All MSP’s have (or at least they should) a goal to improve the quality of service for their clients. And yes, that means even superb customer service can still be improved.
The best thing you can do is to communicate with your clients. Systems have the potential to crash and technology freezes, so now would be the time to communicate with your clients to let them know you are working hard to resolve the issue and their problem is your priority. All client issues should be handled with the same importance whether their computer is practically smoking in their cubicle to everyday simple email login issues.
In general, ask yourself if you’re meeting your clients’ basic needs. Clearly, if you’re not, it’s time for a huge overhaul of your customer service. The best way to maximize your business is to make sure your focus is in the right place. That goes without saying that your clients are your number one focus. Evaluate the everyday problems they have and make it your goal to ensure they don’t have the same issues again. There is nothing more frustrating than to constantly keep running into the same issues that affect work productivity.
Take your customer service one step further – reach out to them even when their not having issues to follow up and see how they are doing. That’s the key to what will win you your clients’ relationship because you are making yourself available and sending a message that you care. Another way to show you care is to email evaluation surveys after closing tickets as a way to gauge your service. It’s a great way to get crucial feedback – you may have closed a ticket, but how efficient were you in doing so?
Another great way to connect with clients and potential prospects is to hold a client-focused event. Hosting an event allows you to meet with clients one-on-one, giving you the opportunity to get more personal with them. You have the chance to tell them about your products and services and get feedback on any of your technology they might use. It’s valuable one-on-one time to address clients’ business challenges and the ways your company can solve it compared to the competitor’s. What might their current MSP not be doing for them that you can?
To be successful in marketing to potential prospects, offer relevant discussion to the vertical markets you are speaking with. Being too broad in scope will leave clients wondering if you are focused enough to have the knowledge to handle their problems. Focus on showing clients you’re knowledgeable about the current and major issues that are plaguing businesses and how you are equipped and experienced enough to solve them.
One of the bigger issues in the workplace today is dealing with technology issues when it comes to the cloud. With cloud technology, improvements and new systems are being created and implemented constantly. Price increase and new complications go hand-in-hand with it too.
As a result, you-the MSP-is left to discover the best way to market the cloud in a way that will appeal to clients that might be apprehensive about adopting the technology or change in it. Stress the advantages of having cloud-based technology depending on the needs of each company and the different budgets that make it affordable for all clients. Part of your marketing plan should involve a seamless integration of cloud-support. This means doing some research of your own. Who are the biggest names in the industry regarding cloud services and vendors that you can team up with? Are you better off going with a no-name company that has the potential to be up-and-coming in the industry? How efficiently can you support a client’s bandwidth, security, and system applications?
What else is involved in marketing? Part of marketing is making your connections personal. Where other MSP’s are taking the automated route and outsourcing their marketing, do the opposite. You should really feel that you’re invested in your own marketing. A little help is okay if you feel the need to seek some consultation to get you on the right track. After all, you know your company better than anyone else. When your potential prospects receive your marketing materials you want them to know that you are speaking directly to them, and it’s not just another generic postcard or email. It will resonate with them that much more if it is genuine and original, coming right from the source. Also, don’t forget to tailor it to your audience. Not all clients have the same needs – reaching out to them with what they need is marketing they can’t ignore.
