Host: Wim Kerkhoff
Guest: James Davis
SUMMARY
1) Project scoping issues in MSPs and how to improve.
- James Davis highlights the biggest pitfall MSPs face in project scoping: lack of a methodical approach due to owner's busy schedules or technical excitement.
- James and Wim agree that poor project scoping is a common issue that can lead to many problems, including missed deadlines and budget overruns.
- James and Wim agree that a standardized product set and clear project process are essential for managed services providers to deliver profitable services and build strong client relationships.
- James and Wim highlight the importance of clearly outlining the problems being solved and the value proposition to clients, rather than simply focusing on technical features and upgrades.
2) Improving client engagement and project delivery in IT consulting. - James Davis emphasizes the importance of asking more questions and embracing a consultative approach to sales, rather than being reactive and solely focusing on technical aspects.
- Wim Kerkhoff agrees and adds that connecting the emotional side of the client's needs with the technical aspects of the project is crucial for success.
- James Davis emphasizes the importance of standardization in project management, citing the need for a consistent process and solution stack for different client sizes.
- Davis notes that many clients and service providers lack this level of standardization, leading to reengineering of solutions every time and a lack of focus on outcomes.
3) Standardizing IT services for a more efficient and sustainable business. - Wim Kerkhoff shares insights on standardizing MSP projects, prioritizing recurring clients, and automating onboarding processes.
- Wim Kerkhoff has developed a process for onboarding clients at Crafty Penguins, including a two-page visual and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for each step.
- Wim Kerkhoff has also implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) for the business, which includes a vision traction organizer and a proven process for onboarding clients.
4) Improving MSP service delivery through standardization and lean thinking. - James Davis and Wim Kerkhoff agree that embracing Lean thinking can improve the process and documentation, leading to 1% improvements over time that stack up to significant progress. They emphasize the importance of starting small and incrementally building a standardized solution stack and discovery process, rather than striving for perfection from the start.
- James Davis emphasizes the importance of identifying and standardizing repeatable processes in MSP businesses to improve profitability.
- Wim Kerkhoff agrees that even highly custom work can benefit from a process, such as an analyze-discovery-report-approval workflow.
5) Project scope and pricing for IT services. - Wim Kerkhoff explains how his company charges clients for onboarding services, starting with a 15-hour retainer for discovery and documenting everything, followed by a monthly recurring agreement for stabilization and onboarding.
- Kerkhoff's team has learned from past experiences to be more thorough in their assessments, including monitoring, backups, and documentation, to avoid missing crucial aspects of a client's systems.
- James Davis highlights common project management oversights in MSPs, including inadequate charging for project management and documentation.
6) Project scope, pricing, and delivery for managed service providers. - James Davis emphasizes the importance of proper project scoping and management to avoid undercharging and poor project delivery.
- Wim Kerkhoff agrees and highlights the need to manage cash flow and project delivery to ensure successful MSP operations.
- Wim Kerkhoff expresses frustration with the complexity of creating a standards and statement of work for every project, while James Davis - SLO APAC offers a simpler approach involving an Excel spreadsheet to categorize projects and track progress.
7) Project delivery and handing off from sales to delivery. - Wim Kerkhoff and James Davis discuss the importance of understanding the scope of work in project delivery.
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