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[Video] How to Help Grow Your MSP by Understanding Your Ideal Customer

There are a ton of things to consider and decisions to make when it comes to running a successful MSP. But have you stopped for a minute to consider how important it is to make sure you’re doing ...
There are a ton of things to consider and decisions to make when it comes to running a successful MSP. But have you stopped for a minute to consider how important it is to make sure you’re doing business with the right customer? We’ve discussed this topic before in webinars and on The BrightGauge Podcast, and it’s an extremely popular conversation in our community. In this 16-minute video, BrightGauge co-Founder and CEO, Eric Dosal, talks in depth about the customer characteristics that paralleled successful business relationships during the days he owned one of the largest MSPs in the South Florida market. In 5 years, Eric grew his MSP 10x and now he’s sharing the specifics you should be utilizing: from revenue and profit contributions to referral opportunities, client personalities, soft benefits and so much more. Some of the topics covered: breaking customers down into 4 buckets: A,B,C,D characteristics of customers for each bucket your game plan for each group ideas to move customers “up” to a new bucket To learn more about the topic of finding and understanding your ideal customer, check out our free webinar on demand featuring Richard Tubb or listen on the go with The BrightGauge Podcast.
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[Webinar] Simple, yet Effective MSP Marketing Techniques

Join us on Thursday, January 21st at 11:00am EST to learn about MSP Marketing Techniques and get ready to take your business to the next level in 2016! After several years in the MSP industry, our co-Founder and CEO, Eric Dosal, learned a thing or two about growing his company. In fact, he successfully grew his MSP business 10x in 5 years... and now he's ready to share the winning methods he used. Join us for a discussion about easy yet effective ways to drive leads and add deals to the pipeline for your MSP. Some of the topics we'll cover: - Understand how potential customers make their buying decisions - Simple technique for increasing referrals - No-cost solutions that will make customer communications a breeze - The best type of events to host - and so much more! No matter the size of your MSP, the ideas covered in this session are easy to implement and can be tailored to work with your time and budget requirements. So whether you’re the owner of the business or part of a Sales/Marketing team, we hope to see you at the next session in our ongoing BrightGauge Educational Webinar Series! To RSVP, click the image above or visit: MSP Marketing Techniques

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[Podcast] Episode 9 with Brad Benner of SmileBack

On our latest episode of The BrightGauge Podcast we welcomed Brad Benner, the founder of SmileBack (formerly branded as Nex.to), known for their suite of smart tool integrations for use with ConnectWise. One of those tools is a CSAT measurement solution which we recently announced as our latest integration at BrightGauge. (Note: The podcast recording was made during the time that SmileBack was known as Nex.to, which is the brand you'll hear referenced in the conversation.) The conversation with Brad was unique because we first learned a bit about how he picked the solutions that Nex.to focuses on and then the process of bringing those ideas to life in the SaaS market. Then Brad offered us a comprehensive look at all aspects of Customer Satisfaction for Service Providers: the need for using a specialized CSAT tool, how Nex.to helps boost survey responses, the best ways to utilize CSAT data, and so much more. All About Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) for Service Providers: Episode Highlights Brad’s intro and background (0:59) How Brad picked the focus areas that Nex.to makes solutions for (4:12) The process of bringing an idea to life in the market (5:53) Being on the SaaS side vs. the consumer side of the business (7:38) A closer look at Nex.to’s Customer Satisfaction tool and customer base (8:52) Why customers are looking outside of their PSA for CSAT tools (10:24) Tackling low survey response rates (12:14) Getting enough data from a simple survey (13:42) What the most engaged companies are doing with CSAT data (15:42) Empowering customers with real-time data monitoring (19:57) Upcoming plans for Nex.to (22:04) Q&A: favorite business book, tools/resource to use as a business owner, why Brad picked Berlin for his new home, how to connect (23:44) Resources mentioned in the episode: The 4 Hour Workweek, by Timothy Ferriss Trello, project management app Zapier, integration connection tool To get in touch with Brad: SmileBack hello [at] smileback.io Want to find out more about The BrightGauge Podcast? Check out all the episodes here.

How Tracking CSAT Will Help Manage Your Service Team

In our last look at Customer Satisfaction, we talked about the 4 main benefits of using CSAT to help keep a pulse on your customers. After all, that’s a fairly obvious use for feedback surveys. But when we speak to our community about the benefits of CSAT to help manage service teams, we usually encounter a bit more surprise and it seems that may be an angle that not everyone has considered. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits CSAT can have for your people: Pinpoint training needed for your team. Customer feedback can highlight areas where your team needs to be polished, whether the topic is more product knowledge, customer service training or even help in the sales process. Increase your team’s performance and accountability. Gathering customer feedback can provide constructive criticism to help push for better business decisions and drive continued learning. Boost morale and motivation. When the feedback is positive, it makes the team proud and confident about their work. We see this one all the time at BrightGauge when we share a positive comment - no matter how small. Everyone takes notice, smiles get bigger, and energy levels rise throughout the office! it absolutely makes our day to receive and share positive customer comments! Customer feedback is one of the most important parts of any successful business. With insights into what your clients think about your service, your team knows what they need to focus on at all times. To learn more about CSAT, how to monitor your customer surveys in real time, and keep a single view of all the metrics that run your business, check out our recent integration with SmileBack.

The 6 Product Updates that Topped our List in 2015

In keeping our year-end recap theme going (see webinar and podcast roundups also), we couldn’t forget about the big accomplishments made this year when it comes to our platform. It’s safe to say that after an awesome year, our product is at its best of all time. Here are just a few of the major highlights that we wanted to share: 2-minute sync times There was an era in our history when the standard BrightGauge sync time was 15 minutes, but that’s ancient news now. Several months ago, we were thrilled to reduce our standard sync time to 5 minutes, but we also understood that some info needs to move even faster. So for those critical datasets, we were psyched about our new ability to offer a 2-minute refresh time! As a result, when a user logs into BrightGauge it automatically kicks off a complete sync so that you have the freshest data. But don’t worry, if nobody logs in for a few days, we’ll still sync your data at least once a day to make sure we’re ready for you when you do log in. Calculated Metrics Talk about a popular feature request! Calculated Metrics was at the top of our list when it came to suggestions from our community about ways to make BrightGauge a more well-rounded data solution. Now you can crunch calculations based on individual numbers (layers) you create. Plus, it has opened a ton of new ways to see your data with cool metrics like Kill Rate and 1st Touch Resolution %. QuickBooks Integration You can now combine your key financial data with the operational data from your PSA and RMM, giving you complete visibility into your business. Now, instead of having to wait for your accountants or finance team to pull the data, you can have access to your QuickBooks data in real time. Key metrics like the ones shown here: QuickBooks Sample Data. SmileBack Integration This one is for our ConnectWise users: now you have the ability to seamlessly track customer satisfaction (CSAT) feedback along with data from QuickBooks, your RMM and tons of other sources for a single view of all the metrics that help run your business. No more logging in and out, toggling windows or juggling multiple platforms. With BrightGauge + SmileBack combined, your customer satisfaction responses can be added directly to your dashboards: Deep Linking With Deep Linking, our users now have the ability to click certain fields which have been hyperlinked to drill directly through to the original datasource (Connectwise, Connectwise API, Labtech, & Autotask). For example, when clicking on a ticket number, users can now link directly back into Connectwise: Client Reporting Templates Here’s your answer to that dreaded "Why am I paying you?" question! With Client Reporting, you are now able to combine the data from your PSA and RMM, filter it down to the key information you want to share, and then set the report on an automated schedule so you don't have to worry about it. Get your templates now inside your BrightGauge at Reports > Templates. So, with several great milestones under our belt this year, you may be wondering how we’ll ever manage to top ourselves in 2016… stay tuned for more!

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How to Keep a Pulse on Your Customers with CSAT

Let's start with a couple of questions: Why is customer feedback important to Service providers? How do customer satisfaction scores help you make better business decisions for your customers? From the vantage point of a customer, there have probably never been so many options as there are today when it comes time to pick a business vendor. Not only are there tons of options to choose from, but it’s also easier than ever to get testimonials (good or bad) from others who have worked with a given business. So as a Service Provider, what power do you hold that can help you ensure your customers are happy and therefore spreading positive, word-of-mouth referrals for your business? Enter Customer Satisfaction, or CSAT: a measure of the degree to which a product or service meets the customer’s expectations. Customer Satisfaction is tracked through survey responses and those results can be linked back to 4 main benefits to help keep a pulse on your customers as a Service Provider: Satisfied customers are loyal customers. Because CSAT survey results quickly identify any issues at hand, it also gives service providers a chance to resolve the problem before it blows up. This helps reduce churn which is key for any MSP, large or small. Identify ideal customers based on feedback. As we recently discussed in a podcast with Richard Tubb, not every customer will be a match for your MSP. By tracking survey results, you’ll not only realize which customers are the best match for your business, but you’ll also take note on the types of customers who cause the most pain… and avoid signing that service contract in the first place! Understand which products or services need to be added or improved. If you aren’t constantly asking for feedback, you may not realize that there’s room for an upgrade. Maybe it’s a new report, an additional service, or even a new process to be implemented - whatever the case may be, a survey can often be the fastest way to identify what your customers want. Turn customers into promoters of your brand. When your customers see that you take their opinions seriously, and work hard to keep them happy by addressing problems ASAP, they’re more likely to spread positive word-of-mouth reviews about your MSP! To learn more about CSAT, how to monitor your customer surveys in real time, and keep a single view of all the metrics that run your business, check out our recent integration with SmileBack.

[Free Whitepaper] How to Improve Your Business with KPIs

What Gets Measured, Gets Managed If there’s one thing all companies have in common, it’s the 6 key areas they should be tracking in order to monitor the health of the business. In business school, you learn that you can’t manage what you don’t measure, and identifying important metrics are the first step in your corporate benchmarking. By identifying, measuring, analyzing and evaluating your programs, processes and procedures, and then implementing solutions for each, you’ll make great strides towards an important part of your growth and development. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are necessary and useful tools for businesses that want to track and monitor their growth... or identify their areas of weakness and opportunities for growth. A business that has a well-defined mission and vision, clearly defined goals, and strategies for improvement can use KPIs to evaluate and measure its progress. While every business has different priorities, the tools they use to measure their success and progress are often very similar. Generally, businesses are looking to evaluate their performance in the following areas: Finance Customers Sales Marketing Operations Employees In addition to reflecting your business priorities and goals, your KPIs must be quantifiable. Your data doesn’t mean anything if you can’t measure it, analyze it, and use the information to fine tune your strategies. Make sure your KPIs are clearly defined, transparent, measurable, and include a targeted goal for each indicator. Where to Start: Types of KPIs While businesses and organizations tend to organize their Key Performance Indicators around similar themes, the specifics of their data and metrics vary by industry and business. Common KPI models include: Quantitative Indicators, which are measured by a number. Qualitative Indicators, which cannot be measured by a number. These are sophisticated pieces of data, but can be very valuable if you need to get a handle on the “why” as opposed to the how of your questions. Leading Indicators can be used to predict the outcome of your process Lagging Indicators are used after the fact to reflect success or failure of your initiative. Input Indicators measure the resources used during the process, like staff time and cash. Process Indicators gauge the efficiency of the process, and are effective when measuring customer service initiatives, shipment strategies, and training. Output Indicators measure the success or failure of the process and are good KPIs for establishing marketing, sales, and human resources benchmarks. Practical Indicators work within existing company processes or infrastructure, and explore pieces of the corporate puzzle. Directional Indicators evaluate a company’s trend information; are they improving, declining, or maintaining. These benchmarks are often used to evaluate your company’s position in the industry and relative to your most director competitors. Actionable Indicators reflect a company’s commitment to change and course correction, and includes commitment to cultural change, environmental sustainability, or political action. Financial Indicators measure the economic stability, growth, and viability of the business, and are a good place to begin your KPI experiment. With an understanding of what types of measurements are available, and a clear plan for implementing an evaluation tool, you can fine tune your KPIs to measure specific areas of your business. Key Performance Indicators and metrics are not one size fits all, so you’ll need to adjust and fine tune your metrics to get the results you need and accurately reflect your business priorities. Featured Download: For more information on the 6 areas that businesses should evaluate, including finance, customers, sales, marketing, operations and employees, check out our KPIs for MSPs whitepaper: To download KPIs for MSPs, click here, or the image above.

Free Webinar: The Stages of MSP Maturity, featuring Dave Cava

As the story goes for most folks in our community, growing your MSP typically starts with a very small team (or even a solo operation), and a big-picture goal of where you want to be in the future. While the technical expertise is often second nature, learning the business side of things often takes a little more time and attention as you learn to navigate through the different stages of business growth. As part of our ongoing Educational Webinar Series, we decided to tackle the topic with special Guest Speaker, Dave Cava, to share his “Stages of MSP Maturity”. As the co-Founder and COO of a New York-based firm that specializes in managed services for alternative investment firms, Dave offers real-life advice on the stages of MSP business maturity. I heard Dave speak in Chicago last month and found the information he shared to be right on point which is why I asked Dave to come speak to our community. During the webinar, you’ll not only learn how to identify which stage your business is currently at but you’ll also walk away with a clear understanding of the steps necessary to get your business to the next stage in your journey. The session will focus on answering questions such as: What needs to happen for a MSP to grow from infancy to healthy, full-blown adulthood? How do your team and your service offering need to evolve to stay on track as you grow? How does a MSP transform from startup to a multimillion-dollar machine? and so much more! To RSVP, click the image below or visit: Stages of MSP Maturity

[Podcast] Insights from MSP Coach and Expert, Gary Pica

We recently had the opportunity to host Gary Pica on The BrightGauge Podcast (on iTunes and SoundCloud), and we’re so excited to share his tips and advice with our community! Gary is well-known for being founder of the TruMethods peer group, but prior to that Gary owned one of the fastest-growing MSPs in the States with over 7,000 endpoints under management in a multimillion-dollar practice. As the head of TruMethods, Gary has coached more than 1,500 MSPs over the course of the last 5 years - and we were thrilled that he shared some great industry insights with us. Gary covered a lot of topics during his time with us, discussing everything from major trends in the industry, adding recurring revenue at the right price, the right type of customer to add to your bottom line, learning how to “move up the stack”, leveraging centers of influence to grow your business, and so much more: Episode Highlights: Gary’s intro and background (1:19) View of the overall MSP industry & major trends (3:26) How and Why top providers are different and growing so fast (5:55) Learning to “move up the stack” as a technical person faced with business meetings (10:00) Sales vs. Service: which area do folks struggle with the most? (13:07) Things to do that will make an immediate impact on sales (14:27) More Leads: Developing Centers of Influence and an Inside Sales Process (16:45) Developing a “super power” to set you apart from other vendors (19:03) Which focal point should MSPs start with for growth? (20:32) Should MSPs focus on Owner-led sales or establish a team? (23:19) Gary’s current focus with TruMethods coaching (26:46) How accountability plays a part in successful MSPs (29:43) Pet peeves: what bothers Gary about the industry (32:02) Ideal bottom-line target / realistic goals as a Service Provider (33:40) Q&A: best business book, resources for MSPs, top professional goals, parting advice (37:02) Book mentioned in the episode: Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, by Verne Harnish To get in touch with Gary: trumethods.com info [at] trumethods [dot] com Want to find out more about The BrightGauge Podcast? Check out all the episodes here.

Client Reporting Best Practices [FREE Webinar Download]

We’ve talked a lot lately about the need for transparency, trust and communication in order to build the best client relationships in your MSP business. But with so many MSPs on the market to compete with, and each one promising very similar results, how can you make your MSP stand out and start building the trust that is so vital for a strong business foundation? By showing your clients the information that they want, when they want it, client reports help to set the stage for better communication and more transparency - and as a result, help to build a solid foundation of trust. So we asked our Customer Success Manager, Randall Berg, to join our co-Founder and CEO, Eric Dosal, for a closer look at mastering client reports. During the webinar, Eric pulls the veil off of the 4 W’s of Client Reporting, with a closer look at: Who reports should be sent to What type of info should be sent When to send the info they want Why you should implement quickly After the 4 fundamentals of Client Reporting, Randall dives into How to create a Client Report in a step-by-step walk-through of the BrightGauge platform. Whether you’re new to the BrightGauge community, or seasoned in dashboardery, you’ll walk away with an in-depth view of how to best utilize our Client Reporting feature in your MSP. To see our free webinar on Client Reporting Best Practices, click the image above or here.

BrightGauge Announces New Calculated Metrics Feature

Our team is thrilled to announce Calculated Metrics, one of the most-requested features on our list! Our new Calculated Metrics feature allows you to create calculations based on individual numbers (layers) you create. To start, we are focusing the 4 basic formula operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The most popular operator is division, in order to create ratio gauges. Ratio gauges provide a tremendous amount of insight and an added level of information because there is context to the metric. For example, we hinted at this release in a recent blog post about our new favorite gauge called the Kill Rate. But here are a few more examples... If your team closed 38 Tickets with 1 touch (meaning on the first interaction with the client) is that good or bad? That information is much more valuable when you compare it to the total number of tickets closed. For this example let’s assume it was 100 tickets closed for the day. With our calculated metrics you take the total Number of Tickets Resolved in First Touch (Layer 1) divided by Total Number of Tickets Resolved during the same time period (Layer 2) and get: Another of our favorites from our QuickBooks integration is calculating your Service Gross Margin. In order to see your Service Gross Margin you need to pull your Total Services Revenue (layer 1) and subtract your Services Cost of Goods Sold (layer 2) which then leaves you with your Services Gross Margin: Tickets per Endpoint is a great indication of which customers make the most ‘noise’. The beauty of this metric is that it not only factors in the total number of tickets and endpoints but it also creates a ratio between the two which helps normalize the data. So you may have a client with 100 tickets per month but 1000 endpoints and then another client with 50 tickets per month but 50 endpoints. By looking at the ticket number you might think the lower volume is better but when compared to the endpoints it becomes obvious it’s not. So what are you waiting for? Learn more about our Calculated Metrics plan here and let us know if you have questions!

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