Richard Tubb's Blog, page 37

TubbTalk 115: Syncro: Why a More Human Business Better Serves MSPs

An Interview With Emily Glass

In this episode, Richard speaks to Emily Glass, President and CEO of Syncro. They’re an all-in-one RMM, PSA and remote access tool that helps managed service providers – MSPs – run more profitable businesses. Emily describes Syncro as a human business.

Managing a Remote Team in a Human Business

Emily explains that Syncro has operated remotely since 2017. So, when she took over as CEO, the employees were already used to it. “A lot of businesses struggled to adapt to remote-only working unexpectedly during the pandemic. We were lucky.”

However, she goes on to say that it’s important to put in effort to connect with people. As there are fewer face-to-face meetings, you have to work to get to know people. “You have to get to know them without focusing only on work. We have a weekly ‘all hands’, which allows us to connect, communicate and showcase projects.”

Why a Combined PSA/RMM is Good for MSPs

A combined PSA (professional services automation) and RMM (remote monitoring and management) serves as the hub of an MSP’s operations. It allows effective monitoring of client servers and better communication.

Emily adds: “When the RMM and PSA are closely connected, you can automate more workflows and remediations. You can also automate some client interactions and save time. And there’s a single UI, so your team can get up to speed faster.”

Syncro’s Philosophy on PSA Integration

Syncro are an open ecosystem, offering a lot of integrations. They also integrate with other vendors, to better support tools and functionality they don’t provide natively.

And, by acknowledging that they can’t be experts in everything, they can offer MSPs a complete, reliable platform by partnering with those who are experts. “We know that that’s how we give our clients and partners the best solution.”

Emily explains that they offer two different payment options, but each includes remote access, unlimited endpoints and full functionality and integrations. The free trial gives access to everything straight away.

[Not entirely sure what a PSA is? This article might help!] 

How Syncro Helps MSPs Grow Their Businesses

In order to support MSPs effectively, Emily says Syncro has to understand their challenges and what it’s like to run an MSP. “Fortunately, Syncro has a number of people on the team who have either run an MSP or worked in one.

“We invite our partners to our weekly town halls. And the aim isn’t to talk about Syncro, but to connect with them and learn about their business aspirations. But we want to know about their personal lives too, so we can be a trusted partner and support their journey.” 

Why Syncro Focuses on Being a Human Business

Syncro has been a human business since its foundation, which continues to be reinforced in the company. The founders understood the tech challenges of running a small business.

“We had a very strong core and the founders identified with what it was like to be an MSP. That was built into the platform, culture and team from the outset. We work to invest in communities to support the MSPs’ customers too.”

Emily learned from Austin McCord, CEO of Datto. “He was a proponent of a philosophy of transparency. I learned from him how to speak to partners; to be fair and transparent, and lead from the front as he did.” 

How to Fully Support a Human Business Remote Team

Emily explains that Syncro have good benefits and offer outreach and training. Second, their weekly ‘all hands’ help staff feel engaged. Third, they do a quarterly NPS survey.

However, one big difference is the monthly wellness day. “Everybody in the company has this day off, and it’s separate to their holiday leave. Everyone has a break, and there’s no emails waiting for them when they get back. This has been really popular.”

Finally, Emily allows all employees to submit anonymous questions. Because not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in meetings, this lets them have their questions answered. There are no repercussions, and holds Emily, as the CEO, accountable. It’s rarely used, but everyone knows the option’s there.

How to Connect With Emily GlassSyncroEmail EmilyFollow Syncro on TwitterLike Syncro on FacebookFollow Syncro on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeRMM & PSA tool: Datto (now part of Kaseya)Automated backup: BackupifyCloud services tool: AkamaiVideo communication platform: BrightcoveMeditation app: HeadspaceCasana CEO and Emily’s mentor: Austin McChordAmerican businesswomand and Emily’s mentor: Ursula BurnsYou Might Also be Interested inWhich Business Processes can you Automate Today?Podcast: Want Powerful Next-Gen Monitoring for Your MSP?Why Network Monitoring for MSPs is a Strong Opportunity

 

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #7 – July 2022

 

Tubbservatory Round-Up – Tools and Resources for Your MSP

Each week Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSPs) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #7 – July 2022 is a collection of all of the Tubbservatory broadcasts made in the month of July. It’s edited together for you to watch at your convenience. The items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video.

This month’s topics include: Cybersecurity, Sales and Marketing, Mental Health and Outsourcing.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #7 July 2022 Video



Tubbservatory Round-Up #7: July – Week 1#1 Why You Need a PSA Purpose-Built for MSPs

We all know that a good ticketing system is great for keeping on top of your client’s service requests.

So in this article by SuperOps’ Akshaya Devi, she explains that a purpose-built Public Service Automation tool (PSA) can help your MSP business track much more, including:

Service billingIntegrationsRevenue metrics

Essentially, a well-configured PSA should be helping you to manage your MSP clients, as well as your business’s profitability.

#2 Could Managed Kubernetes be an Opportunity to Grow Your MSP Business?

This is the question that James Steel of Linode asks in his latest video, which he recorded at Kubecon in May.

In an interview he recorded with colleague Billy Thompson, the pair break down how quickly their LKE containers are to set up and roll out.

This allows your MSP to provide stable platforms for your clients’ applications, without having to manage too much in the background.

#3 Microsoft Fixes Zero-Day Follina Flaw in Latest Patch

The Follina exploit has finally been patched in June’s Microsoft Cumulative Update, reports Carly Page at Techcrunch, which also covered another 54 vulnerabilities.

The exploit executes PowerShell commands to a remote URL by way of the Microsoft Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) when opening or previewing malicious Office documents – even if macros are disabled.

So if you haven’t done so already, you should see about installing that update as soon as possible.

#4 Paul Green’s MSP Marketing Podcast – How to Overcome Common Sales Objections

A recent episode of Paul Green‘s MSP Marketing Podcast was focused completely on sales. Paul explained how to overcome the common sales objections that MSPs face in closing sales leads.

He explains that it’s much more important to be passionate than structured when it comes to sales, and that a perfect pitch will come with practice.

 #5 Microsoft Retires Internet Explorer After 27 Years

The browser that came with the Windows 95 operating system is finally hanging up its spurs, making Internet Explorer 11 its last incarnation.

Once the browser that cornered 95% of the market in the early 2000s, it fell behind its competitors Chrome and Firefox, which were much faster and seemingly less vulnerable to attacks.

However, should you still need it, Microsoft Edge, the default Windows browser since Windows 10, retains an inbuilt “IE mode” for developers and for those seeking to access legacy applications.

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #7: July – Week 2#1 Microsoft Blocking July 11th Legacy CSP Renewals Postponed Indefinitely

Microsoft has announced they’re extending auto-renewals of legacy CSP subscriptions until further notice.

Previously, it was planned that legacy commercial seat-based subscriptions would no longer be auto-renewed from the 11th of July 2022.

Though the plan is still to migrate partners to the NCE subscription platform, they will support auto-renewals for now to give partners more time to plan their migrations to suit them better.

#2 Your First Steps to Closing the Cybersecurity Talent Gap

One of the hot topics of conversations recently is around recruitment and retaining talent.

As an industry we are well aware of the significant increase in cyberattacks. However at the same time, there is a significant shortage of qualified IT talent to protect companies from these attacks.

According to the 2021 (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study quoted in this article by Acronis: “As of June, 2022, over 400,000 cybersecurity professionals are needed in the North American region”.

Acronis shares some of the reasons behind IT talent shortages and suggestions on how as employers, you can close the gap and alleviate the talent shortage.

#3 5 Ways to Keep Your Culture When Working From Anywhere

Whilst working from anywhere has many advantages for both businesses and employees, not being onsite with your whole team can have its challenges too.

How do you maintain your company culture and keep your people engaged, both with each other and the work?

Liongard shares several ways they have kept their team engaged and continue to build on their winning culture in this article for Channel E2E.

#4 Tech’s Ongoing Mental Health Crisis

The pandemic shone a light on the impact long hours and high pressure can have on the mental health of technology workers, with two out of five considering themselves at high risk of burnout, and 42% of them thinking about quitting their job in the next six months as a result.

Cath Everett of ComputerWeekly looks into Tech’s ongoing mental health crisis, and shares how two tech employers are putting mental health and wellness front and centre in how they treat their staff.

Further information can be found in Yerbo‘s State of Burnout in Tech 2022 Report

The report explains that long hours and insufficient recovery time can lead to:

ExhaustionInefficiencyCynicismEmotional detachment#5 Channel Futures 501 and Nextgen101 Award Winners Announced

In business, celebrating wins, no matter how big or small, can have a huge impact on team morale, motivation and mental health.

Awards can also help you stand out from the competition, alongside your marketing. With that said, Channel Futures have recently announced the winners of their 501 and NextGen101 Awards.

Congratulations to all of the winners! Check out the full list of winners and if you didn’t enter these awards or any others this year…why not add it to your goals for 2023!

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #7: July – Week 3#1 10 Hacks to Improve Your Revenue as a Technology Partner

Are you a nimble MSP looking for ideas to take your business to the next level?

Well in this blog from Zomentum, they explore 10 hacks essential to improving your revenue as a technology partner.

Amongst them are:

Ttracking partner revenueInvesting in marketing and lead-generationIncreasing efficiency savings in your own business, and Adding a high-demand solution such as cybersecurity to your MSP offering

There are some great ideas here for anyone looking to develop their business and maximise their revenue.

#2 It’s a Numbers Game Podcast with Daniel Welling and Adam Morris – Ep4 – Insure Your Profits

The It’s a Numbers Game Podcast by Daniel Welling and Adam Morris is a great listen for finance-conscious MSPs.

In the most recent episode, they’re joined by Insurance Expert Trevor Cornbill to discuss Tech Insurance.

“It’s about the mitigation of losses,” Trevor explains, and what measures you have in place, “in the event of an event.” It’s definitely food for thought in case the worst should happen to you or your clients.

#3 Ministers and MPs Outline Vision for Digital Economy

Ministers and MPs met with Tech Industry representatives from Zoom, Cisco, Infosys and others to discuss the government’s digital strategy worth £150bn.

The objective of this strategy is to bring government tech and digital policies together under a unified roadmap to ensure future economic growth.

Digital minister Chris Philp said the digital strategy is critical to the economic future of the UK and can help deal with a range of economic issues – from wage stagnation and flatlining productivity, to inflation.

#4 What Should Be Included in a Security Bundle for Your Customers

Do you include a security bundle with your MSP offering?

In this article from Atera, Adi Pick covers the pros and cons of security bundles and describes how you can explain the value these provide to your clients.

It covers security features such as:

Endpoint detection and responseEmail securityBackups, and Security awareness training for staff

She suggests a tiered approach might work for those clients unable to see the value of a more sophisticated protection bundle at first glance.

#5 Indonesia’s New “Digital Nomad Visa” Will Let You Live In Bali Tax-Free for up to Five Years

Have you ever consider moving to an exotic country and adopt a work-from-anywhere method of working?

Well, very soon you’ll be able to live on the Indonesian island of Bali as a digital nomad, tax free for up to 5 years.

The rise of digital nomads, or ‘techpats’, has come about in-part to the COVID 19 pandemic, and the trend has risen rapidly in the last two years.

Indonesia is just one of over 40 countries worldwide who are open to a work-from-anywhere workforce. Do you have members of your workforce who are allowed to work from anywhere?

Tubbservatory Round-Up #7: July – Week 4#1 Pax8’s One-Stop Shop for Microsoft Inspire Insights

The Microsoft Inspire 2022 event, which took place on the 19th and 20th June, was aimed at partners looking to improve the scalability of their services over the coming year.

Pax8 have done a round-up of the coverage and content for MSPs to catch up on in case they missed it.

Coverage includes a summary video of each day, as well as a quick read of the highlights.

It’s worth a read to see what Microsoft’s priorities are for the coming fiscal year.

#2 Technical Expertise is the Top Investment Priority for the Channel, Sage Study Finds

Payroll technology specialists Sage conducted a survey of 1,000 US and UK IT resellers. The findings revealed that:

Just over 50% of respondents were struggling to hire skilled managementAround 40% were finding it difficult to recruit skilled entry level staff

In terms of skillsets, the most desired are:

Cloud computing and cybersecurity at 39% each, and coding at 35%

#3 5 Tips for Marketing New and Leading-Edge Technologies

New and emerging technologies can be difficult areas to market, as business owners often fail to see the value of them in the short-term.

In this blog for CompTIA, Khali Henderson explains that the key to engagement is clever marketing.

The marketing tips she recommends include:

Demonstrating return on investment (ROI)Avoiding jargon/tech speakFocusing on the business outcomes#4 Conversational Managed Security Services for MSPs Ebook

Barracuda MSP presents another Ebook from Nick Cavalancia and the Conservational Geek team.

This time the subject is Managed Security Services for MSPs.

The Ebook covers:

The opportunities for MSPs in securityHow to move your business towards providing Security-as-a-ServiceOptions for partnering with vendors or MSSPs#5 US Cyber Agency CISA to Open London Office

Alex Scroxton of Computer Weekly reports the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has announced the opening of an attaché office in London, the first of its kind outside of the United States.

CISA Director Jen Easterly said, “To help build resilience against threats domestically, we must think globally. Digital threat actors don’t operate neatly within borders.”

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #7: July – Week 5#1 Evolved Radio with Todd Kane – Managing Mental Health

Managing mental health is something we all need to be better at, for ourselves and for our colleagues.

This recent podcast by MSP expert Todd Kane and Eric Rieger, CEO of Webit, share the challenges they faced during the pandemic.

There are also some great management practices shared here.

My favourite? Reducing zoom fatigue by turning off the self-view option.

#2 Microsoft Launches Digital Contact Centre Platform

Microsoft has taken a bold step into the CRM market, reports Bobby Hellard of IT Pro, with the release of its new Digital Contact Centre Platform.

Launched at Inspire this month, the platform combines audio, video and chat services from a range of products, such as:

Dynamics365Microsoft TeamsMicrosoft AzureNuance AI

Best-in-class AI capabilities will power the self-service automation experience, conversational interactions and even fraud prevention, says Microsoft’s VP of Business Applications and Plaftorm, Charles Lamanna.

#3 8 Data Protection Best Practices for MSPs Serving SMBs

“SMBs typically have less sophisticated data protection solutions at their disposal”, argues Neil Jones – Egnyte’s Director of Cybersecurity Evangelism.

In this article for ChannelE2E, he offers eight best practices to adopt to protect your clients’ data.

Including:

Reducing content sprawl Restricting file sharing in content collaboration servicesImplementing multi-factor authentication #4 Uptime Solutions: Addressing the Myths of Outsourcing

Following the pandemic, companies escalating their digital transformation strategies are requiring more services from their IT providers.

As an MSP, how can you take advantage of this growth opportunity and meet the demand?

Well, one option is for you to outsource some of your services.

If you’re apprehensive about outsourcing parts of your business, this guide from Uptime Solutions breaks down some of the common myths around outsourcing for you.

It’s well worth a read if you want to pick up new business quickly without sacrificing quality or control.

#5 Giacom’s ‘Day in the Clouds’ Events – Showing Children the Exciting World of Tech

In partnership with Hull and East Yorkshire Children’s University, Giacom invited local children from Biggin Primary School to visit their offices to learn about a wide range of careers in IT.

They also engaged in activities including learning about software development, designing a logo and conducting mock interviews.

Campaign Manager, Sophie Lockwood said; “It’s so important to support our local community and give something back. I’d love to think we’ve planted a seed that could eventually lead to children coming back in future years to work for Giacom.”

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-UpFrom Week 1Why You Need a PSA Purpose-Built For Your MSPCould Managed Kubernetes be an Opportunity to Grow Your MSP Business?Microsoft Fixes Zero-Day Follina Flaw in Latest PatchPaul Green’s MSP Marketing Podcast: How To Overcome Common Sales ObjectionsMicrosoft Retires Internet Explorer After 27 YearsMentioned in Week 2Microsoft Blocking July 11th Legacy CSP Renewals Postponed IndefinitelyYour First Steps to Closing the Cybersecurity Talent Gap5 Ways to Keep Your Culture When Working From AnywhereTech’s Ongoing Mental Health CrisisChannel Futures 501 and Nextgen101 Award Winners AnnouncedWeek 310 Hacks to Improve Your Revenue as a Technology PartnerIt’s a Numbers Game Podcast with Daniel Welling and Adam Morris – Ep4 – Insure Your ProfitsMinisters and MPs Outline Vision for Digital EconomyWhat Should Be Included in a Security Bundle for Your CustomersIndonesia’s New ‘Digital Nomad Visa’ Which Will Let You Live in Bali Tax-Free for up to 5 YearsWeek 4Pax8’s One-Stop Shop for Microsoft Inspire InsightsTechnical Expertise is the Top Investment Priority for the Channel, Sage Study Finds5 Tips for Marketing New and Leading-Edge TechnologiesConversational Managed Security Services for MSPs EbookUS Cyber Agency CISA to Open London OfficeAnd Week 5Evolved Radio with Todd Kane – Managing Mental HealthMicrosoft Launches Digital Contact Centre Platform8 Data Protection Best Practices for MSPs Serving SMBsUptime Solutions: Addressing the Myths of OutsourcingGiacom’s ‘Day in the Clouds’ Events Showing Children the Exciting World of Tech

 

How You Can Help

So, that’s all from the Tubbservatory Round-Up #7 – June 2022!

Have you recently discovered a useful tool or resource that Richard might be interested in?

Then please let us know in the comments.

You Might Also be Interested inTubbTalk 114: How to Effectively use Cyber Essentials, GDPR & KeepablCompTIA UK Technology Community Meeting: Bristol 2022Why Working with Your MSP Competition Isn’t as Crazy as it Sounds

The post Tubbservatory Round-Up #7 – July 2022 appeared first on Richard Tubb.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6 – June 2022

Tubbservatory Round-Up – What is it?

Each week Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSPs) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6 – June 2022 is a collection of all of the Tubbservatory broadcasts made in the month of June. It’s edited together for you to watch at your convenience. The items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video.

This month’s topics include: sales, cybersecurity and mental health.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6 June 2022 Video



Tubbservatory Round-Up #6: June – Week 1#1 What’s Next For Your Solo MSP?

If you’re running a one-person nimble MSP, then this article from SuperOps: What’s Next For Your Solo MSP? will be of great value for you to read.

Akshaya Devi lays out the options for when your MSP business gets too big for one person to manage.

From building your team to outsourcing your bookkeeping, it’s definitely a useful guide for those of you looking to take that next step up into a broader entrepreneurship.

#2 Mi Crow’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Training Pack

Mental health awareness is an area that needs raising in the Managed Service Provider space.

So it’s great to see that training provider Mi Crow have added a mental health and wellbeing pack to their extensive MSP training material.

The pack covers such topics as:

The way to good mental healthPromoting wellbeing in the workplace, andKey measures for a mentally healthy workplace

This is a great addition to Mi Crow’s impressive line-up of training materials.

#3 The Drop Top Workstation from Pith and Stem

With so many of us working from home, the DropTop from Pith & Stem make setting up a home office easier than ever.

The best thing about it is that it folds away into a nice, decorative wall-mounted box.

This is a great option for many of us with limited space in our homes.

#4 Multi-Factor Authentication: A Key to Cyber Risk Insurance

It’s recommended that all MSPs look into cybersecurity insurance.

So this article from Tassos Arampatzis is useful for helping MSPs to understand the importance of deploying the multi-factor authentication (MFA).

MFA is not just prerequisite for policy coverage, but also for lowering insurance premiums.

 #5 6 Lessons Learned from this Year’s Channel Partners Conference and Expo

Missed the Channel Partners Conference and Expo in Las Vegas in April this year? Then don’t worry, because James Steel of Linode has done a brilliant write-up with the six lessons he learned from the event.

It is a fascinating read, with some great insights for MSPs on subjects including:

Zero Trust isn’t as complicated as it seems‘Cooperatition’ is still alive and well

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6: June – Week 2#1 A Third of Organisations Are To Outsource Their IT Amid Talent Shortages

Computer Weekly author Karl Flinders has written a very thought-provoking article on outsourcing.

He reveals that this time the shift to outsourcing is due to a shortage of available talent in IT.

The pandemic years have accelerated the pace of digital transformation. While the cloud has become an increasing important resource where workforces have become more remote.

According to Manish Khandelwal, IT Transformation Expert at PA Consulting; “The war for talent has reached unprecedented levels and will only intensify in the short term.”

#2 7 Tips to Convert Leads Into Customers

One area MSPs often struggle with is new sales.

This webinar from Zomentum helps with tackling that tricky part of getting those prospects over the line. How do you convert sales leads into customers?

Shannon Murphy, Chief Marketer at Zomentum, leads an insightful session with award-winning speaker and sales expert, Fiona Challis, and business growth expert and sales strategist Paul Lloyd.

There are some great takeaways here for anyone who struggles with attracting new business.

#3 Cyber Resilience Begins with People and Process, not Technology

The business of cybersecurity solutions is growing more complex by the day. However, before we leverage more complex technology we need to make sure our people are educated and our processes robust.

That’s the message that Greg Jones, Business Development Director EMEA for Datto, is telling us in the article he wrote for CompTIA.

As MSPs, we need to lead by example, in what he calls the Three Pillars of Cyber Resiliency.

This will enable us to better protect our customers and promote safer practices throughout the supply chain.

#4 What is SIEM? A Guide For MSPs

On the subject of security, Adi Pick from Atera has put together a guide explaining the benefits of SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) for MSPs and their clients.

SIEM offers real-time security oversight and captures log data for compliance and auditing.

And it employs AI and behaviour anomaly detection to identify threats automatically according to the rules and policies you configure when you set it up.

#5 Channel Partners Europe – London 15th and 16th June

As part of London Tech Week, Channel Partners Europe came to Park Plaza Victoria Hotel on the 14th and 15th of June.

The event hosted more than 50 channel experts, leaders and innovators, who were there to share their channel insights and solutions.

If you missed the event, you can sign up to register your interest in 2023’s event here.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6: June – Week 3#1 Barracuda MSP’s 2022 “The Evolving Landscape of the MSP Business” Report

As part of the recent Global MSP Day, Barracuda released their 2022 “The Evolving Landscape of the MSP Business” report.

This year’s report demonstrates that there is still a huge appetite for managed services. With global service related MSP revenue by over a third in 2022 compared with 2021.

This report should be of interest to any MSP looking to keep an eye on upcoming trends.

#2 NerdApp Teams Up With Visa Europe to Deliver IT Support for Small Businesses

An interesting development in the managed service space. News that UK-based NerdApp has teamed up with credit card provider Visa to provide on-demand IT support for small businesses across Europe.

NerdApp CEO Kelvin Wetherill announced that Visa card holders would qualify for discounted remote and on-site support services.

#3 The MSPs Ultimate Guide to Microsoft Azure

Microsoft Azure can be intimidating. So Pax8 have produced the MSPs Ultimate Guide to Microsoft Azure.

If you need help breaking down the complexities of Azure, then this download is for you.

There are also a plethora of resources here to help you gain the confidence to deploy Microsoft Azure as part of your MSP offering.

#4 Your Mind Doesn’t Do You A Lot of Favours

“Information aside, the brain does a pretty sloppy job of handling memories and experiences,” writes MSP expert Karl Palachuk.

If you’ve ever wondered why your mind is overactive and racing as an MSP, you should read Karl’s article for some brilliant theories and insights.

#5 An Off-Grid Starlink User Achieves ‘Infinite WiFi’ with 300 Watts of Solar Power

Now, how’s this for sustainable IT?

An off-grid Starlink user has achieved infinite Wi-Fi with 300 watts of solar power!

Chris Young of Interesting Engineering reports that Steve Birch who works in facilities management is powering SpaceX’s internet service completely off-grid at his home in the Sawtooth Mountains in Idaho.

I guess this means there’s hope for anyone out there who suffers with poor broadband!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #6: June – Week 4#1 Uptime Solutions Open New Offices in Tampa, Florida

Uptime Solutions have announced the opening of their new offices in the US – Tampa, Florida.

Uptime are now expanding their global support base with offices now in the UK, US and New Zealand.

This means more growth opportunities for MSPs.

#2 How to Win, Grow and Retain New Clients for Your MSP Business

Fiona Challis, MSP sales expert and founder of Next Gen Sales Training Ltd, has put together a useful guide for MSPs to help grow their business.

How to Win, Grow and Retain New Clients for Your MSP Business is a free download. It will help you to tackle the challenges of Sales and Marketing. Consistently ranked as one of the highest challenges MSPs face today.

#3 Behind The Geeks: Becoming a Productivity Powerhouse

As it was World Productivity Day this month, it seemed fitting to highlight the recent Behind the Geeks episode: Becoming a Productivity Powerhouse.

Topics covered in this episode included:

The benefits of productivityHow to stop procrastinatingHow to be more organised

And the Geeks shared their very own productivity hacks.

#4 Protecting Your SMB Clients from Today’s Cybersecurity Threats

Cloud services distributor Giacom and cybersecurity experts Acronis recently delivered a webinar about the type of cybersecurity threats that SMBs are facing today.

The webinar presented an overview of the recent threat landscape and gave a detailed breakdown of how a ransomware attack works.

Then they dived into a short demo of how Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud works.

Our recent blog post about this webinar, which includes a replay is available to watch here.

#5 Computing and CRN UK – Women in Tech Festival – 3rd and 9th November 2022

Computing and CRN have announced that the Women in Tech Festival will return to London in November 2022. Both as an in-person event on the 3rd November, with a digital event on the 9th.

The agenda is impressive with talks around the four pillars of diversity, innovation, community and empowerment.

The festival will offer inspiration in improving yourself professionally and personally, as well as helping others too.

Tickets are available now.

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-UpFrom Week 1What’s Next For Your Solo MSP?Mi Crow’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Training PackThe DropTop Workstation from Pith & StemMulti-Factor Authentication: A Key to Cyber Risk Insurance6 Lessons Learned from this Years Channel Partner Conference & ExpoMentioned in Week 2A Third of Organisations Are to Outsource Their IT Amid Talent Shortages7 Tips to Convert Leads Into CustomersCyber Resilience Begins With People and Process, Not TechnologyWhat is SIEM? A Guide For MSPsChannel Partners Europe – London 15th and 16th JuneWeek 3Barracuda MSP’s 2022 “The Evolving Landscape of the MSP Business” reportNerdApp Teams Up With Visa Europe to Deliver IT Support for Small BusinessesThe MSPs Ultimate Guide to Microsoft AzureYour Mind Doesn’t Do You a Lot of FavoursAn Off-Grid Starlink User Achieves ‘Infinite WiFi’ with 300 Watts of Solar PowerWeek 4Uptime Solutions Opens New Offices in Tampa, FloridaHow to Win, Grow and Retain New Clients for Your MSP BusinessBehind The Geeks: Becoming a Productivity PowerhouseProtecting Your SMB Clients from Today’s Cybersecurity ThreatsComputing and CRN UK – Women in Tech Festival – 3rd and 9th November 2022How You Can Help

Have you recently discovered a useful tool or resource that Richard might be interested in?

Then please let us know in the comments.

You Might Also be Interested inWebinar: Protecting Your SMB Clients from Today’s Cybersecurity ThreatsTubbTalk 112: Microsoft Stack & Why MSPs May Consider an Alt Service DeskCompTIA UK&I Community Meeting: Manchester April 2022

The post Tubbservatory Round-Up #6 – June 2022 appeared first on Richard Tubb.

CompTIA UK Technology Community Meeting: Bristol 2022

TL;DR: The CompTIA UK Technology Community Meeting takes place each quarter, and this time took place in the city of Bristol. Members of the community heard panel discussions

on a range of topics, and took advantage of networking opportunities throughout the day.

Then, in the evening, the Spotlight Awards Dinner took place, celebrating the achievements of CompTIA members, and the good they do for the community.

CompTIA UK Technology Community Meeting: Bristol June 2022

The key themes for this meeting were Growth, Resilience and Diversity.

The event took place at:

Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel

On the 16th June 2022

Leanne Johnson, senior manager of vendor relations, opened the meeting, with an update on the CompTIA Communities delivered by MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer.

Powerful Insights from Women in Tech

The meeting kicked off with an all-female panel discussion: Powerful Insights from Women in Tech

Suzanne Miller from Saskian Technologies and Amanda Stewart from Illuminate answered questions fielded by our own Claire Jenks.

The topics included:

OutsourcingNurturing talent and educationCybersecurityRole models

There were some great takeaways from this session.

On the subject of encouraging more women into technology, especially young people, Amanda talked about taking computing into schools and “Getting them to take them apart. Encouraging the girls, especially, to do something more practical.”

Suzanne said: “Going out into schools and talking about careers in IT is the best way to improve diversity in the industry. It’s not just a load of maths!”

They opened up questions to the floor.  Where among the questions, Marino Vigliotti shared his own experiences highlighting the importance of diversity in our industry.

Morning Breakout Sessions

The second session of the day allowed the delegates to break off into two groups. One for MSPs and another for vendors and distributors.

I attended the session for the Managed Service Providers.

Steven Pretlove of CSS IT Solutions facilitated the session beginning with the question: “How do you trust who you’re outsourcing to?”

One person said they outsourced some of their work to another MSP as a strategic partnershipAnother said they have a vetting process for their outsourced contractorsTestimonials, case studies and seeing if their values are aligned with yours were all suggested tooHowever, one member of the audience said they would never outsource their services, because it’s too much of a risk to their reputation

Then the discussion delved further into Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Some agreed that SLAs were good as a guide, but few rarely enforce themAlthough another person suggested if you’re arguing over whether you’re meeting your SLAs with your customers, they’re probably not going to be customers for very long

We finished the session debating whether or not you should add in a disclaimer for customers who choose to ignore your advice. There were arguments for and against a disclaimer, though it really does depend on the situation.

Community Updates

Following lunch, members of the CompTIA Exec Board gave us some community updates.

The suggestions from the previous community meeting were written up to be put forward to the board:

Jobs boardRepresenting CompTIA at GovernmentTraining and talent PoolPromote CompTIA outside of certificationsSignpost resources

Marie Cronin gave an update on the Certification structure at CompTIA.

Then, Benjamin ‘Franky’ Franklin from Bluescreen IT gave a presentation on the Tech All Stars Cyber Academy. An initiative designed to help professional footballers who don’t make the premier league develop the skills for cybersecurity job opportunities.

Launched in Liverpool, they deliver training through evening classes, three days a week. They utilise CompTIA Certmaster products and Hack the Box provide contextualised learning through simulations.

UK 2022 Trends in Managed Services

Jason Kemsley of Uptime Solutions examined the results of a recent survey that CompTIA conducted among MSPs, and led the following panel discussion on the findings.

Some of the findings were as follows:

Since January 2022, 64% MSPs came out on par or ahead following the pandemic.

Approach to Managed Services:

Pure Play MSPs (37%)Hybrid MSPs (63%)

The three biggest concerns for MSPs are:

Macroeconomic crises (44%)Supply Chain/Logistics Disruptions (43%)Cashflow (42%)

Top Five Managed Services Offerings are:

Network services (59%)Business services (57%)Helpdesk/IT support services (57%)Cloud services (55%)Storage services (54%)

To dive deeper into the Managed Services trends analysis, you can find the full results here.

2022 Trends Panel Discussion

Jason hosted the panel discussion with contributions from:

Greg Jones of DattoDan Scott of ConnectwiseMostyn Thomas of Astrix

Some of the observations the panel made against the results were insightful. The main takeaways I got from them were:

COVID-19 has helped setting MSPs on a better path of service provision. Remote working and more comprehensive cloud offerings give us the opportunity to make our offerings more resilientWe’ve moved from being on-sellers to educators: providing expertise to help our customers use their tools to better serve their own businessesThere are opportunities for MSPs to add premium professional services to their offering. The challenge is how quickly we can churn these outMacroeconomic Crises

If there was another sudden economic downturn, there are a few suggested actions you can take to prevent bigger losses:

Upskilling your workforce – Financial Directors that cut their technical workforce struggle to recover. Though they might save money to begin withEnsure cybersecurity budgets aren’t cut too much – It’s so important to mitigate against critical data loss. So review the cost of coverage and go with an option that suits you in leaner timesInsist on raising your prices even if times are hard – Regardless of inflation, you should increase your prices to ensure that your value remains the sameUseful Resources

Finally, the panel suggested some useful resources:

The Technology Buyer’s JourneyCompTIA ISAO Membership (available to corporate CompTIA members only)Marketing Toolkit for MSPs (available to corporate CompTIA members only)CompTIA ISAO Update

MJ Shoer, CompTIA Chief Community Officer gave an update on the latest news from CompTIA ISAO to the CompTIA UK Technology Community.

Diversity and Allies in Tech

Hannah Lloyd of InSoc gave a talk on diversity. What to do encourage a more inclusive culture in your workplace and how to be an ally to challenge the misconceptions of others.

Diversity is important in representing everyone in the technology industry, regardless of gender, sexuality, race, age, neurodiversity or disability.  To help promote diversity we should be open and ask questions if we don’t understand, become an ally and establish role models.

Closing Panel: Three MSPs’ Journeys Tackling Security, Staffing and Growth

The final session of the community meeting was led by James Steel of Linode, where a panel of three IT experts gave their experiences on tackling three common issues facing MSPs and IT businesses today.

The panel consisted of:

Andrew Allen – Aabyss LimitedDavid Brereton – Myson PagesHollie Whittles – Purple Frog Systems

Here are a few of the questions James asked the panel and their responses:

Q: How do we encourage uptake of cybersecurity services?

Andrew: Don’t sell – expose them to the potential risks and advise accordingly.

David: Bundle cybersecurity in to your offering. Don’t leave that door open to potential risks.

Hollie: Being careful with people’s sensitive data is very important. We look at the accreditations of the people we work with to ensure they hold similar values.

Q: Do you outsource cybersecurity?

David: Security has always been baked-in to everything we do, but vendors can help us with securing the stack we provide.

Andrew: Vendors really have to sell us their solutions, because we can’t risk gambling with our customers’ data.

Hollie: Phishing is the greatest risk to our business, so we put our staff through regular testing to avoid these risky situations.

Q: Recruiting new staff: How do you get graduates on board for a career in IT?

Andrew: Recruiting trainees from university takes time, but you have to invest now for the future.

David: If you have a recruitment problem, you have a retention problem. Fixing your culture can mean less turnover.

Hollie: We start recruiting before the graduate stage. Doing talks in schools to encourage young people, especially girls, into IT careers.

Q: What was the biggest step change on your journey?

Andrew: Changing from tiered offerings to just having one offering.

David: Separating from my business partner and going it alone. It allowed us to try new ideas.

Hollie: We went from on-demand analytics to managed services.

CompTIA Spotlight Awards

With a break in the afternoon to get changed into our eveningwear, the Awards Dinner began at 7pm in the evening.

The Spotlight Awards are a great way for the CompTIA UK Technology Community to celebrate the success of their peers.

Comedian Zoe Lyons was compere for the evening, and provided us with some great entertainment before the awards began.

Our own Claire Jenks was nominated for a Spotlight Award for Future Leader, but came runner up. (Still a winner in our eyes). Lizzie Robinson of Pax8 won, so congratulations Lizzie.

Other winners included Cloud Nexus for UK Solution Provider 2022, Teknov8 for Innovative Distributor and Hannah Lloyd for Advancing Women in Technology Leadership.

The full list of winners can be found below:

CompTIA Technology Community Meeting: In Conclusion

All in all it was a great event. It presented the challenges we face as business owners, technology providers, and ambassadors of our industry, while celebrating our achievements so far, and out of uncertain times.

It was a chance to connect with people from all over the UK and Ireland, and some from overseas. To listen to their views on outsourcing, cybersecurity and how to encourage more women into IT careers.

Did you attend the CompTIA UK&I Business Technology Community Meeting?  What was your highlight?  We would love to hear your reactions in the comments.

If you’re interested in becoming a member of the CompTIA community, visit their website here.

You Might Also Be Interested InCompTIA UK&I Community Meeting: Manchester April 2022The Road to £1 Million – The SuperOps SuperSummitTubbTalk 103: Business for Good and How to Juggle Everything

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Webinar: Protecting Your SMB Clients from Today’s Cybersecurity Threats

 

TL:DR; Cloud services distributor Giacom and cyber security experts Acronis recently delivered a webinar about protecting your SMB clients from today’s cybersecurity threats.

The agenda included an explanation of the recent threat landscape and a detailed breakdown of how ransomware works.

Finally, there was a brief tour of the features of Acronis Cyber Protect. Attendees learned how it helps prevent malicious software entering your system, and protects your data.

Webinar: Protecting Your SMB Clients from Today’s Cybersecurity Threats

Presented by:

Simon Wilson: Account Manager for GiacomCandid Wüest: VP of Cyber Protect Research for Acronis

With cybersecurity high on everyone’s agenda these days, as business owners we may sometimes feel that there are much bigger fish for ransomware attackers to exploit. Especially when we see so many big players falling victim to attacks on the news.

However, the truth is simply this: Everyone is a target!

Watch the Replay of the Webinar Below



Threat Landscape 2022

To understand the threat landscape, we need to look at the potential infection vectors for small and medium businesses.  Amongst today’s cybersecurity threats, email is still very much the primary vector, but there are others to consider too.

Malicious Emails and Phishing: including office documents containing macros and personalised AI spamVulnerable Remote Systems: Exposed VPNs, Unpatched Exchange or DNS, DDoSAbusing a Trust Relationship: Abuse infrastructure, software supply-chain and dependency attacksMisconfigured Cloud Services: weak authentication, unprotected storage, exposed APIsRansomware Extortion: steal data and uninstall backups, double extortion after initial data breachesHow do They Get In?

The two most common ways cyber criminals get into our systems are:

Initial Access Brokers – once phishing campaigns are successful, the data is bought and sold on the black marketPay an Insider – groups like Lapsus$ and Lockbit 2.0 will try to tempt an insider to provide access details for a percentage of the ransomGlobal Ransomware Attacks

In 2021 Acronis blocked 150k ransomware attacks.

In the first quarter of 2022, 3.6% of global ransomware detections originated in the UK. This put the UK fifth on the list worldwide.

According to the Acronis Cyber Protection Week Global Report:

68% of SMBs are most concerned about phishing attacks53% of SMBs are most concerned about ransomware attacks

76% of companies experienced some downtime during 2021. The most common causes of the downtime were:

52% experienced downtime due to a system crash42% reported human error as the cause of downtime36% reported downtime due to a cyber attack

A Typical Infection Chain

Using the email route as an example, here is how a typical infection chain works:

The malicious email contains an attachment, which, once opened, runs a hidden macroThe macro will begin downloading via Powershell or will download directly into memory, making it ‘fileless’Once in, the ransomware will begin elevating its privileges, or clone the highest level with the Domain Admin passwordThen it will spread laterally across the system infecting other machinesAnd finally, it will deliver its payload, stealing your data and locking you out

 

 

Examples of Ransomware Builders

There are many Ransomware builders available on the internet. Some use the command line, while others have their own GUI interfaces which give you other configurable options. Here are three examples of builders and what they do:

Babuk is a command line executable which creates two files. One is the encryption tool, and the other the decryption tool. The decryption tool would be typically sent to the victim who has paid the ransom to remove the encryption on their dataCyborg Builder is a GUI which tells the victim where to pay the ransomChaos Ransomware has other options, such as randomising the file extensions and deleting local backups

It is both illegal and unethical to use these ransomware builders.

This information is just to keep you informed about how they work, and how easy they for cyber attackers to obtain and use.

Spreading the Ransomware

Once the ransomware has been built, the attackers will want to send it around.

They will create an email with a social lure, or a common subject line such as ‘parcel redelivery – urgent action required’ to grab your attention.

The email will contain an attachment with a filename like ‘Invoice.doc’

When you click on the invoice, it will open in Microsoft Word with two pop-ups.

The first is ‘Protected View ‘. By clicking the ‘Enable Editing’ button, you open it fully.

The second pop-up is ‘Security Warning’. By clicking the ‘Enable Content’ button, you let the hidden macro run on your machine.

At this point it’s game over.

Evolving Ransomware Techniques

Ransomware continues to evolve beyond simple data encryption. Once they have full access to your network, they have a number of options to put more pressure on you to pay the ransom.

Further tactics include:

Double extortionDDoSContacting end customers directlyTriggering GDPR privacy finesChecking their cyber insurance policyInstalling sleeper backdoors in backupsAttacking the C-level directly for highly sensitive dataRecovering from Large-Scale Attacks is a Challenge for SMBs

Threats like ransomware have evolved to be faster, stealthier and strike harder.

Recovery can be difficult. Prolonged downtime impacts productivity, revenue and reputation.

Large-scale attacks consume a lot of IT resources and slow down the recovery process.

Acronis Cyber Protect’s Comprehensive Protection

When it comes to protecting your SMB clients from today’s cybersecurity threats, MSPs need a reliable and robust security option.

Acronis Cyber Protect is a complete enterprise-level security stack. It comes with a protected, separate backup, and multi-layered protection.

Protection includes vulnerability checks and patch management, URL filtering and behavioural AI monitoring.

Protected backup and disaster recovery protocols mean downtime will be minimal.

The Benefits of Acronis Cyber ProtectionWith AI-based automation, there are fewer human errors and faster deploymentsLow cost accessible protection will be a good fit for any size of clientScalable cyber protection allows partners to offer higher SLAs to their customersModular deployment gives you control over protection configuration and rights delegation

Where legacy backup and AV solutions can be complex and expensive, Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud offers all its services from one place.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, when talking about today’s cybersecurity threats, you need to be sure that your MSP cybersecurity offering is a comprehensive one.

Ransomware and phishing attacks are on the rise every day, and can target anyone.

It’s not just your client’s business and reputation that you’re protecting. It’s also your own.

Have you been the target of a successful ransomware attack? Or do you have any advice for those who have?

We’d love to hear about it in the comments.

You Might Also Be Interested InTubbTalk 113: CyberSecurity, Phishing & Automated Human Risk Management for MSPsNational Computer Security Day: How to Keep Your MSP Clients SafeCould an Automated Revenus Tool Save Your MSP Money?

 

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TubbTalk 114: How to Effectively use Cyber Essentials, GDPR & Keepabl

An Interview with Shabad Chawla

Shabad Chawla is the founder of Tech Sapiens, a London-based MSP. Its managed service framework is based on the UK’s Cyber Essentials scheme, GDPR and other relevant industry standards. This allows Shabad to offer a profitable niche service.

The Tech Sapiens Tool Stack

Shabad explains they have a range of tools they use in-house. Some are standard, and others specific to the services they offer. They use Autotask and Datto for RMM, and Zomentum for quoting and their sales process.

Then, they use Keepabl to support clients with GDPR and Cybersmart for compliance and dealing with Cyber Essentials. For documentation, they have IT Glue for internal use internally and to help with training the end users.

“Quite often an MSP will install some software, show the staff how to use it and forget about it. But we found that when they have new staff, or there’s a software update, the clients aren’t using it effectively.

“So, we record a training session on each solution, upload it to Vimeo and share via IT Glue. We use a tool called Tango which allows us to zoom in on different parts of the screen to highlight the action you’re explaining. It works really well.

How Shabad uses Keepabl in his Business

Keepabl is a GDPR compliance platform, which helps with the compliance journey. Compliance is something businesses have to work on continually, says Shabad, and it’s important for their IT partner to support them with that.

Shabad says Keepabl is easy to use, because it’s multi-tenanted. Users can list all of their clients and add in the appropriate departments within each business. It tracks all the data stored and how it’s being used, plus you can manage any breaches or subject access requests. It can also be licenced and resold.

Why GDPR is an Opportunity for Tech Sapiens

Privacy is important for us all as individuals as well as for businesses, says Shabad. “Personally, we want to know which companies hold our data and why. From a business owner’s point of view, we’re already storing client information and talking about data protection.

“We make it clear that we’re being compliant and following regulatory requirements around data storage. Having a GDPR framework and a process for cybersecurity makes that easier. This matters to everyone, which is why we decided to make it a focus for Tech Sapiens.”

Shabad adds that when talking to existing clients he’ll often mention GDPR and explain how the company can support them with it. “On the other side, people struggle with GDPR and need help. They don’t realise an MSP can help them with that. So we start off the relationship looking at GDPR, and end up offering IT support as well.”

Tech Sapiens’ Relationship with Keepabl

Shabad explains that he’s known Robert Baugh, founder of Keepabl, for several years. “They’re brilliant at supporting our journey to help clients with their GDPR compliance. Nothing is a problem. Some clients want to speak to them, and they’re always happy to do so.

“Another thing I really like is their ‘policy pack’ – a whole bunch of ready-made policies which can be tweaked and tailored to suit the client. That’s really handy to have alongside the data map. They’re great guys to work with.” 

How MSPs can Find the Best Vendor Partners

For decision-making within Tech Sapiens, Shabad uses a weighted matrix. He explains that you list all the potential vendors on one side, and the features you really want on the other. Then, you assign a ‘weight’ to each one to map how important the feature is.

Next, give the vendors a score from 0 to 5 on how well they can deliver on each of the essential features. Shabad says it’s easy to assess the vendors that way. A rigorous process makes you feel confident that you’ve made the right decision. If it’s a small thing you’re looking for, you can do a free trial of several vendors and cancel those that aren’t the right fit.

Why Tech Sapiens Focus on Cyber Essentials

Shabad says he and the Tech Sapiens team think Cyber Essentials is perfect for supporting businesses with compliance and cybersecurity. “It’s a standard starting point. It gives a framework that you can share with the client so they understand why they have to do things a certain way.

“It’s not gold standard, because it’s not complex enough for a bank, say, or a financial services organisation, but it’s great to get people started. And it’s certified, so people trust it.

“Too many businesses aren’t really aware of what’s going on in their IT department, or how their IT partner’s company works. Confidential data is so at risk from cyber criminals. So we feel that Cyber Essentials is a way to push everyone to a minimum baseline, which is a big step forward.”

(If you’d like to learn more about Cyber Essentials certification, then the IASME site will help)

How to Connect With Shabad ChawlaTech SapiensFollow Tech Sapiens on LinkedInConnect with Shabad Chawla on LinkedInFollow Tech Sapiens on FacebookFollow Tech Sapiens on TwitterHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeAutotask from Datto/KaseyaSales platform: ZomentumDocumentation: IT GlueGDPR compliance training: KeepablCybersecurity: CyberSmartUK government cybersecurity scheme: Cyber EssentialsVideo hosting and sharing: VimeoCreate step by step guides: TangoCreate step by step guides: ScribeCreate step by step guides: SnagitThe Tech TribeDiscord channel: MSPs in the UKMSP Geek Slack channelAI tech support: MoveworksMSP admin portal: Microsoft LighthouseM365 monitoring: MSP Easy ToolsYou Might Also be Interested inPowerful Video Help for MSPs on GDPR – Privacy KitchenCyber Security Top Tips for Small Business Success and GrowthPodcast: The Top Ways to Move Your MSP Business to a Cybersecurity Focus

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Tubbservatory Round-Up #5 – May 2022

Tubbservatory Round-Up – What is it?

Each week Richard throws a spotlight on five resources Managed Service Provider (MSPs) business owners should take note of in the IT industry. The Tubbservatory is a weekly video broadcast featuring useful articles, podcasts and events that bring value to IT business owners.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #5 – May 2022 is a collection of all of the Tubbservatory broadcasts made in May, edited together for you to watch at your convenience. In addition, the items are summarised below, with links to the resources mentioned in the video.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #5 May 2022 Video



Tubbservatory Round-Up #5: May – Week 1#1 Three Things You Need to Know About the Rise of the Alternative Cloud

If your MSP is only selling Microsoft or Google products, you may not be aware of the potential of the so-called alternative cloud.

There is a whole market of alternative cloud providers out there, and their offerings are a veritable goldmine of untapped potential for MSPs.

Mike Maney of Linode has written the perfect primer on the three things you need to know about the rise of the alternative cloud.

With prices on the rise everywhere, you owe it to yourself to give this article a read.

#2 The Duck Duck Go Web Browser Now Available For the Apple Mac

Matt Burgess of Wired UK reports that privacy-focused web browser Duck Duck Go have recently released a desktop version for the Apple Mac.

The browser uses Duck Duck Go’s private search engine by default. It blocks ad trackers on each site you visit, and incorporates a new email protection service.

#3 The Definitive 5-Step Playbook to Great Client Onboarding

When it comes to winning new MSP clients, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

So to help with this, Nithish Kumar of SuperOps has written the definitive guide to a great client onboarding experience.

This ebook is a free download, and features some golden advice on how to help your clients have a great first impression of your MSP.

#4 Webinar: Marketing and Business Growth Hacks for Technology Partners

A webinar that caught my eye recently was the Live Teardown – Marketing and Business Growth Hacks for Technology Partners from Zomentum.

Shannon Murphy and MSP marketing expert Paul Green focus on advanced strategies that impact your ability to turn website traffic into customers.

This video of this panel discussion can now be viewed on demand.

#5 1Password – Ryan Reynolds Stars in Their Latest Cybersecurity Ad Campaign

1Password, the data security experts, have scored a winner with their latest marketing video.

Hollywood star gives Wrexham AFC a team-talk on the importance of cybersecurity (and a good moisturiser).

The video is very funny, and the product seems to be definitely worth a look for MSPs and their clients. Share it across your social media platforms for a bit of fun!

Maximum effort, 1Password!

Tubbservatory Round-Up #5: May – Week 2#1 uPhish – Employee Phishing Simulator

A tool that has been recommend by many MSPs is uPhish, an employee phishing simulator from uSecure.

What sets this apart from other phishing simulators is:

A range of customisable templatesSpear-phishing by spoofing domains and impersonating internal staffIn-depth reporting and follow-up training targeting vulnerabilities in your organisation#2 Microsoft Launches Free Consultation Booking Service

Microsoft has launched a free one-on-one consultation service for small businesses.

UK businesses can book an appointment through this service to discuss their Microsoft technology needs.

I’m intrigued to find out whether this service helps or if it competes with IT business?

Let us know in the comments.

#3 Cybersecurity Resource Guide for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs

Atera have released an excellent guide on cybersecurity resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs. Author Doron Ben Cohen has put together his guide to equip smaller enterprises with tools to spot threats and mitigate against them.

Topics in this guide include:

Types of cyber riskActions to mitigate against cyber risksProtecting personal data

It’s certainly a worthwhile read for any small business or entrepreneur.

#4 The 2022 MSP Podcast Round-Up!

If you’re looking for some MSP podcasts to listen to, then check out the list Scott Bauer has compiled for Quoter.

The 2022 MSP Podcast Round-Up contains 8 of the best, including:

TubbtalkPaul Green’s MSP Marketing PodcastEvolved Radio with Todd Kane

Make sure to subscribe to the full list of recommendations through your favourite podcast player.

#5 The SuperOps SuperSummit Comes To London

Following on from the success of their online SuperSummit held earlier in the year, SuperOps.ai held their first big in-person event for MSPs in London on 17th May 2022.

The theme of the event was ‘The Road to £1 Million’, and it featured some big names in the MSP channel space, including:

Richard TubbPaul GreenMark CopemanTracy PoundAnd many many more!

You can read more about what happened at the event in our write-up here.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #5: May – Week 3#1 UK Businesses Ranked Highest in Paying Ransomware Hackers

Michael Breeze of Pax8 reports that UK businesses are the most likely in the world to pay hackers back for their stolen data.

Adenike Cosgrove, a security specialist at Proofpoint, says “a staggering amount of UK businesses experienced a phishing attack in 2021 and 91% of those attacks were successful”.

So, Pax8 are offering a crash course in cybersecurity from expert Mostyn Thomas. He will teach you the most up-to-date best practices to keep your organisation and your clients safe.

#2 Process Warden Release Free SSL Monitoring Tool for MSPs

How often have you spotted an expired SSL certificate on a vulnerable website?

Well, Process Warden are offering a free tool to help MSPs monitor their clients SSL certificate expiry dates.

It notifies you when a certificate is due to expire in the next 30 days, and will only notify if something needs attention.

#3 Pete Matheson – Two Years After I Sold My MSP

If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to sell your MSP business, then Pete Matheson has written about his experiences in his blog two years after selling his Managed Service Provider.

This blog is a must for any MSP owner who may be looking to leave their business in the near future.

Matheson has gone on to host a popular YouTube channel, as well as being a co-host to Richard Tubb on the Behind the Geeks show.

#4 Public Cloud Spending On The Rise Across The Globe As Hybrid Working Takes Hold

Caroline Donnelly of ComputerWeekly reports that industry researchers Gartner are reporting that public cloud spending is on the rise across the globe.

This is due to the increasing demand for hybrid working. And, Desktop-as-a-service (DaaS), will be one of the main area of growth.

#5 Global MSP Day 2022 Featuring Barracuda MSP

Global MSP Day was celebrated on Friday 20th May this year.

Barracuda MSP hosted a live virtual event on the day in partnership with CompTIA. Register now to watch the replay!

Speakers included:

Richard TubbNeal BradburyBeatrice Lam

There are also lots of useful resources for you to download as well.

You can catch the replay of the live event by registering here.

Tubbservatory Round-Up #5: May – Week 4#1 Karl Palachuk’s Top Travel Tech

Are you planning a trip but want to stay connected with a device that has a bigger screen than your mobile phone?

Then Karl Palachuk‘s latest video on Top Travel Tech may help you to decide on a suitable alternative.

In the video, he mentions:

HP ZBook 14u G5 Mobile WorkstationIntel Compute PC StickGWTC116-Gateway LaptopLogitech K400 keyboard#2 Uptime Solutions Present Their New Project Service

With the rise in digital transformation and big projects, the Uptime Solutions project service may be of interest to many MSPs.

Uptime allows MSPs to utilise their team of expert engineers as an extension to their own team to deliver what they want, when they need it.

This has potential to be a great resource if you’re considering undertaking a project that falls outside your MSP’s usual skill set.

#3 MSP Secrets Revealed Episode 2 Submissions Wanted

Author Mark Copeman published the original MSP Secrets book: MSP Secrets Revealed: 101 gems of inspiration, stories & practical advice for managed service provider owners  in 2020. And now he’s looking for submissions for the follow-up; MSP Secrets Revealed: Episode 2.

If you’re an MSP who would like to be featured, Mark is asking for your submissions now.

And if you’re featured, you’ll receive a free copy of the book.

#4 The Seller’s Guide To Microsoft 365 Ebook

UK-based Giacom have shared an excellent new resource called The Seller’s Guide to Microsoft 365.

With advice on how to win more clients, this ebook will provide you with some tips that you can take away and implement into your own sales process.

#5 Channel Program’s Channel All-Stars Virtual Event

Channel Program is putting together a fantastic virtual event on 8th of June 2022.

Channel All-Stars will feature Gary Vaynerchuk, plus a host of the industry’s top experts. Including:

Ben Auton of SpearTipSteve Petryschuk of AuvikBen Roller of ZomentumDanny Jenkins of ThreatLocker

Register now to get involved!

Links to the Resources Mentioned in this Round-UpFrom Week 1Three Things You Need to Know About the Rise of the Alternative CloudThe Duck Duck Go Web Browser Now Available For the Apple MacThe Definitive 5-Step Playbook to Great Client OnboardingWebinar: Marketing and Business Growth Hacks for Technology Partners1Password – Ryan Reynolds Stars in Their Latest Cybersecurity Ad CampaignMentioned in Week 2uPhish – Employee Phishing SimulatorMicrosoft Launches Free Consultation ServiceCybersecurity Resource Guide for Small Businesses and EntrepreneursThe 2022 MSP Podcast Round-Up ListThe SuperOps SuperSummit Comes To LondonWeek 3UK Businesses Ranked Highest in Paying Ransomware HackersProcess Warden Release Free SSL Monitoring Tool for MSPsPete Matheson – Two Years After I Sold My MSPPublic Cloud Spending On The Rise Across The Globe As Hybrid Working Takes HoldGlobal MSP Day 2022 featuring Barracuda MSPWeek 4Travel Tech: Tiny Laptop, Compute Stick, or… ?Uptime Solutions Present Their New Project ServiceMSP Secrets Revealed Episode 2 Submissions WantedThe Seller’s Guide to Microsoft 365The Channel Program’s Channel All-Stars Virtual EventHow You Can Help

Have you recently discovered a useful resource that Richard might be interested in? Then please let us know in the comments.

You Might Also be Interested inAI-Based Intelligent Alerting for MSPsThe MSP’s Guide to Modern Cloud InfrastructurePowerful Insights From the Future of the MSP and Security Survey

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TubbTalk 113: CyberSecurity, Phishing & Automated Human Risk Management for MSPs

An Interview with Alex Martin

Alex Martin is the cyber security analyst for UK-based LMS Group, a role he took on after achieving a degree in cybersecurity and forensic computing. LMS support a range of businesses of different sizes; they provide consultancy, break/fix, security compliance and virtual CIO services.

The Tools and Cybersecurity Solutions LMS Group use

LMS Group use a range of tools to support their business. Firstly, they use ConnectWise for PSA and Automate for RMM. Furthermore, remote access control is done with ConnectWise Control.

Much of their own systems and those of their clients is done through Microsoft 365. Then, they use Cisco Meraki to support remote and hybrid working. Finally, they’ve started using usecure. Alex describes it as a security awareness and phishing training platform to assess human risk. 

How LMS Use usecure Internally and With Clients

Internally, LMS use usecure as part of their induction process. “We’ve selected a range of different courses depending on the role of the new starter. Those in finance will be beginners, whereas the technical desk requires more detailed information.

“Employees have a set time to complete courses and they are all automated. Other platforms are manual and you have to add courses. But usecure saves us time and billing is done automatically too.”

And for clients, usecure shows them how much risk there is in their business. LMS run free phishing simulations to track when and where staff have clicked a spoof email or entered their credentials. Businesses underestimate the level of risk from users, so the tool helps them understand better.

How Alex Supports Clients with Cybersecurity Phishing Tests

“Clients are often confused at first. Because our reports are quite high level, o we need to support the user to understand what they’ve done. The staff don’t always know they’ve been part of a test. So, they click on something bad, raise a ticket and that comes to me.

“Therefore, I can reassure them that they’ve done the right thing by asking for help. The key is to help them understand that they haven’t done anything wrong and won’t get into trouble.”

A phishing simulation tool encourages people to talk about the risks and to get involved. Anyone can make a mistake. And while MFA is great, not all platforms support it. There’s legacy software that can cause a problem. So everyone can learn from these tests.

What is phishing? Read this explanation.

The Relationship with usecure

Alex says usecure is one of the best vendors he’s worked with.” They’ve helped us set up automated billing and provided marketing collateral. And they’re very quick to respond to queries and resolve problems. Most have been on the Microsoft side!”

How a Cybersecurity Tool Helps LMS Grow

Alex explains that LMS offers usecure to clients as part of a compliance package or to help with a big project. It often comes in handy during the client onboarding process, too.

Many businesses are looking for cybersecurity and user technical training to ensure compliance to various frameworks. “It’s often at the forefront of those initial meetings, because we can show them the security risks through a free phishing test.

“We carry out the test, present the results and highlight the risks. And then it’s up to them whether or not they want to add usecure to their services from us. Plus, we use it with existing clients who we think is a high risk. We do a phishing campaign with them over a couple of weeks and give them the report.” 

The Cybersecurity Challenge for MSPs

For MSPs, there’s a huge variety and a lot to learn. But Alex says when it’s busy it’s hard to get to grips with new potential threats quickly. And it varies from client to client, which adds an extra challenge.

MSPs work to harden client security, but there are always holes and things that need to be fixed – vulnerabilities are always coming. Clients are always looking for the next best thing; a product that’s more secure, efficient and effective for their business needs. However, Alex says it’s also his favourite thing about working in cybersecurity.

How to Connect With Alex MartinLMS GroupFollow LMS Group on FacebookFollow LMS Group on LinkedInConnect with Alex Martin on LinkedInHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeConnectWiseCloud app management tool: AutomateM365Cisco MerakiusecureZen SoftwarePodcast: Cyber ReasonPodcast: Dark Net DiariesBook: David Sanger The Perfect Weapon: war, sabotage, and fear in the cyber age Book: Kevin Mitnick The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security You Might Also be Interested inWhich Business Processes can You Automate Today?Cybersecurity Top Tips for Small Business Success and GrowthHow ConnectWise Helps MSPs Run More Efficient Businesses

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TubbTalk 112: Microsoft Stack & Why MSPs May Consider an Alt Service Desk

An Interview With Scott Riley

In this interview, Richard speaks to Scott Riley, the founder of Cloud Nexus, a UK-based MSP specialising in the Microsoft Stack. Scott explains that he decided to niche the business to provide a more focused solution. Plus he explains why he outsources his service desk.

The Pros and Cons of Working with the Microsoft Stack

Scott explains that he’s worked for larger MSPs in the past. And as they grow, it’s harder to offer an excellent service in more than one area. “I realised that having private cloud platforms, email and virtual desktops put us in competition with Office 365 and Azure.

“Reselling Microsoft brings such small margins and it was hard to get businesses to sign up to licences. But when I set up on my own, I decided Microsoft Stack was the best option.”

Scott committed to build a set of services clients could use properly. He wants clients to get value from their licences and benefit from what they offer. Niching into Microsoft allows Cloud Nexus to Tubb Talk support clients with updates, patches and understanding features.

The M365 Masterclass

Cloud Nexus does project work on behalf of other MSPs. And, Scott says, they get a lot of follow-up questions on how to do things using Microsoft Stack and 365. The questions were the same every time, and finding answers takes hours.

So, Scott decided to develop a resource that would help MSPs find the information they needed. Most of the time they need a refresher. He developed Microsoft 365 Masterclass to give them what they need.

“It’s a massive repository of ‘how to’ – setting up M365, Azure, SharePoint, Teams and so on. And we get feedback from people asking for additional resources. The videos are 5-10 minutes long, so you can pop in and out. We charge one fee per MSP, and that’s it.”

The Tools Scott uses in Cloud Nexus

Cloud Nexus uses a range of tools. Firstly, they have Halo PSA, and Datto Autotask for RMM. Halo does billing, invoicing and quoting. Then they use Xero for finance and Heimdall to manage applications and websites. Finally, they use Intune for third party patching.

They also outsource a lot of their more general managed services tasks to Uptime Solutions, who manage their helpdesk, ticketing and dealing with queries and problems. 

Why MSPs Should Outsource Their Service Desk

The original plan was for Cloud Nexus to provide IT support services for clients. However, Scott says he didn’t want to do that or run a helpdesk. “You need a service desk team leader and a manager. And there’s staff churn and variability in quality. You also need all of the tools to go with it, which were really expensive.”

Scott says he found that it would be cheaper to outsource the helpdesk and give more specialist work to his team. They can focus on what they do best. The important thing, though, is to find a partner who can represent you properly.

“With Uptime, they spent time getting to know us. They asked what they could do to help and work alongside us to grow the business. We have a small ‘pod’ who support our clients. And they’re friendly, affable and proactive. They come to us with issues so we can solve them faster.”

Not sure what a service desk is? This article might help!

When Outsourcing isn’t the Best Option

Sometimes you might want to keep things in-house. Scott says that Uptime are SLA driven, so they can’t always do tasks in time to hit their SLA. For instance, they can’t set up an account for a new staff member who’s starting the next day.

So, we ask our support team to let us know if they come across anything urgent or unusual. Then, we can deal with them and resolve the problem quickly. They can copy over the tickets to our system so we know what’s going on.

Finally, Cloud Nexus don’t outsource project work. “This is because of lead time. They have the capability, but not the time to work on the project. Uptime can get busy with other projects, which means ours can get pushed back to the end of the queue. Doing it ourselves shortens that lead time.”

The Uptime SOC Solution

Along with NOC (Network Operation Centre) support, Uptime also provide a Security Operations Centre (SOC). Scott says they manage anything cybersecurity-related that goes beyond the standard helpdesk support.

Uptime will look at the incidents, triage, feedback and so on. “It’s hard to do that yourself as an MSP. Because you can’t be great at everything. And cybersecurity needs really great tools backed up by real people.

“Legislation is constantly changing and updating. How can we protect ourselves as MSP owners who are being held accountable for breaches? You can’t spot everything. Having specialist support prevents that. Cloud Nexus aren’t experts in cybersecurity, so we outsource it.” 

Cloud Nexus’ Relationship with Uptime Solutions

Scott says he has a fantastic relationship with Uptime Solutions. “The people we work with day to day feel like part of the team. It doesn’t feel like we’re separate from them. They do almost everything for us, and as well as we’d do it ourselves.

“They totally understand what we need as an MSP and what they should focus on. But they also have partner advisory councils to make sure we’re happy and if there’s anything else they can do. We have several contacts who keep in contact with us. We try not to bother them because they’re doing a great job.”

How to Connect with Scott RileyCloud NexusFollow Cloud Nexus on LinkedInConnect with Scott on LinkedInFollow Cloud Nexus on TwitterHow to Connect With MeSubscribe to TubbTalk RSS feedSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk in iTunesSubscribe, rate and review TubbTalk on Stitcher RadioSubscribe and rate TubbTalk on SpotifyFollow TubbTalk on iHeartRadioFollow @tubblog on TwitterMentioned in This EpisodeMicrosoft 365AzureMichael Gerber The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It Uptime SolutionsLinuxCollaboration software: SharePointM365 MasterclassThe Tech TribeHalo PSADattoAccounting software: XeroHeimdall via BrigantiaPax8Documentation tool: IT GluePassword sync: KeeperCybersecurity Awareness training: KnowBe4usecureCofense (formerly PhishMe)Third party web content filter: AnyDNSBit DefenderSophosIntercept XConnectWise (formerly Continuum)Service desk: InBayMSP Coach: Pete MathesonMicrosoft AutopilotCybersecurity: HuntressYou Might Also be Interested inPodcast: How to Build a Successful Cloud Solution Provider BusinessSuccessfully Partnering with MicrosoftPodcast: How to Outsource Your MSP’s NOC, SOC and Helpdesk

 

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The Road to £1 Million – The SuperOps SuperSummit

 

SuperOps.ai hosted a superb event in London; The Road to £1 Million, where the focus was on MSPs. Specifically, aimed at how MSPs can reach that difficult £1 million revenue threshold.

The afternoon was filled with networking opportunities, keynotes and panel discussions. Practical advice from industry experts.

The event took place at:

The View at The Royal College of Surgeons on Tuesday 17th May, between 12:00 and 6:00pm

Introduction – The Road to £1 Million

Following a light lunch and networking session, SuperOps.ai Founder and CEO Arvind Parthiban gave the opening welcome introduction.

Setting the tone of the afternoon ahead, he asked; what are the challenges faced by new MSPs in reaching £1 million revenue?

How can we add value and make a difference?

If we can share the playbooks of successful MSPs, we can allow new MSPs to make, and learn from, their own mistakes.

If I Were To Start An MSP Today

In the next session, Claire Jenks of Jenks Creative interviewed Richard Tubb, the IT Business Growth Expert on the topic of how he would go about starting an MSP from scratch today.

Richard’s Origin Story

To give a bit of background, Claire asked about Richard’s Origin Story. Starting out in corporate IT, he learned about scalability and process-driven solutions.

He always wanted to build a business that would run effectively without him.

Growing from a one-man-band into a successful MSP over a number of years, he decided to sell it after his father passed away. So many people had said what a good man he was, and that he was always helping other people. Deciding that was what he wanted to do too, Richard decided to become an MSP consultant, in the business of helping others achieve success in their MSP businesses.

OperationsOutsourcing

Claire asked; As a big advocate of outsourcing how would you advise going about it today?

Establish your core competences – focus on the things you are good at and want to deliver as an MSP. For everything else, outsource it, such as:

Get a telephone answering service – let someone else deal with answering your calls while you carry out the important work you need to get doneCybersecurity – as it’s such a difficult discipline to master these days, but there are plenty of experts who can do this for you day-to-day

Richard added: As MSPs we ask our clients to focus on their business and leave their IT to us. So why shouldn’t we outsource the things that we don’t want to do.

Marketing

Richard has been an early adopter of content marketing for a long time. It’s effective if you keep at it, and keep it consistent – just go out there and connect.

He mentioned that people have got in touch with him after reading articles he had put out there a long time ago. It all helps you connect people with your brand, because they know, like and trust you. Richard added that SuperOps.ai are a prime example of this with their consistent marketing strategy.

If You Became An MSP Again Today, What Would You Do Differently?

Tailor your offerings to appeal to your ideal client, and don’t try to snare everyone.

Avoiding pricing yourself at the wrong level. If you price yourself too low, you’ll only attract the wrong type of client who will ‘nickel and dime’ you.

These clients are never happy and do not accept your true worth to them.  Raising those prices to begin with will filter out those clients, and you’ll often find that those that are happy to pay above the lowest premiums will trust you.

What Can MSP Owners Do To Look After Their Own Mental Health and That Of Their Team?

If you’re feeling the strain, firstly, you’re not alone. Be upfront about it and let your team know.

We use some practical techniques at Team Tubb, including:

Geekbot – This is a weekly check-in tool which asks each member of the team how they are, what they’re working on and if there are any obstacles aheadTruth Tuesdays – Which is a weekly post with an inspirational quote or teaching, which the team can react to. Whether that’s with a positive message in response or just an emojiWhat Are Your Top Three Book Recommendations?The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber – Why small businesses don’t work, and what you can do about itThe Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann – A business parable of how a powerful giving can be for businessGetting Things Done by David Allen – Great for productivity and managing stress

The Winding Road To The Seven Figure MSP

Ian Luckett of IT Experts chaired a panel of 5 MSP experts and asked them a series of questions relating to MSP growth.

The panel consisted of:

Chris Gorman – CEO of Apex Computer ServicesDaniel Shone – MD of Apex Computer ServicesMark Copeman – Author of Helpdesk Habits and Founder of WiseCurveTracy Pound – Founder and MD of Maximity Ltd, and Chair of the Board of Directors at CompTIAPerry Ashby – CEO of Urban Network UKThe MSP Journey – When Are You Ready?

Daniel: A big change for us was when we started working more in partnership with vendors, and hiring external experts.

Chris: You should plan your business hires in advance for when your business grows further in order to keep up the momentum.

How Important Is Planning Your Strategy

Tracy: Planning is incredibly important. Before you reach the £1 million mark you need to plan for what is coming next.

Top Tips For Getting Out of Your Own Way

Chris: It’s important to know when to step away, and when you delegate responsibility, it should be from a position of trust, with a care to verify.

Daniel: In our case, we chose to promote from within, but even if you do that, you still need to support them.

Mark: It’s all about empowerment. Set expectations, but give new hires trust and certain parameters to work within. It will work for the customers.

Tracy: Make sure outsourcing doesn’t lead to an abdication of responsibility. Check the results your outsourcing company provide.

Perry: When you put your trust into other people you have to accept that they may do things differently to you, and that’s okay.

Perry: The RACI matrix proved effective for my team.

How To Enhance The Client Experience And Reduce Attrition

Mark: Our business relies on referrals, but it’s not enough, so that’s where marketing comes in. Reputation is all. You could use positive responses from your clients after resolving their tickets – and set a wallpaper up for your engineers reminding them to ask for a review after they resolve a ticket.

Chris: We have a channel for Engineer Shout-Outs, where they can share any positive reviews with each other.

How Important Is Community?

Perry: It’s so important that you find a community that suits you and your business.

Tracy: Business can be a lonely place – so like-minded people around you is a great thing to have.

Mark: The MSP channel is so supportive – you’d be a fool not to be part of it.

How To Use Your PSA Tool To Build A More Profitable MSP

After a short break, Chris Timm, author of PSA Profitability talked about how to set up your PSA tool to accurate measure your profitability.

He explained that to work out your profitability, you need to understand the difference between your costs:

Engineer Costs (including the Burden Rate)Products (one-off costs)Services (regular programme income)

Burden Rate can be determined a number of ways, but Chris explained that keeping it simple is the best approach.

Once you have your costs set up, to calculate profitability, subtract your costs from your revenue for your customers.

Reporting within your PSA will allow you to see month-by-month how profitable each customer you have is. It’s ok for a customer to not be profitable every month, but it if starts becoming a trend, you need to look at the arrangement you have with them.

How Can You Overcome ‘Process Paralysis’?

Ben Spector, Product Manager at Zomentum explained that MSP business is complex.

However, there are four key tools that every MSP needs to have in place:

Marketing toolSales toolPSAAccounting

In order to build the processes around these tools, you often need to do this in reverse:

Accounting tool – To be able to process invoices is key.PSA – Integrate your PSA into your accounting software.Sales tool – Your sales CRM puts your new clients into your PSA.Marketing tool – Creates the leads that will hopefully populate your sales pipeline.

The processes crossover where they transfer from one tool to the next:

Opportunity – where marketing leads transfer to sales leads.Won – where sales become onboarded clients.Invoicing – where client billing occurs.

To summarise, processes will never be perfect.

Make peace with it, and be prepared to review and repeat where necessary.

Allow new hires to contribute and bring their own wisdom and experience.

Integrate everything you can – but don’t allow a lack of integration to stop you.

Life Is Short, Profits Are Easy?

To finish off, Paul Green of MSP Marketing Edge led a high-energy interactive session, which got the audience to hold a mirror up to themselves.

He proposed that the main purpose of your MSP is to raise the highest level of net profit, while providing the best level of service to your clients.

He referenced a book by Bronnie Ware called the Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

These are real statements that the author heard during her time as a carer for the terminally ill.

They wished:

I hadn’t worked to hardI’d stayed in touch with friendsI’d enjoyed my children’s youthI had let myself be happier

It was a morbid start. However, he promised to keep the rest of his keynote light!

To have a Happy Balance there are five things we need to keep in perfect equilibrium:

Cash  |  Time  |  Family  |  Fun  | Meaningful Work

And yet, there are very few problems that can’t be solved by throwing more money at them.

Question: What’s Holding You Back From Maximising Your Profits?Fear of failure?Having the right people on your side?

Paul’s advice: Whatever’s holding you back – fix it!

Question: If I Kidnapped You For 6 Months. What State Would Your Business Be In When You Get Back?

If you have to be there all the time for your business to thrive, you haven’t got a business, you’ve got a badly paid job!

As business owners, think about how you can DOA? Delegate, Outsource and Automate.

Closing The Event

Wrapping up the event, there was a big round of applause for the speakers and the event organisers.

The attendees had another chance to network in the bar afterwards before the event.

From the responses, both in the room and on social media, it was very well received.

What did you think of the event? the venue? the speakers? Please leave a comment below.

You Might Also Be Interest InEast Midlands Tech Tribe Meet-Up – Local Networking for MSPsTubbTalk 110: Partnerships, Pax8 & MSP Growth: What You Need to KnowThe MSP 2022 Growth Survey Results

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