Installing software patches is one of the most effective things you can do to prevent security breaches. Unfortunately, patching is also something that many MSPs and IT professionals don’t always perform as consistently as they should. Continue reading
5G, the latest technology standard for mobile networks, is creating a variety of benefits for businesses. To leverage those benefits to the fullest extent, however, many businesses will require help from MSPs. Continue reading
A disaster recovery plan is a recorded policy and/or process that is designed to assist an organization in executing recovery processes in response to a disaster to protect business IT infrastructure and, more generally, promote recovery. Continue reading
When the COVID-19 pandemic first broke out, many companies made the emergency transition overnight to allow their employees to work remotely. Now, two years later, a lot of organizations have realized the benefits that remote work can bring and are looking to maintain it as an option for their employees.
For managed services providers (MSPs), this new remote work trend means that they may have to adapt the way they proceed in supporting their clients, including remote support capabilities. Remote support allows an MSP to access, monitor and repair computer systems via a remote Internet connection, a capability that is essential for remote employees who may be anywhere in the world. This benefits MSP clients who may now have many remote employees, or the MSP themselves, as their own employees may prefer to be remote.
Further reading The Benefits of Remote Support
Having strong capabilities in remote access allows an MSP to more quickly support regular office employees, or servers and other technologies that may be in other locations. By seeing to it that they are following best practices in this area, an MSP can differentiate their services and ensure that they are providing the best support to meet all their customers’ needs.
When it comes to providing remote support, there are several points an MSP should consider as they develop their service package or look to optimize it to deliver the best service to their customers.
Building a successful remote support strategy starts with the MSP’s team. Business leaders should make sure they have clear procedures set for their team, including strong action strategies and expectations, as well as key performance indicators (KPIs). This will set the standards for employees delivering remote support, as well as help to align expectations for customers. Education for support agents is the key to ensuring best practices for remote work.
One behavior for an MSP to avoid is micromanaging, a trait that’s tempting in a remote work environment. However, by empowering employees with clear expectations and education, a manager should be able to avoid the bad habit of checking in on employees every hour – something that may alienate your staff and waste valuable time.
It’s more important than ever for remote employees to have the knowledge they need to perform their jobs effectively, as they can’t simply reach out to a colleague who usually sits at the next desk. For that reason, MSPs should enable their team members with up-to-date knowledge, as well as any other documentation that an employee may need to carry out remote support. Implementing digital communication tools, such as G Suite, Teams, Slack or Zoom, can also help ensure that the communication section remains strong, no matter where individuals are.
Just as with any other task, having the right tools can make a significant difference in how remote support can be delivered. MSPs should consider whether their current remote monitoring and management (RMM) systems are allowing their teams to support clients effectively, as well as whether there are other tools they can leverage to improve remote support or collaboration. Investing in technology can also mean making sure that employees have the Internet connectivity they need to carry out support consistently, or access to cloud services to guarantee that the quality of service remains high.
Besides ensuring strong communication amongst their own team, MSPs should also take care that they are maintaining clear, consistent and proactive communications with their customers. While communication is always important, it is especially vital in a remote support situation, where MSP employees may not be on site to ensure that they are addressing customer concerns or remaining top of mind throughout the lifecycle of the relationship. An MSP can do this by sending regular reports, staying proactive around any payment reminders, and planning changes by setting up regular touch points for review of services.
While the pandemic may be moving toward its end, remote work is here to stay. This can present a significant opportunity for MSPs who adapt to this trend, both in how they support customers with remote employees and in how their own employees can leverage the benefits of remote work.
It’s one thing to start a business, but it’s a whole other task to build it and sustain it for months and years to come. This is especially true for managed services providers (MSPs), which act as trusted advisors to customers and must ensure they’re setting their clients up for long-term support that can adapt as technology and services needs change. Continue reading
For MSPs, detecting and documenting cybersecurity incidents has always been important. But now, it’s a formal legal requirement in some cases, thanks to the recently enacted Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022. Continue reading
When it comes to starting a managed services provider (MSP) business, you can build it as a team or do it alone. While there are many benefits to collaborating with others, sometimes the “lone-wolf” approach can have immense benefits. But before going out on your own and becoming a one-person MSP, you should properly weigh the pros and cons of the decision. Continue reading
For many MSPs, the ability to be flexible, and to cater to each client’s unique requirements, is essential for business success. Every customer is different, and each one may require different services and tools. Continue reading
When it comes to building a successful managed services provider (MSP) business, it’s often more about the people than the technology. Continue reading
With attack after attack hitting businesses of every size and industry over the past year, the opportunity for managed service providers (MSPs) to offer cybersecurity services to their customers is greater than ever. In fact, research firm MarketsandMarkets estimates that the market for managed security services will nearly double over the next five years, from $22.8 billion in 2021 to $43.7 billion in 2026. Continue reading
What does it mean to spend $17,244 per minute? According to one study, that is the estimated amount that an average company is losing during unplanned downtime. The catastrophic consequences of events such as damaged hard drives, human errors, power failures, natural disasters, and even cyberattacks could have been avoided if a proper backup system had been installed. Continue reading
