MSP Business School

In this episode we recap some of the highlights from our past 5 guests.  As experts in the field we have seen that each has their own approach in achieving success.  Robb, Tim, and Brian discuss hat they learned and share their opinions on whether they agree or disagree. We start with a discussion that centered around discussions with Craig Skevinington and Matthew Bookspan.  Each has experienced a large, game changing sale and each shared with us what it took to win the deal.  The biggest takeaway we learned as each put in about 100 hours of business development time to win the deal. We discuss the tactics you need to take to win a big deal and how it is not for the faint of heart. We also talk about service models and whether of not a dedicated resource model trumps the pod model for providing support to your key clients. We close with a discussion around peer groups and how they have helped most of the experts we met with and what they have done for our own businesses'.

Today we speak to Tommy Wolosin, one of two partners operating NetWorks in Nashville, TN.  Tommy talks to us about creating an amazing culture to drive both client and customer relationships. We start with a conversation around how NetWorks started operations and how growth came from Tommy networking heavily in the Nashville area.  We talk about how peer groups and coaching were fundamental in breaking past growth driven by hustle into a more predictable sales model. We then transition into creating a culture that both customer and staff wanted to be a part of. Tommy shares how Net Works has long term and close relationships with many of their customers.  They leverage a strong vCIO process to drive engagement and loyalty in their client relationships. We also discuss how that culture spills into the business with most employees being part of the team for 10+ and the tactics that Net Works employs to meet the needs of both the business and their team.

Jon Rees joins us today on MSP Business School.  Jon is the Head of Technologies for Allied Communications, a Communications focused service provider with a large focus on the Casino and Gaming industry. In fact, they are the provider for 37% of the Las Vegas strip and 60% of Atlantic City. Today we discuss how to approach the enterprise space with a solutions focused approach. How once you crack the first enterprise account, you have to work your relationship to help guide you to the next enterprise opportunity. We shift gears to solutions to drive the remote workforce. Jon explains how UCaaS and CCaaS can simplify customer interactions in a world of expanding remote workforce.  We talk about customer experience and how that can make or break a relationship. Jon tells us where contact centers can enhance the experience and client support.  It can also help managers keep tabs, especially when your team is geographically dispersed.

In today's episode we speak with Eric Kiehn, the owner of C&W Technologies.  His service provider business has lasted 36 years and has seen good times and bad.  Eric tells us about those experiences and the downturns often led to new revenue opportunities. Eric speaks about how as he went into the last great recession in '08 it opened up a new market in cloud services for his break-fix shop.  Through the need to control costs it opened up a new recurring revenue model.  In fact, cloud drove the MSP services vs. the other way around. Eric also shares how peer groups changed his business and his life.  How the feedback from peers, both inside the industry with other MSP's, and with local business leaders shaped his leadership perspective and helped C&W Technologies innovate. He then shares about C&W's approach to the COVID-19 crisis. Change is more apt to happen during these down periods and clients are open to ideas they may have rejected in the past.  He adds that C&W Technologies built a list of 5 things they planned to accomplish to improve internally in the crisis. On a personal level, Eric focused on learning as much as he could on PPP, not for his business, but to help guide others.  It drew attention to him locally and drove new prospects into the top of his funnel.

Today we start our Interview Series with our first guest Matthew Bookspan talks to us about the launch of Blacktip IT.  He did this at a time where most of us would be avoiding risk. Holding a six-figure job and with a baby on the way, Matthew and his wife made the decision to start and IT company and he has never looked back. Matthew starts by telling us the story of his launch and his decision process to make the jump becoming and IT Service provider.  Not only did he take a big risk for himself and his family he went a step further focusing Apple Solutions at a time where Apple could only be termed as 'hyperniche". Matthew takes us through his journey of going from startup to a multi-million dollar service provider.  His story is a great one as he shares the focus and strategy he used to drive growth, keep costs in-line and even fire 200 clients on a single day.

Today we start our Interview Series with our first guest Craig Skevington, the founder of Steadfast IT.  Steadfast started as a traditional break-fix house, moved to managed services and then took the bold step in focusing on multi-location companies with remote workforce. Craig shares with us the steps his company took to drive success.  This included building a portfolio and driving customer acquisition.  Craig discusses how their focus is over delivering to their client base. By focusing on service analytics and searching to the repeatable issues that affect their clients to streamline support.  This yields an 8 minute ticket response goal, and leverages skill based routing for support. This approach increases client happiness and drives referral business. We then move into Craig's story about the process he took in order to "hook a whale", an extremely large deal his organization has in their portfolio.  He discusses the sales process, how critical it is to listen and find the pain, and then use that to drive the solution. He shares what the sales process looked like, the time investment required to land the opportunity, and what your should expect from the prospect.  Additionally, he expands on the concept of prospect obligation and how to get the client to "put skin in the game" which may not need to be monetary.  We close with how to manage the "whale".

On this episode we do another virtual case study on using sales metrics as a source of sales rep motivation. Brian kicks off the conversation talking about a rep he took on through an acquisition.  This rep was a textbook salesperson with a mission.  We go into how this mission will drive success From a metrics perspective this rep was consistent, and his sales metrics reflected that consistency.  Knowing how he operated he needed less of a sales manager and more of a sales coach.  Someone to keep on track. We discuss sales DNA and learning what a sales rep looks like based on their DNA.  Once this DNA is recognized, it becomes easy to pull the right levers to move the needle. Robb talks about to provide reps with systems and support in the sales operations process.  What tasks should the rep own what tasks should belong to others?  We discuss how to approach this. We then discuss the activities that are required and how you can use ConnectWise sales activity points to manage the Business Development efforts. We also discuss one critical trait that successful sales people have and how that supplements motivation and drive.

As MSP’s work with their clients’ it is easy to get complacent and work exclusively through your primary point of contact.  What happens when then contact is not the sole decision maker and has an equal partner who has equal say in your renewal decision.  Can you be at risk? Robb and Tim share a real-life case study of a client who ran into the exact issue described above.  The client had been a long-term relationship of the MSP, but primarily in a break-fix fashion.  The relationship to date had been primarily reactive.  Also, client had added a Level 1 tech making this an even more difficult renewal. The MSP walked into the renewal finding out that the client that “who loved them“: Had been educated to the concept of Managed Services by a competing vendor who provided a proposal. The proposal was much lower than his existing fees. The other partner liked his model and price. Tim and Robb then share how the customer worked the deal, and the good, bad, and ugly of the final outcome. 

Today's conversation focuses on client engagement, especially when things are slow in the relationship and things are working and we have moved to cruise control. Brian kicks this one off with a discussion around relationship building and how it is critical to not neglect the relationship or take it for granted.  So, how can we start this conversation when we don't have much to say?  It's all about ice breakers and asking questions about the clients business. This conversation needs to go beyond the point of contact and you need to engage with all key stakeholders in the process. We discuss how there are always changes going in the client environment. Personnel changes, customer wins, budget changes.  These forces can change the client view on our relationship and we need to stay in front of our client so we can see opportunities and problems that may be coming. We can do this through live touch points, CSAT or NPS surveys and gain information we can use.  The challenge is most Account Mangers fall down on touching their client in between sales.  These resources need to schedule time to contact each customer to stay in tune with the customer and build the relationship. Robb speaks about the past, present, and future model and how the AM's often struggle with the future, or strategy, piece of the puzzle.  Brian goes into detail on approaches for junior reps to get the process started.  If we manage the relationship consistently over time we become the sherpa guiding our clients.  The result happier clients with improved sales velocity.

Today's we break down the prospecting process, how to get organized, focused, and targeted in your plan. Robb kicks off the conversation with the concept of the Dream 250, a process OSR Manage and their sales teams live by.  This process helps you get laser focused and find those valued relationships each sales rep requires. Tim discusses tactics to get to those target prospects.  We dive into a multi-channel approach to sales prospecting and using cold-calls as intelligence gathering.  It's not easy to get to your best prospects and the process helps you make each step a valuable exercise on the way to engaging your target. We then engage on how to qualify MSP clients so prospecting time is not wasted on low value targets.  We discuss the information you need to obtain and when to cut a prospect loose. We also address the common sales gripe, "the leads are no good and I don't have enough".  The truth is not the leads, but your approach and mindset will really dictate success.  Most reps give up on a lead to early and we discuss what the proper expectation should be (psst....its not 3 calls).