.

Here’s a breakdown.

There’s a shortage of skilled professionals

Official government data shows that, while there were over 160,000 different cybersecurity job postings in the UK in 2023, over a third of them were “hard to fill.” Moreover, there’s an employment shortfall of 11,200 people to keep up with demand.

These statistics tell us that, although hiring your cybersecurity staff sounds appealing in theory, there’s a distinct shortage of people skilled enough to fill these roles. 

In practice, MSPs risk running through endless hiring cycles and mishiring cybersecurity professionals who fail to live up to their expected standards. 

Another issue is that in order to build an effective and workable SOC, you’ll need a lot of staff – probably around 20 people. As Dima Kumets of Huntress explains:

“This is a bigger problem than figuring out a stack of tools. Most MSPs can’t afford to do this. The impact is that they end up with employees burning out after having to be on-call for double shifts.”

You need to be technically prepared to run your SOC

Whether you’re building a SOC in-house or for a client, ensuring it operates efficiently and effectively is one of the biggest hurdles you’ll need to overcome.

For example, do you know what a good SIEM looks like? Moreover, do you know which skills to prioritise when hiring and training SOC engineers?

In addition, consider your operational availability, experience, and expertise. Can you operate a SOC 24 hours a day as your clients might demand? Do you have the insight to recruit the right experts, build an efficient team, and manage a highly specialised service?

Who’s watching your clients outside of working hours? Do you have the appropriate software to monitor and manage security day and night?

Mark Taylor, founder of Chorus, the leading Microsoft MSSP, explains to Richard in TubbTalk 140: How To Transform from an MSP to MSSP for Business Growth, that MSPs building SOCs need to think carefully about what their offers look like. 

“It’s worth considering how you’ll respond to breaches,” he suggests. “Will you just send an alert to the client, or will you fix it for them, too?”

Taylor also suggests that it might be prudent for MSPs to partner with others to build an effective SOP offering. It’s just one of many in-house considerations you must make before committing to what your product looks like.

You need to build and pay for a team from scratch

As mentioned, setting up an in-house SOC means leaping through hiring hoops and carefully selecting candidates. Getting a fresh security team up to speed will take considerable time and effort, regardless of any skills shortages.

Moreover, running an in-house team demands considerable financial investment. For example, MSPs must set up legally binding contracts and pay benefits and sick leave when employing staff via PAYE.

Another drawback is that MSPs hiring in-house staff pay for a set number of hours each week or month. There’s a chance that not all of these hours are used. Meanwhile, you pay for precisely what you need when outsourcing, meaning your ROI increases.

You need to manage your team effectively

Hiring for a team is one thing, but consider the management challenges you’ll face along the way.

For instance, you must provide for unexpected absences, holiday time, and 24/7 operations. That means hiring enough staff to manage your SOC around the clock and cover any sudden shortfalls.

Beyond this, cybersecurity analysts are highly sought-after. To retain your best experts, you must offer attractive compensation for their work and genuine career development opportunities. Larger organisations tend to have greater capacity to support employees to advance up the career ladder.

That said, how you keep one staff member will always differ from another (and far be it from us to dictate how you should mitigate turnover!).

You need to invest in your own tools, software, and protection

Running an in-house SOC also means carefully selecting the best tools and software to help your team do their job. That’s additional time and money spent, which you immediately save when working with partner tools and security platforms such as Guardz or Huntress.

Again, prior knowledge and experience are golden here. Understanding what makes an excellent SIEM or partner tool takes more than simply comparing features or undertaking free trials. Unfortunately, it could take years before you settle into a comfortable and effective software stack.

You need to build a reputable presence

Even if your MSP is already a trusted entity, establishing a new SOC will take time to market effectively and “settle” in your customers’ consciousness. 

When it comes to the credibility of your SOC, in-house, you’re on your own. You must ensure your analysts communicate effectively with existing teams and commit to training and development. Moreover, it pays to prioritise gaining accreditations and helping your analysts obtain additional qualifications.

Experts claim that a SOC can take around three years on average to be ready for market. That’s somewhat avoidable, however, if you outsource to a team of analysts already up to speed on technologies and processes and who are available around the clock.

Outsourced or partnered cybersecurity: In brief

Outsourcing cybersecurity as an MSP means delegating client protection to a third party. To some, this might sound like a risky move. However, as mentioned, scalable, reliable options such as Huntress can help you set up cybersecurity out of the box without any need for manual setup or management on your side.

For example, Huntress offers a purpose-built SOC solution with endpoint detection and response (EDR) to squash threats as soon as they’re spotted. Its lightweight suite runs in the background for MSP clients, making it painless to install and run – and the company even offers security and training insights.

Outsourced EDRs are invaluable elements of outsourced SOCs. They provide MSPs with complete visibility over incoming threats and real-time insights, meaning they can react quickly should potential attackers be spotted. 

Outsourcing an EDR also means MSPs have reliable intelligence databases they can use to investigate threats and ongoing vulnerabilities swiftly. EDRs can also sniff out attackers who might squat inside networks without getting detected for weeks.

However, one concern that could arise when outsourcing as an MSP is how your clients might respond. For example, they might oppose the idea of their security being handled by an external agency.

Michael George, one of the godfathers of modern outsourcing, spoke with Richard via TubbTalk about this problem. 

In the episode, he explained that many MSPs don’t advertise white-label partnerships. They simply use outsourced providers and end users frequently can’t tell the difference. 

We’re at a point where outsourced cybersecurity is exceptional enough for this to be less and less of an issue.

That said, again, there are pros and cons to either side of this option, so let’s explore them.

What are the benefits of outsourcing cybersecurity?

Outsourcing cybersecurity means you benefit from immediate expertise, highly scalable solutions, round-the-clock protection, and immediate value for your initial investment.

Let’s dig deeper.

You have instant access to expertise and experience

With in-house cybersecurity, you must hire and train staff manually based on your needs and systems. This takes considerable time and effort.

However, when you partner with an outsourced solution, you have instant access to experts with years of experience. That means MSPs hit the ground running with immediate protection, advice, and monitoring from the moment a contract begins. 

This is an increasingly valuable benefit in light of the cybersecurity skills deficits mentioned earlier. The people you work with via outsourcing are already employed, meaning you don’t have to hunt down additional support.

That’s also going to cut down your time to market significantly.

Scalability is simple

For all in-house SOCs can be simple to scale depending on your needs, outsourcing is even easier to manage when growing a company.

You don’t have to hire additional staff or invest in extra tools or software – your support network grows and adapts with you, meaning there’s much less planning and budgeting to consider.

This is especially useful if your or your clients’ security needs evolve over time. For example, you might need to scale from traditional MDR solutions to MXDR protection—more on that a little further down.

You’re protected 24 hours a day

This benefit is slightly blurred if we consider that some “in-house” cybersecurity experts work remotely, on shift patterns, and worldwide. However, you have complete defence around the clock with services such as Huntress.

This is especially beneficial from an MSP’s perspective, as multiple clients depend on security support at varying hours of the day.

When managing SOCs in-house, you must always ensure you have staff available. Outsourcing, however, removes that management headache completely.

You pay for what you need

Outsourcing your cybersecurity usually means paying for the support you need and nothing more. When you hire a team outright, you pay for hours you might not necessarily require. Flat pricing ensures that MSPs benefit from immediate ROI. 

Beyond this, outsourcing and partnering are generally affordable for small to medium MSPs, meaning there’s little blocking providers from taking advantage.

What are the drawbacks of outsourcing your cybersecurity?

Of the few drawbacks of outsourcing MSP cybersecurity, providers need to be willing to relinquish some control, work with experts handling other providers, and choose between standardised packages.

Here’s a more detailed overview.

You don’t have the luxury of complete control

When you outsource your SOC, you agree to release control of your operations somewhat.

This isn’t necessarily bad when you consider the time and effort you save along the way. However, it can be a sticking point for those MSPs who care about monitoring the minutiae and keeping practices private.

You won’t have an exclusive team

When partnering with cybersecurity outsourcers, remember you’re working with a team with multiple other clients and partners. That means their work isn’t exclusively tailored to your needs, and you’re sharing time and resources to some extent.

Outsourcing firms work with multiple companies simultaneously to pass savings onto their clients. Therefore, although outsourcing means you lose some exclusivity, you certainly benefit in terms of ROI.

To clarify, here, too – you will still have an exclusive contract and, in many cases, named account managers who act as your contact points.

You won’t have a custom package

Outsourcers can provide custom plans and packages depending on your needs. But, if you need a complete bespoke fit-out, hiring in-house is better.

Yet, again, that comes with caveats such as increasing costs and time demand. It could take years for a brand-new, in-house SOC to get up to standard. Therefore, it pays to compare and balance what’s most important to your SOC needs.

Should you go hybrid?

Hybrid SOC management means effectively taking the best elements of both avenues discussed above.

For example, you could hire one or two in-house experts but still use outsourced monitoring to provide your clients with peace of mind.

If you can’t choose between the benefits on either side, it’s worth considering a hybrid SOC. However, doing so can be a complex undertaking. Our advice, generally, is to compare the market.

Guardz, for example, is a hybrid-ready SOC-like offering that supplies protection against familiar threats such as ransomware and phishing. It supports MSPs and their clients against mass data loss. Users benefit from real-time protection, too, meaning someone always has their back.

Remember: Every SOC is different

If you’re new to setting up SOCs, it’s easy to assume that one size fits all. That’s rarely the case—if you’re working on behalf of clients, you might need to be flexible to offer particular security features compared to someone who might simply need access to a helpdesk occasionally.

Consider the difference between SOCs operating as MDRs and Managed XDRs, for example. Both options outsource real-time EDR protection and threat detection and provide clients with direct access to security analysts and expert personnel.

However, the difference – as Mark Taylor advises – lies in scope. MDRs (Managed Detection and Response services), Taylor states, tend to be great starting points for SOCs. 

Meanwhile, MXDRs (Managed Extended Detection and Response services) use XDR technologies to extend real-time coverage.

Typically, MXDRs offer broader responses to security threats and are frequently more efficient and effective at protecting clients on both sides of Boom [insert link to blog about Boom here]. They pull in more endpoints and build up a clearer picture and “story” about how security looks across a client’s network.

Therefore, it’s frequently easier for MSPs to outsource SOC operations that can scale with specific client needs. Otherwise, they must build a department from scratch, which takes time, effort, and resources.

Which route is best for MSPs?

The answer is pretty non-committal, as your providing needs may vary compared to others.

However, experts lean more toward outsourcing simply because of the instant access to expertise, the immense cost savings, and the measurable ROI from the get-go. That all translates into a fantastic service you can offer clients, helping you build trust over time.

Generally speaking, it’s more common for enterprises and larger organisations to build SOCs in-house as they have the resources, personnel, and funding to do so. However, that doesn’t mean outsourcing can’t work well at an enterprise level. You just need to find the right partner!

Far be it from us here at Tubblog to decide for you! Business needs vary, meaning it’s always good practice to compare outsourcing partners and assess your budget carefully before leaping into what seems to be the ideal SOC solution.

You Might Also Be Interested InHow to Measure Profitability to Make MSP Businesses More RobustTubbTalk 150: 25 Years an MSP – Valuable Lessons You Learn from LongevityUplift Live 2024: Exclusive Expertise for Businesses on LinkedIn 

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TubbTalk 150: 25 Years an MSP – Valuable Lessons You Learn from Longevity

In this episode, Richard speaks to Craig Sharp, the founder of UK-based Managed Service Provider (MSP) Abussi, one of the longest-running MSPs in the country.

Craig founded Abussi in 1995 as a database supplier, and the business has transitioned over the past 26 years from software into break/fix hardware. Today they offer managed services, which they’ve been rocking for more than 15 years!

Richard describes Craig as a real go giver and is always willing to help a fellow MSP.

Craig is somebody who is incredibly knowledgeable on customer success and managed services.

An Interview With Craig SharpWhy a Bigger MSP Business Isn’t Always Better

In the managed services world, there’s an idea that growing your business size is what leads to success. But as Craig’s own experience shows, that’s not always the case. In fact, he and his co-founder made a decision not to expand too much.

“I knew a guy, Bob Fox, who ran an early web design company. He had a ton of experience, and he told me that once a company gets bigger than 10 people, you find yourself too involved with people’s lives and problems. You become like a social worker.

“And what I’ve found from my own experience is that 12 is about big enough. Plus, as an IT expert, you’re there to demonstrate that tech can help your clients to do more with less. So you should be able to do the same.”

How Abussi Works on Relationships to Retain MSP Clients Long Term

Craig says that he and his co-founder each take responsibility for different aspects of their business, and he enjoys building relationships that help new clients come on board, and then to make them feel valued once they’ve signed up.

One of the ways he does that is by sending gifts. “It’s something I think is useful in different situations, but especially when you’ve made a mistake. For instance, we recently promised a client that we’d install Starlink internet for them within an hour.

“Unfortunately, they ended up being offline for four hours. So I sent them a basket of muffins and apology. They were fine about it, but appreciated the gesture. To build a successful relationship, communication is key, so we try to keep people informed at every stage of a project. That’s so valuable.”

Why Craig Focuses on Systems and Processes, not Tech Tools in his MSP

Craig admits that it’s unusual not to focus on the tools an MSP uses. But many MSP owners have a very technical background, so they naturally gravitate to that as a priority.

As Michael Gerber says in “The E-Myth Revisited”, the MSP owner (his example is a baker) has gone from being very good at their niche to being in demand. And then they become a business owner, which isn’t what they set out to do.

“So it’s natural that they don’t think as much about strategy or relationship building. But those are the areas where you need help. My background in project management means that I can offer support in the areas where business owners aren’t as strong.”

How Craig’s Passion for Sharing Knowledge Helps his Clients

MSP owners should be continually learning and sharing that knowledge. “I put myself in my customer’s shoes. I don’t want to say ‘I’m the expert and I’m right’. Instead, I want to work with them to help them solve their problems.

“You have to explain it in a language they understand, and build a relationship where your technical knowledge sits alongside their business expertise. If you can do that, then you both get the outcomes you want.”

At Abussi, the team are careful to not provide technical answers and instead offer business solutions. “We work with them to help them improve their processes and build their trust.”

How to Handle Wrong-Fit Clients

No matter how hard you work on relationships, sometimes you will work with a client who’s not right for your MSP. It’s best to deal with those situations head-on, as Craig explains:

“I always do a customer review just before we renew our Microsoft licences. That way, if there’s anyone who wants to part ways, we know about it before we pay for an annual subscription.

“I identified a client we only delivered minimal services, and they rarely took our advice on-board. I told them that we needed to end our partnership, but I was careful not to leave them in the lurch. So I recommended someone else who could better service them and supported them during the handover.”

Craig also acknowledges that sometimes, MSPs keep working with a difficult customer because they need the money. “But they’re taking up too much of your time, and they’re often bad payers too. Ultimately, they’re costing you too much energy which could be used elsewhere.”

The Biggest Mistakes MSPs are Making Today

When it comes to business mistakes, Craig says there are inward and outward errors: “Inwardly, there’s an issue with being too focused on the tech. So that’s why I recommend working on relationships and so on.

“And then externally, sales and marketing is tough for MSPs. Nobody’s an expert, even me. But you have to be able to sell your solutions because they will help your clients.

“But don’t explain the technical benefits – highlight how the tool will help them solve a problem. That’s what your clients care about, and not communicating the benefits to them is a big mistake.”

How to Connect With Craig SharpAbussiemail CraigFollow Abussi on LinkedInConnect with Craig on LinkedInLike Abussi on TwitterFollow Craig on TwitterHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This InterviewOlympian and TV presenter: Kriss AkabusiDesign consultants: ScitechBook: Paul Jarvis: Company of One: Why Staying Small is the Next Big Thing for BusinessSatellite internet provider: StarlinkBook: Michael E Gerber: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About ItBook: Douglas Adams: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the GalaxyData visualisation tool: Power BIBook: Bob Burg and John David-Mann: The Go-Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business IdeaMSP peer group: The Tech TribeBook: Cal Newport: Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted WorldCollaboration tool: SharePointCloud storage: OneDriveCloud marketplace: GiacomRMM software: AteraBusiness operating system: Zoho OneRemote access tools: LogMeInRemote access tools: SplashtopCybersecurity services: WebrootCybersecurity services: AcronisCybersecurity services: BitdefenderCloud network: AristaThreat management solution: UntangleCybersecurity services: SonicWallNetwork security solutions: WatchGuardNetwork security solitutions: CiscoMerakiNetwork switches: ZyxelAuthor and SMB expert: Karl PalachukBirmingham homeless charity: NetworkfourYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: Episode 50: Productivity, Healthy Habits and Getting Things DoneWhy Giving MSP Clients What They Want Leads to Better RelationshipsPodcast: Episode 100: Tomorrow’s World, Teen Tech Initiative and Encouraging Girls in Tech

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #27 – March 2024

Tubbservatory Round-Up – Tools and Resources for Your MSP

Each week, Richard scours the depths of the internet to uncover vital resources, curating a dynamic collection tailored specifically for IT Managed Service Providers (MSPs) aiming to lead the pack in their industry.

Welcome to the Tubbservatory – a lively video series presenting carefully chosen articles, podcasts, and events, crafting a treasure trove for fellow IT entrepreneurs.

Step into the Tubbservatory Round-Up #27, your portal to the March 2024 edition! As we embark on this new month, we’ve diligently assembled this month’s episodes for your viewing delight. Immerse yourself in these handpicked resources at your leisure, seizing the opportunities that February unveils!

Find the links to these invaluable resources at the conclusion of this post.

This month’s topics include: Ticketing System, Cloud, Cybersecurity, eBook, Productivity, Helpdesk, Support.

Tubbservatory: The March 2024 Round-Up Video

Tubbservatory Round-Up #27: March – Week 1

 

#1 Life of an MSP Who Doesn’t Have a Ticketing System

We kick things off this week by asking the question “What would life be like for an MSP be like without a ticketing system?”

That’s the topic that Akshaya Devi of SuperOps tackles in her latest article.

This is a thought provoking article, and well worth a read!

#2 ‘A Bit Iffy, but Important They Did It’ – 5 Experts Give Verdict on Government MSP Study

‘A bit iffy, but important they did it’. That’s the feedback from Paul Lloyd on the recent UK Government’s study of Managed Service Providers.

Doug Woodburn of IT Channel Oxygen covers feedback from Canalys‘ Robin Ody, Cavell‘s Dom Black, Network Group‘s Dave Tulip, Paul Lloyd and me as we weigh in on this eye-catching report.

#3 State of Cloud: 2024

Should you continue with your current cloud architecture and tools, even if it is not meeting clients needs? Or should you adopt a different approach, which is more open and distributed, swapping out a platform-centric approach for one that is cloud native?

Those are just two of the big questions that will be tackled as Akamai Linode host their State of Cloud: 2024 live event, which took place on Thur March 7th.

Dolo Miah of Linebreak, Mike Kasprzak of Ludum Dare, and Jay Jenkins, CTO, Cloud Computing, Akamai Technologies all contributed to this intriguing conversation.

#4 Is Microsoft Loop the End of Onenote?

Is Microsoft Loop the end of Microsoft OneNote?

That’s the question that MSP Jonathan Edwards asks in his latest thought provoking video.

Microsoft Loop was launched in November 2023 and lots of people have compared it to OneNote. But is Microsoft Loop really aimed at replacing OneNote or a different kind of app altogether?

Watch Jonathan’s video for the full story.

#5 Stand Strong in the Face of Cyber Threats

The Cloud & Cybersecurity Expo took place at the ExCel in London on Wed 6th and Thur 7th March 24.

Thousands of Cybersecurity experts were in attendance, including Mostyn Thomas and the Cybersecurity team from Pax8.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #27: March – Week 2

 

#1 One Woman in Tech’s Remarkable Journey from MSP to Community Manager

Former MSP owner Nancy Henriquez, who is now blazing a trail as the Head of Community for Next-Gen Managed Service platform vendor, SuperOps, was my guest in a recent episode of my TubbTalk podcast.

In our interview, Nancy shared her views on the key strengths and unique perspectives that women bring to the Managed Services industry, as well as how she sees the role of women evolving in the tech space over the next 5-10 years.

Nancy is an inspiring woman who has been there and done that in the MSP space.

#2 Making Cybersecurity Accessible for Women

How can we make Cybersecurity accessible for Women?

While women comprise around half of the total workforce, they make up less than 25 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce. So why is this?

That’s the question that Rachel Bishop of Huntress asked in this article, and the section on “advice to give to folks who’d like to be an ally to women in cyber” is a powerful read.

Highly recommended.

#3 Why Ada Lovelace is an Inspiration for Women in Tech Everywhere

Here’s Why Ada Lovelace is an Inspiration for Women in Tech Everywhere.

In this article by our very own Gudrun Lauret, we look at how as far back as 1843, Ada Lovelace was essentially the world’s first computer programmer, blazing a trail in the use of the Analytical Machine, a precursor to the modern computer.

This article is the story of a remarkable woman.

#4 How to Break Down Barriers so Women in IT Succeed

One of our most popular TubbTalk interviews in recent times is my conversation with Chloe Cameron of Pax8, where we discuss How to Break Down Barriers so Women in IT Succeed.

In our conversation, Chloe shares What it’s Like for Women in IT, Advice for Women Joining the IT Industry, and The One Skill Chloe uses Every Day for success.

We had so much great feedback on this interview. Thank you, Chloe for being a great guest.

#5 Women in Tech E-book for International Women’s Day 2024

If you’re looking for more inspiration from Amazing Women in Tech, then download our free eBook celebrating the achievements and expertise of women working in the tech industry.

Featuring insights from Amanda Stewart, Vera Tucci, Maggie Philbin, Diana Giles, Grace Marshall, Jennifer Bleam, Olesia Klevchuck and more — this eBook is available for free thanks to the kind support of our friends at Barracuda MSP.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #27: March – Week 3

 

#1 Conversational Managed Security Services for MSPs

We kick off this week with a brand new eBook that can help MSPs sell cybersecurity.

“Conversational Managed Security Services for MSPs” from Barracuda MSP, shares insights into the opportunities that exist for MSPs to offer security services, How to move your MSP business towards offering managed security services, The different types of services you can offer under the managed security umbrella.

This eBook is available now as a free download.

#2 Timtalk With Our CEO Ian Schenkel

And talking of cybersecurity, a video that caught my eye is Timothy Hughes, the author of Social Selling, speaking to Ian Shenkel of Endida about The need for businesses to simulate cyber-attacks.

This video looks not only at Pen-Testing, but also the importance of marketing your services well.

#3 Recommended Books for MSPs

A new book that I’m very intrigued by is Cal Newport’s “Slow Productivity – The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout”.

The central goal of Slow Productivity is to keep an individual worker’s volume at a sustainable level. 

We need fewer things to work on. Starting now, says Newport.

I don’t think anybody would disagree. 

#4 Securing Your Business: a Live Discussion on Screenconnect Vulnerability

If you missed news of the recent ConnectWise ScreenConnect vulnerability, then this video should be very important to every ConnectWise MSP.

MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer at CompTIA, and Patrick Beggs, CISO at ConnectWise provide valuable insights on how partners can enhance their cybersecurity hygiene to safeguard against malicious attacks.

#5 The Cyber Defense Lab – Built for MSPs

Throughout March and April, Huntress will be taking their Cyber Defense Lab on the road! With dates in California, Texas, Chicago and Georgia, the Cyber Defense Lab offers to help MSPs.

Defend against the real threats your clients are facing. Elevate your clients’ defenses and security strategy. Learn from the lessons your MSP peers had to learn the hard way

Build a custom security strategy made to fight always-evolving cyber threats. Registration is now open

Tubbservatory Round-Up #27: March – Week 4

 

#1 Karl’s Famous 68-Point Checklist – Version 4.0 Released!

If you’ve never checked out MSP legend Karl Palachuk‘s famous 68-point checklist for IT Solution Providers, then version 4.0 has just been released!

Karl’s checklist been used by thousands of IT Professionals to begin their network audits, provide monthly maintenance of client computers, and generally keep client computers tuned up and working great.

I used this checklist when I ran my own MSP business, and years later, it’s still as valuable. An essential download for MSPs!

#2 What Keeps MSP Owners Awake at Night

What keeps MSP owners awake at night?

That’s the question that Bradley Munday of Uptime asked to a room full of MSPs.

Out of hours support, Finding and Retaining Good Staff, and making time for pro-active tasks when inundated with business-as-usual helpdesk tickets were just three areas MSPs highlighted as causing concern.

#3 Meet GDPR Bot!

Meet GDPR bot, a great example of an AI Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (or GPT) that will answer any question that you might ask about GDPR.

Put together by Richard Nicholas of Jacobson Browne, this is a great example of how AI can be used to create genuinely useful tools.

#4 Dell Focuses on Future Tech, Collaboration With Program Update

News that the latest Dell Program Update for MSPs will see Dell Focuses on Future Tech and Collaboration, reports Larry Walsh of Channelnomics.

New enhancements focus on AI, edge computing, and increased incentives, aiming to boost partner engagement and prepare for next-gen tech advancements.

#5 Ultimate IT Growth Conference

Cybersecurity Expert Jennifer Bleam hosts the 2024 Ultimate IT Growth Conference between May 6th-8th in Dallas, Texas.

The event offers to share the Foundational Marketing And Sales Execution Systems Of Leading 7-Figure Firms, enabling attendees to build a sales process that will help you reach your next milestone.

Tickets are now available!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #27: March – Week 5

 

#1 ChatGPT Starter Pack: 10 Amazing Prompts to Improve Your Business Now

If you’re looking to utilise AI this year, then a great place to begin is Mark Schaefer’s ChatGPT Starter Pack.

One of the world’s top marketing experts, Schaefer provides ChatGPT prompts that can discover hidden relationships that lead to sales, have the world’s greatest experts create your web copy and many more!

#2 A Catastrophe for Control: Understanding the Screenconnect Authentication Bypass

The recent ConnectWise ScreenConnect vulnerability caused some angst in the Managed Service community, and the very same day the exploit was announced, Cybersecurity experts Huntress put together an excellent insight into what happened and how MSPs can stay safe.

#3 Wasabi 2024 Cloud Storage Index Report

I recently caught up with the team at Wasabi, who shared their 2024 Cloud Storage Index Report.

Some highlights from the report include that Cloud Storage is expected to grow by at least 9% in 2024, and a whopping 45% of organizations say they exceeded their cloud storage budget because of additional migration of applications and data to the cloud than originally anticipated.

This report is well worth a free download.

#4 Is a Lack of Trust Damaging Your Business Growth?

Is a lack of trust damaging your business growth?

Uptime and Inbay CEO Bradley Munday shares his thoughts in this powerful LinkedIn article on building a successful team.

I personally learned a lot from Munday’s short read, and would highly recommend it to any business owner.

#5 Google Cloud Next Event

The big Google Cloud Next event takes place in Las Vegas between April 9th-11th 2024.

Next ’24 is Google’s global exhibition of inspiration, innovation, and education, and features three epic day, of visionary keynotes, the latest technology innovations, and live sessions on everything from generative AI to security.

Registration is now open!

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-Up

From Week 1Life of an MSP Who Doesn’t Have a Ticketing System‘A Bit Iffy, but Important They Did It’ – 5 Experts Give Verdict on Government MSP StudyState of Cloud: 2024Is Microsoft Loop the End of Onenote?Stand Strong in the Face of Cyber ThreatsMentioned in Week 2One Woman in Tech’s Remarkable Journey from MSP to Community ManagerMaking Cybersecurity Accessible for WomenWhy Ada Lovelace is an Inspiration for Women in Tech EverywhereHow to Break Down Barriers so Women in IT SucceedWomen in Tech E-book for International Women’s Day 2024Week 3Conversational Managed Security Services for MSPsTimtalk With Our CEO Ian SchenkelRecommended Books for MSPsSecuring Your Business: a Live Discussion on Screenconnect VulnerabilityThe Cyber Defense Lab – Built for MSPsWeek 4Karl’s Famous 68-Point Checklist – Version 4.0 Released!What Keeps MSP Owners Awake at NightMeet GDPR Bot!Dell Focuses on Future Tech, Collaboration With Program UpdateUltimate IT Growth ConferenceAnd Week 5ChatGPT Starter Pack: 10 Amazing Prompts to Improve Your Business NowA Catastrophe for Control: Understanding the Screenconnect Authentication BypassWasabi 2024 Cloud Storage Index ReportIs a Lack of Trust Damaging Your Business Growth? Google Cloud Next Event

How You Can Help

As Tubbservatory Round-Up #27 comes to a close, we’re gearing up for April!

Got something awesome to share? Whether it’s a nifty tool or a resource that’s piqued your interest, drop it in the comments below and let’s keep the laid-back knowledge exchange going strong. Your input matters!

You Might Also be Interested inBrigantia Roadshow: Tools For MSPs To Mitigate Insider ThreatsTubbTalk Bonusode: The Cloud & Cybersecurity Expo: What’s New for MSPs?Don’t Count Sheep: 3 Tech Gadgets to Help You Sleep

The post Tubbservatory Round-Up #27 – March 2024 appeared first on Tubblog: The Hub for MSPs.

How to Measure Profitability to Make MSP Businesses More Robust

There’s an old adage that states, if it’s not measured, it’s not managed. Therefore, profitability is one of the most important metrics you should be measuring as a business owner.

According to Gartner, profitability is a measure of an organisation’s profit relative to its expenses. To put it another way, when you have an efficient income-to-cost ratio with your customers, your business is going to be more profitable.

So, as Managed Service Providers (MSPs), how can you keep your business profitable and more efficient?

In this article, we’ve highlighted just some of the ways you can be operationally more profitable.

Why Profitability Matters

Profitability is an important factor in the health of a business. It shows how operationally efficient you are, and can be an important factor to investors, or those that wish to acquire your business when it’s the right time for you to sell it.

Profitability goes hand-in-hand with growth, and the more profitable your business is, the better your foundations for growing your business. If your running costs are too high, it could impact your growth plans and make them much more of a risk.

Small businesses with a clear and consistent record of profitability are more attractive to potential investors. According to the National Small Business Association, 72% of small business owners believe that profitability is a key factor in attracting investment.

There are three main ways to increase your profitability as a business owner.

By:

Increasing salesReducing costsImproving efficiencies

For MSPs especially, we have to ensure that our client agreements won’t make them a liability in the future. Spiralling support costs and failing to raise your prices year on year are just two of the inefficiencies that can eat away at your profitability if not controlled.

Attracting Profitable Clients

When you attract new clients that are better suited to the services you provide, they will tend to be more profitable than those that are not as good a fit.

Customers that meet your ideal will be easier to manage, and cheaper to support.

We know from experience that this isn’t always possible. And depending on your operational maturity, you might be tempted to take on any and all clients that slide into your sales pipeline.

However, it’s really worth taking the time to define what your ideal client looks like and make it the cornerstone of your marketing strategy. Whether you’re positioned for a particular vertical or not, having in mind the sort of businesses that you want to attract will serve you better in the long run.

Selecting the Right Pricing Model

It’s a common mistake to think that offering the lowest prices will equate to more business opportunities.

If you price your services too low, it will affect your profitability, and it could be difficult to manage. Trying to deliver quality services on a budget will take a toll on your staff and be potentially not very satisfying for your customers.

The value-based pricing model invites potential customers to consider the value that they get from you as an MSP. If your pricing is too low, then they perceive that the value you add over your products isn’t worth very much.

Value-based pricing strategies are tied into your marketing. Therefore you should be demonstrating this as part of your marketing strategy to attract the right customers.

Marketing to Your Ideal Client

Once you know what your ideal client looks like you can shape your marketing engine to fit them. Your offering, pricing, the problems you can help them with; all of it can be designed to draw those ideal clients your way.

You’re much more likely to find better-suited customers if you specialise in a particular vertical or niche. Although the trade-off is that there may be fewer opportunities and greater competition if your offering doesn’t stand out.

How Can You Make Existing Customers More Profitable for You

As well as attracting new prospects, you can sell additional products and services to your existing customers.

Your existing customers are already a captive audience when it comes to selling your products, because they trust you enough to manage some of their services.

Therefore, as well as keeping track of the services you already provide, and how satisfied they are with the service. You should also keep track of the further sales opportunities too. The services that you provide as part of your stack, that they aren’t taking advantage of currently.

Whether this is a new service, something that they lack, or services in line with their goals for future growth, you should be taking note of these opportunities in your customer relationship database (CRM).

Furthermore, future growth should be something you discuss regularly with your existing customers as part of their technical business reviews (TBR).

Cost Savings to Make Your MSP More Profitable

An essential part of continual business improvement is making cost savings. Reducing your overheads and streamlining your internal processes and services to customers will save your business money.

Depending on the size and maturity of your business, there can be a multitude of ways to cut costs.

Here are a few tips for you to consider when making cost savings.

Outsource Functions to Freelance Virtual Assistants

Hiring extra staff can be expensive, especially if there isn’t enough work for them to do. However, if you only need help for a few hours a week, or if you want to offload tasks to a specialist, then a virtual assistant could be the answer.

Likewise, an intern could be a good hire if you they already have skills you currently lack. There are some specific guidelines for interns employed in the UK, so make sure you read them before deciding if an intern is right for your business.

Insist on Upgrading Client’s Legacy Systems, or Threaten to Raise Your Prices

IT systems are constantly being improved all the time, with faster processing and more robust software. Therefore, as MSPs, we are continually encouraging our clients to use the up-to-date tools that we recommend to them.

You may have some customers who are still using older, antiquated systems, who are delaying migration to newer technologies.

Even if you declare that you’re not supporting them, they could still be a barrier to profitability and a risk to security if they’re not isolated from the network.

And you may still get tickets raised for these older systems, so they can be a drain on your support desk.

Ways to encourage customers to migrate away from old legacy systems include:

Raising support feesExplaining why older, unpatched systems are a risk to their businessOffer managed data export and migration with followed up trainingExplain cost and efficiency savings for the customerReview Regular or Repeat Tickets in Your Ticketing System or PSA and Consider Automation

Depending on the size of your MSP offering or the complexity of your customer base, you’ll likely receive similar tickets across your business.

Reviewing these tickets can show you where automation or self-service could help lower the number of tickets you get coming in to your service desk. But it will also show you where the inefficiencies are for you to work on in general.

You may determine that several repeat tickets are the result of a training issue. Or a fault that could affect a number of users which, if resolved, could eliminate further tickets being raised.

Automation and Self-Service

To aid your team’s productivity, you could implement a self-service portal to help your clients help themselves. Or invest in a tool with integrated AI or machine learning capabilities.

Self-service encourages your clients to be pro-active in their service requests. This requires some set up training for each client, but it should reduce repeat service requests tying up your resources.

While sophisticated automation tools are becoming increasingly accurate and affordable, they may require some investment in implementation to get the best use out of them.

Risks to Profitability

Every business needs to consider risk in their supply chain. IT suppliers will be thinking of how secure their customers’ businesses are in terms of cybersecurity. And if they were to suffer a successful cyber-attack, whether they’d be able to survive the impact to their business.

Factors such as having adequate cyber insurance, and having a recovery plan to get things back up and running.

However, there are other risks to consider when you think of your customer base. These include:

Economic Instability – Would a recession affect growth and customer spending?Governance Criteria – will ESG have an impact on your niche customers?Irregular Payments – Do they pay upfront and on time or are they a charity or government institution that depends on funding budgets?Price Agreements Too Low – Did you initially set your prices too low, and they’ve become a drain on your resources?

How to Keep on Top of Your Profitability

As I said earlier, if it’s not measured, it’s not managed. You have to keep track of your metrics!

There are a few ways you can ensure you keep on top of your profitability.

Measure the Revenue and Costs of Services with Your PSA Tool

Your PSA tool, as well as tracking service requests, will also provide the costs of each service or product a client has. Comparing this to the monthly recurring revenue they pay, you can determine how profitable this client is, compared to the other clients you have.

It’s much easier to see it all together on a PSA tool, than using spreadsheets, but make sure that you’re measuring engineers time for any ad-hoc services you provide.

Hold Regular Technical Business Reviews with Your Clients

Technical review meetings with your clients are a great way to identify areas to help them grow their business. Those growth areas could be opportunities for you, but it’s important to not treat them as sales meetings.

An opportunity for sales is just one of the outcomes that can improve a client’s profitability to your business. However, the second is an opportunity to talk to your clients about any repeat service requests they make and find ways of reducing them through education, automation or remedying a more long-term solution.

Spotting the Opportunities to Upsell to Existing Clients

Keeping a database of the services you provide for each client will highlight areas you can exploit. You can see which clients have not yet signed up to some of the other services you provide to your other clients.

Not only will you have a good idea of what products your clients might need if you keep this database up-to-date, but you’ll also mark any areas for the potential phasing out of legacy systems, which will also improve their profitability.

Make part of your strategic marketing target your already-engaged audience of clients. Highlight new services in your marketing newsletter or your website, and across social media.

Other Areas to Watch for Profitability

Aside from those things you can directly control, there will be other factors that are beyond your scope to manage. However, they are worth keeping an eye on in any case.

Irregular Payment of Invoices

If clients are paying upfront and on time, then it’s usually a good sign that they’re happy with the service you provide and the relationship is a healthy one. But if payments are irregular, and you have to chase them now and then, it could be a sign of problems they are having in-house.

Whatever the case may be, it doesn’t hurt to reach out and ask if there is anything you can do to make things easier. If you can find a reasonable solution to any short-term issues, then it won’t be a major concern.

It’s only if the problems have a chance of escalating that you should be wary. If it looks like the relationship might end up being unprofitable in the long run, then it’s worth considering letting that client go.

Fluctuating Markets in the Sector

As the COVID lockdowns hit in the early 2020s, quite a few businesses took a huge financial hit. Likewise, Brexit also affected many businesses, and now many UK councils are experiencing funding issues.

If your MSP serves a particular vertical or provides services for businesses from a specific type of industry, then it’s worth paying attention to economic forces affecting those types of business.

Likewise, if you provide services for overseas companies, it’s worth keeping abreast of any geopolitical factors that may impact on your bottom line.

Your Client is About to Be Merged or Acquired

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) are already a complicated process for the businesses directly involved. But what about for the contracted service providers they employ?

You should try and get as clear a picture as possible about where you stand as soon as you can. Though your contract may be safe in the short-term, it might affect your bottom line in future if the new entity chooses not to continue with your services.

On the other hand, if you suddenly have to expand to cover more seats, that will also affect profitability in a good way. However, it might mean you need to recruit more staff to your team if you suddenly go from supporting 200 people to supporting 600 people.

Conclusion on Profitability

Profitability, cash flow and growth are the three essential parts of a business, and an MSP business is no different. Managing profitability is a way of keeping your business healthy enough to endure and grow.

Choosing the right kind of client is essential, as a good fit will mean high profitability. However, keeping them profitable, as well as working to make any other clients you have more profitable, is just as important as finding new clients to add to your portfolio.

By making sure we’re monitoring revenues and costs, we can measure how effective each client business relationship is. From there we can determine where any efficiency savings can be made and where any opportunities for upselling might be.

How do you manage profitability in your business? Do you have any tips for anyone out there starting their MSP journey that could help them maintain a healthy bottom line? We’d love to hear all about it in the comments.

You Might Also Be Interested InHow AI is Narrowing the Inclusion Gap and the Opportunities for MSPsTubbTalk 133: How Monitoring Your MSP Metrics Leads to Profit and GrowthBreakthrough Ways of Selling Cybersecurity Solutions to SMBs

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TubbTalk Bonusode: How One MSP Expert Overcame Imposter Syndrome For International Success

Tom Welton is a Solutions Engineer and MSP expert at Pax8. Previously based in their Colorado office, he has been based in the UK since the company opened their first European location.

After getting special dispensation from the British government to move over in the middle of the covid pandemic, Tom has since helped Pax8 to establish several offices in the UK and the wider EMEA.

An Interview with Tom WeltonHow Tom Overcame His Imposter Syndrome to Become an MSP Expert

Tom explains that his background was hospitality and customer service, and got into tech while working in hotels at ski resorts. As he says himself, he “ thought that meant coding, scripting and Python and quickly found himself overwhelmed.

However, he came across Pax8 in their early days, and working with them gave him the opportunity to develop his skills and knowledge. Tom adds that Pax8 were always happy with his work, but he still suffered from imposter syndrome.

“So, I got a lot of Microsoft certifications and became a Microsoft enterprise admin expert. Then I took the CompTIA Security Plus qualification. It took three months’ study, but I passed. And it’s especially good because the learning is vendor agnostic.”

Why Tom Enjoys Attending Industry Events

With a day job that means Tom spends most of his time behind a computer, he loves the opportunity to get out to events. “This is where the channel lives. And I get the chance to talk to real human beings.

“My day-to-day calls can become routine. So events break me out of my comfort zone. I get to speak to people who might think that our solution isn’t right for them. And I explain how we can help, they share their story and their goals and sometimes they become a customer.”

How the Solutions Engineer Role Requires MSP Expert Knowledge

Within Pax8, they have both solution engineers and solution consultants. Tom says the consultants sit closest to account management. And the engineer role is more ‘pure technology.’

In Tom’s specific job, he says, “I assist with bespoke conversations where it may not fit into some of the more standard day-to-day work. They tend to follow more or less the same format.

“I hop on the calls with one of the account managers. Having these bespoke conversations is out of my comfort zone. But it keeps me interested, and the client appreciates speaking to an MSP expert.”

How MSPs are Using AI

Like many other solution providers, Pax8 are finding that either their MSP clients or their own end users are leveraging AI. “We have a couple of vendors that use specialist technology.

“It’s fascinating,” says Tom. “I’m studying what’s available, such as AI 900 from Microsoft. And of course, the talk of the town is its CoPilot, which is billed as an AI assistant.

“One of the benefits of CoPilot is that, unlike ChatGPT, the data you share with it isn’t used to develop the model. So you can be sure that if you use CoPilot, you’re not falling foul of GDPR rules. Because it can do a lot of damage if it’s not properly deployed.”

How to Connect With TomPax8Connect with Tom on LinkedInEmail TomFollow Pax8 on TwitterLike Pax8 on FacebookFollow Pax8 on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeIT Industry Association: CompTIAAI tool: ChatGPTAI tool: Microsoft CoPilotCybersecurity accreditation: Cyber EssentialsYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: Why MSPs Should Offer Continuity and the Importance of Microsoft Clause 6bChannel Live 2024: Communications, Security and the Customer ExperiencePodcast: AI, The Future of Managed Services and Pax8 for MSPs: What You Need to Know

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TubbTalk 149: Why You Need to Know the Process of Process for MSP Growth

In this interview, Richard speaks to Allen Edwards, an accomplished entrepreneur, speaker and expert on process. He’s the founder of Eureka Process and the co-owner of Gozynta.

And Allen has also just published a book: “Process and the Other P Word (Which is also Process): the Power and Profitability of Process Within Your IT Business.”

An Interview With Allen EdwardsHow Gozynta Merged with Eureka

Allen explains that he loves where process gets him, and he learned that early on. He spoke to the founders of Gozynta and they explained that they wanted to improve their onboarding for greater customer satisfaction.

However, they didn’t have time to do it themselves, so Allen wrote some processes for them. This led to Eureka becoming Gozynta’s outsourced onboarding support, before they formalised the relationship a couple of years later.

How Allen Found the Book Writing Process

Allen admits that he found writing his book excruciating. It took him four years to complete, he says, because while the content was great, there was no structure. “And I realised that the same was true in my business, so I took the time to build in structure.

“Then I stumbled upon Mike Capuzzi, who helps people write short, helpful books that are great for marketing and lead generation. That was when I realised the book didn’t have to be long to be successful.”

Why MSPs Should Invest in Process Early on

No matter what business you’re in or what your clients want to accomplish, the first thing you need to do is understand what processes they have in place. Allen explains his concept of ‘leaky bucket syndrome’.

“No matter how well you teach someone, they’re only going to retain a percentage of it. And that’s either because they have their own beliefs, or you forgot to tell them something.

“So that bucket of knowledge you passed to them is imperfect. When that person goes on to teach someone else, the leaky bucket keeps going. And eventually it’s empty. You can’t fix it, but you can create waterfalls of knowledge to keep the bucket full – processes.”

The First Process an MSP Should put in Place

Allen uses the analogy of building a house. Various tradespeople will work together towards a common goal, so they need a blueprint. “And likewise, you need a blueprint for your business processes. I call it the ‘process process.’

“It’s a way to remind yourself how to write a procedure. You don’t want to have to read a whole book just to carry out a single action. Instead, you want to immediately find what you need and get to work.”

How to Overcome Overwhelm to Start Making Progress

MSP owners can often feel overwhelmed with running their businesses and struggle to put processes in place. So Allen’s advice is to use the power of 1%. “How can you be just 1% better today? And tomorrow?

“Let’s say you’ve got a blank page and you’re struggling. You just need to make it now blank. So day one, open a Word document, name it and save it. Tomorrow, see if you can add another line. And keep going. Fill in the blanks: ‘What’s your documentation system?’ ‘Where do you store documents?’”

How the Eureka Process Works

Allen’s business, the Eureka Process, is a consultancy that specialises in only IT firms: “We believe in a very one-on-one tailored approach. We worked hard on what we call ‘building the railway’.

“Lots of clients want an A-Z approach. However, we believe that you need to get the railway in place. Where should you start? What are your processes? We look at prioritising their issues so we deal with the most important one first.

“Our consultants discuss our solution with the clients to find the best way forward. And we offer a two-page business plan. It’s unique because it’s broken up into the purpose of identity, direction and objective. We teach leaders to be leaders.”

How to Connect With Allen EdwardsFollow Gozynta on TwitterLike Gozynta on FacebookFollow Gozynta on LinkedInConnect with Allen on LinkedInSend Allen an emailHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeGozyntaAllen’s book: Process and the Other “P” Word (Which is Also Process): The Power and Profitability of Process in Your IT BusinessOperating system: Novell NetWareIT management tool: ConnectWisePodcast interview with Dan AdamsBusiness finance tool: QuickBooksIT business expert: Karl PalachukBook coach: Mike CapuzziBook: Michael Gerber: The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About ItBook: Robert Kiyosaki: Rich Dad Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not!Richard’s book: The IT Owner’s Survival GuideBook: James Clear:Atomic Habits: the life-changing million-copy #1 bestsellerCollaboration tool: TeamsCollaboration tool: SlackBook: Dr Atul Gawande: The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right. Atul GawandeDocumentation management tool: IT GlueCollaboration tool: ConfluenceCollaboration tool: SharePointBook: Karl Palachuk: Relax Focus Succeed – Revised EditionMeditation app: HeadspacePodcast interview with Karl PalachukMSP community: CompTIAMSP community: The Tech TribeMSP community: The Eureka CommunityMSP community: The IT NationMSP event: DattoConMSP event: ChannelConMSP event: Channel Pro road showsAllen’s cafe and nightclub: Trickster’s HideoutYou Might Also be Interested inDealing with Information OverloadPodcast: Real-World Advice on How to Grow a Profitable, Efficient MSP BusinessThe Danger of Human Error in Manual Processes

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Uplift Live 2024: Exclusive Expertise for Businesses on LinkedIn

Uplift Live 2024 was the first UK event of its kind.

An event focused entirely on LinkedIn – the business networking platform with more than a billion users worldwide.

Team Tubb went to the inaugural Uplift Live in Birmingham to network and learn from the experts.

Here are some of our highlights.

The Event

Uplift Live 2024 took place at Millenium Point in Birmingham on Thursday 22nd March.

The event was organised by John Espirian, Jeremy Freeman, and Gus Bhandal and featured 8 expert speakers from the UK, Europe, and North America.

Delegates also ranged from across the UK and overseas, and from a broad spectrum of industries.

The agenda left plenty of time to network over the break periods, and a nutritious lunch was provided too.

Uplift Live Morning SessionsLinkedIn Company Pages

Louise Brogan was the first speaker and she encouraged us to take a closer look at our own LinkedIn company pages.

She said they were a good way to market our businesses, with 40% of LinkedIn users engaging with pages organically.

Some of the takeaways included:

Putting keywords in our company page tagline to help the right people find our businessesPinned videos and posts to show what we’re most proud ofImages, documents, videos, articles, and ads are great for engagementNotify employees every 24 hours when a post has been made so they can engageInvite connections to follow your page and create up to 5 newsletters

Louise said that company pages improve brand awareness and opportunities, and your employees can help to drive that engagement through the page.

Nigel Cliffe followed Louise’s session with a presentation about how to get more from our searches on LinkedIn.

By using clever Boolean expressions, he showed us how we can filter down to the potential prospects we’re looking for.

Ethical Stalking

Mark Willams, aka ‘Mr. LinkedIn’, talked to us about ethical stalking on LinkedIn, as a way to find customers and collaborators.

The first thing you should do is read their profiles, making sure to pick out any key details. Then look at the recommendations – both those given and received.

See where they’ve previously worked and see if they have a connection to someone in your network.

For those you already have a relationship with, ask them:

What are their values? And what evidence are you basing it on?Decision-making preferencesPrevious behaviour

He also explained what helpful associates are and how they can be engaged to provide increased visibility to your target, making them easier to reach.

How to Be Noticed, Remembered and Preferred

John Espirian presented his top tips on how to become noticed, remembered, and preferred on LinkedIn.

When it comes to our personal headline, you have 120 characters to use to grab the attention of those looking at your profile.

It should be interesting, informative, and intriguing in a 40/60/20 split.

Your banner is a critical visual space on your profile. So remember to update it regularly to promote your current offers.

Content

He said appointment content was important for visibility. That is content that you post regularly at any given time of the week. It can be photo posts, documents, live video, or serial podcasts.

Content receives better engagement when it contains hooks. Hooks are conversation starters and icebreakers that get people thinking. They can also appear in your ‘about statement’.

Don’t be afraid to create your own vocabulary as a way to be remembered.

Influence

John believes that transparency builds credibility. Therefore if you’re selling a service, you shouldn’t be afraid of listing ballpark figures in your marketing.

The simpler the language you use, the more effective your posts will be at reaching your audience. Analogies can further that bridge to understanding.

Comments are better than reposts when it comes to visibility. You’re not only extending your own audience but supporting the content author.

To satisfy the algorithm, you should comment ten times more often than you post.

Lastly, embrace the power of surprise and try something different once in a while to keep things fresh for your audience.

 

 

Uplift Live Afternoon SessionsLinkedIn Live Videos Don’t Have to Be a Hollywood Production

Gillian Whitney kicked off the first session after lunch with her guide to live video on LinkedIn.

Here are some of her tips when it comes to video:

Include captions – most online videos are viewed with the sound offLive video is easier because you don’t have to worry about getting the perfect takeLive video is authentic, there’s no AI involved, and you can have a party in the commentsLive sessions have on average 12 times higher engagement

If you’re doing a live video broadcast and it’s just you alone, It’s best to post on your personal page.

However, if you’re broadcasting with a guest, it’s recommended you do this on your company page because your team can be administrators for your company page.

Live videos must be at least 10 minutes long but can be up to 4 hours. You should prepare and promote your live video ahead of time to encourage live engagement.

If you’re starting out with video broadcasting, you should be a guest on other users’ live streams to get a feel for it.

Gillian’s 7 Tips for Live BroadcastingUse the right technology – you can record using Zoom or a similar toolFast and stable internet connection (5-7mbps)Strategically promote your live broadcastCreate talking points in your broadcast for soundbites and storytelling snippetsConnect with your audience through the commentsBe resilient and expect the unexpected as anything can happen during a live broadcastAnd repurpose the live stream as future content – thinking strategicallyLooking at LinkedIn from the Inside Out

Kevin D Turner took a sideways look at why LinkedIn works the way it does. And, more importantly, how this helps us to plan our content strategy.

LinkedIn is a platform designed for businesses and is worth $17Bn. Its product is us, the users – and the sale of our data to recruiters. It also makes money through advertising revenue.

It’s based on the principle of the six degrees of separation – the theory that everyone in the world is connected to everyone else through six or fewer connections.

However, LinkedIn only shows you the first three levels of connection. The other three levels are hidden.

Only LinkedIn for Recruiters allows you to search the whole database, but that comes at a premium.

To get around this, and the top limit of 30,000 maximum connections per user, LinkedIn created followers. Followers can view your content but otherwise have limited access to your profile.

New Up and Coming Features

When LinkedIn rolls out new features, they do so in five waves, increasing in size each time. They do this to limit the impact of any service failures that may occur during the rollout.

75%+ of the users don’t realise there are new platform features for over two months.

So, if you do discover a new feature in the wild, be sure to share it with your audience.

Advice for Discoverability on LinkedIn for Recruiters

Tiina Jarvet, a recruiter and headhunter based in Belgium, provided advice on how to optimise your LinkedIn profile to be easier to find.

She explained how recruiters use the search function in LinkedIn Recruiter to find the type of candidates they’re looking for.

Her presentation featured many cartoons that she drew herself to illustrate the points in her presentation.

From Pitch to Purpose: LinkedIn Social Selling

In the final presentation, Richard Van Der Blom explained how success on LinkedIn comes from knowing how the algorithm works and using it to your advantage.

Richard believes that you should find a frequency you can keep to, and be sure to measure your outcomes.

Conversion comes through building trust. Firstly, identify your prospects, engage with them, and then reach out to them with your unique value proposition.

For better engagement in your comments, Richard advises you to use a minimum of 12 words. Interesting comments spark conversation and debate, resulting in more indirect comments.

Tagging a user or a company in your comments can increase your reach. However, links are frowned upon and can result in being penalised by the algorithm.

Richard gave a number of great tips for getting the most out of your posts on LinkedIn:

1. Adapt your content to your sales funnel:Create awareness and spark conversationBuild trustSupport clients and facilitate ambassadorship2. Who publishes content on LinkedIn1% publish a minimum of once a week23% of members don’t publish but engage using the engagement buttons (like, celebrate, support, funny, etc.)57% of members belong to the ‘silent community’ who do not publish or engage, but they do scroll.3. The algorithm measures the dwell time of the silent community, by looking at:Time spent on your postClicks on “see more”Time spent after clicking “see more”4. Ingredients for the perfect post include:Including a ‘scroll stopper’ (picture or different font in your post)Trigger your audience in the first three linesChoosing the right format (good formats include: multi-image posts, native video, polls, and PDFs)Use a call-to-think (CTT) or call-to-feel (CTF)

The longer you hold someone’s attention, the more likely they react and comment on your content. This is why it’s good to include a few images, not just one – each picture is a click.

Uplift Live 2024 Summary

For its debut, Uplift Live 2024 was incredibly well organised, and pitched at the right level.

There was something there for everyone, with plenty of tips and best practices to take away.

The attendees came from all sorts of different industries and backgrounds, proving that LinkedIn is a platform for any digital business.

Therefore it’s definitely the sort of event that many Managed Service Providers (MSPs) should be considering for developing a better marketing strategy.

Did you miss out on going to Uplift Live 2024? Will you be going next year?

Let us know if you think an event like this could help level up your LinkedIn marketing?

 

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Channel Live 2024: Communications, Security and the Customer Experience

Channel Live 2024 was an event aimed at IT resellers, managed service providers (MSPs), and IT service providers.

The event was dominated by telecom companies, there to give new prospective customers options as the PSTN switch-off deadline looms.

However, there were some other highlights worthy of mention too.

The event took place over two days, but we went along to experience what day one had to offer.

Channel Live 2024

Channel Live 2024 took place in Birmingham’s NEC on Wednesday 20th March and Thursday 21st March.

The exhibitors’ hall featured dozens of vendors, distributors, value-added resellers (VARs), and media partners.

Among the exhibitors were:

Pax8 (cloud marketplace provider)Evolve IP (unified communications solution provider)Sophos (cybersecurity vendor)Network Group (channel community)

As well as the exhibitors there were regular roundtable breakout sessions and a full programme of speakers across two theatre stages.

Channel Live 2024 Conference Highlights

As I mentioned before, the were lots of panels and presentations revolving around the PSTN Switch Off, and how this could affect your business or the industry you serve.

However, as well as those, two sessions stood out as my highlights.

Q&A Panel: Cybersecurity – What Are the Options?

Tracy Pound, Managing Director of Maximity Ltd, moderated a panel on cybersecurity.

The panelists:

Jack Peters, M247Andrew Allen, AabyssHannah Lloyd, InSOCZeshan Sattar, CompTIA

Here are just some of the discussion points:

The challenge of cybersecurity. How do we move forward as an industry?

Zeshan said we need to go back to basics and focus on culture first.

The end user may not appreciate the technical terminology but they need to be empowered through education. How can you make your business compliant and protected?

You need to train your people to spot phishing emails and build their trust as a partner in the chain.

What are the challenges facing tech companies today?

Hannah said the skills gap is a big challenge for tech companies. Finding the right people is difficult and can be expensive.

Alongside the right tools and processes, the right people are key to building trust in your business.

How do you hold cybersecurity conversations at the business level as expert technology providers?

Andrew said as the experts we are also aware of what we don’t know. To claim true expertise requires a much more in-depth analysis of today’s landscape.

How do we ensure regulation comes into our industry correctly?

Jack suggested that we have to help assist the regulators in what to look out for. It’s a combination of processes and technology that we need to manage. It should be regularly reviewed, with no misconfiguration, at regular intervals.

Where do frameworks fit in with our cybersecurity strategy?

Hannah said there are many frameworks to choose from, and some are a better fit for your business than others. They can be quite cumbersome and over-complicated for some business types, and so they should be used as a baseline, and not a replacement for your processes.

What’s stopping MSPs from doing more in the cybersecurity arena?

Zeshan said that fear is a big part of it, but you don’t have to do it alone. The channel community is approaching the same struggles, and are there to be leveraged.

Hannah backed up this point, saying the experience and wisdom of the community are there to be learned from. Security doesn’t have to be perfectly in place overnight.

Both Hannah and Andrew agreed that budget and resources were important factors in discouraging MSPs from doing more in cybersecurity.

Thinking of their relationship with vendors. What should MSPs be doing right now to improve cybersecurity?

Jack said that MSPs need to adopt a security-first culture in their own businesses right now. Understanding their own posture is critical in determining what their customers need, and what’s missing from their stack.

Andrew said they need to be a little less trusting of vendors’ ‘silver bullet’ marketing. They should do their due diligence in thinking about where a product fits in their whole stack. And they should consider how their expertise as an MSP can lift the service to the next level.

How can the industry address the skills gap?

Jack started off by saying that it’s really important that we up-skill our staff. Training is essential in retaining staff and keeping their skills up-to-date.

Appropriate certification is something MSPs need to practice more of, given the expectations of our customers.

Zeshan said there is a massive shortfall in skills, and the industry is still ‘stale, pale and male’. We should be doing more to encourage diversity in the channel.

From ‘Meh’ to ‘Wow’: 5 CX Tactics to Make MSP Prospects and Customers Love You (Even) More

Mark Copeman from Wingman MSP Marketing led an incredibly engaging presentation in the second of my conference highlights.

Aimed at improving the customer experience of an MSP’s visitors, prospects, and customers, the presentation was full of good tips that any MSP could implement in their own business.

Mark started off by defining good customer experience as a company ethos – not limited to a department or job role.

Below are just a few of the areas he covered.

Enhancing Your Website

Your website’s aim should be to start a conversation with people.

The area above the fold should contain some important elements in order to keep the visitor reading.

Elements like:

An explanation of what you doA nice imageA clear call to actionA testimonial quote

Mark urged MSPs everywhere to ban the ‘white teeth’ people from their website.

It’s much better to use local images or images of your own team/offices.

You can hire a photographer to take photos of your team – it’s well worth the investment to bring your personality across on your website.

Enticing Prospects

A simple contact form on your website is not enticing enough.

You’ll have better results if you offer something that a prospect might be interested in.

A landing page with a nice image of yourself and what you can offer, alongside a booking link is a good start. If you can offer something of value, like: “claim my free website review”, it not only draws them in but gives you a conversation starter.

Your Team

The moments of interaction during your service delivery are what your customers remember. Account managers and engineers are often the face of your business.

Therefore, it’s important to build a strong service culture in your team.

Examples of good phrases you can use when delivering your services include:

“Let me take care of this for you.” and “Please don’t worry, I can help you with that.”

It can be a useful idea to set your corporate wallpaper to something different each month as a reminder, such as: “Shall I book that in for you?”

Because once a customer has had to chase you for a service they’ve already asked for, you’ve lost.

Reflections on Channel Live 2024

As there were many telco companies in attendance, there was much to get out of the event for MSPs that still to consider their options ahead of the big PSTN switch-off.

The broad strokes of the conference timetable offered other insights. But on the whole, two days seemed a bit overkill for the average MSP.

However, for the one day that I attended, I think it was worth the time.

I met some very knowledgeable vendors and resellers and had interesting conversations with MSPs that I met.

I hope that next year the event will evolve even more to fit the demands of the channel.

Did you attend Channel Live 2024, if so what did you make of it? How does it compare with other expo events you’ve been to?

Let us know all about it in the comments.

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