Ask an MSP Expert is a weekly advice column answering common questions from MSPs and IT service providers. It covers topics ranging from pricing and selling to marketing and communications—and everything in between.
Tag: Ask an MSP Expert
Ask an MSP Expert: How can my MSP prepare for an economic recession?
Ask an MSP Expert: How can my MSP prepare for an economic recession?
Q: Right now, we have more business than we can handle, and cash flow is exceeding our projections for the year. Still, I get nervous and worry about the next downturn. Is there something I should be doing now to prepare...
Ask an MSP Expert: How can I get techs to log billable hours?
Ask an MSP Expert: How can I get techs to log billable hours?
Q: We’re having a tough time getting technicians to remember to log their time. Some customers are on an all-you-can-eat service model, while others have an allocated amount of service time. How can I get techs to accurately log billable...
Ask an MSP Expert: What are some different pricing strategies to consider?
Ask an MSP Expert: What are some different pricing strategies to consider?
Q: There seems to be a lot of different opinions on how we should price our offering. How can we determine what the right pricing strategy is for our MSP business? Setting a pricing strategy is a critical process for...
Ask an MSP Expert: How have email threats evolved?
Ask an MSP Expert: How have email threats evolved?
Q: As cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, it is harder to keep up with the different types of attacks. What are some of the most prevalent methods of email attacks today, and what do I need to know about them?...
Ask an MSP Expert: Should my MSP pursue industrial clients?
Ask an MSP Expert: Should my MSP pursue industrial clients?
Q: We serve primarily healthcare and finance companies, but our region has a robust manufacturing base. Are there many opportunities for MSPs in manufacturing? If so, are there any insights you can provide about taking clients in this vertical? If you...
Ask an MSP Expert: How can I help my customers decide on a retention policy?
Ask an MSP Expert: How can I help my customers decide on a retention policy?
Q: As an MSP, I frequently see businesses make mistakes when developing a data retention policy. These mistakes often result in businesses losing their data due to accidental deletions or exposing their data to bad actors because the company has...
Ask an MSP Expert: How can an RMM tool help my MSP business?
Ask an MSP Expert: How can an RMM tool help my MSP business?
Q: I am a relatively new MSP, with two technicians who are keeping up with the demand of several customers. My techs have been asking for a remote monitoring and management tool. Is this necessary, and how can an RMM...
Ask an MSP Expert: How can we attract more students to the IT industry?
Ask an MSP Expert: How can we attract more students to the IT industry?
Q: I own a mid-sized MSP and I’m having trouble finding talented technicians. That has me worried about the industry as a whole. Is there any hope for getting more kids interested in the profession? MSP’s are fighting a chronic...
Ask an MSP Expert: Do I need to offer an additional backup service with Office 365?
Ask an MSP Expert: Do I need to offer an additional backup service with Office 365?
Q: More of my customers are moving towards Office 365, and they believe everything is being backed up. Is this true, or should my MSP create additional backups of Office 365 data? In terms of email and data services, Office...
Ask an Expert: How can I measure my MSP marketing success?
Ask an Expert: How can I measure my MSP marketing success?
Q: We are investing more money in our MSP marketing, but we’re looking for ways to track our success. What marketing metrics should we measure? First of all, congratulations! Measuring the effectiveness of your campaigns is a great way to...