Tell us a little about your MSP…
Managed IT Systems is located in Athens, GA, and our field engineers cover about a 100 mile radius from there. We have been providing top-notch IT support services since 2005.
How long have you been a member of The 20?
Managed IT Systems has been a member of The 20 for just under 2 years.
Why did your MSP originally look to partner with The 20?
We initially partnered with The 20 because of the potential to grow our MID model and be able to offer more features, products, and services than we could alone.
Tell us about the biggest change in your business since joining The 20.
We have increased our annual revenue by over 35% in only one year. This was possible due to added benefits, especially the help desk. Our prospects see us as a much more complete, larger organization, which means we are able to be more competitive when bidding for services.
What do you like most about being a member of The 20?
The openness of communication between formerly-competing companies is astounding. On any given day, you can count multiple on-going conversations between companies from across the country that are geared toward helping solve a problem, offer a solution, or providing hands-on assistance.
What do you think is the most important quality necessary for success?
Perseverance. You have to be willing to put forth the same effort day in and day out, regardless of the outcome.
What are your biggest business challenges?
Getting more leads in the door has to be the number 1 challenge for us. Outside of that, struggling with client education – whether it is differentiating our services, explaining why we recommend a specific solution or service, or why they need to change their password regularly – is a challenge that we face each and every day.
What are your areas of focus for 2019?
Managed IT Systems is going to continue to focus on selling our MID service, but we are also going to push harder on managed security solutions as well as improve our cloud-focused offerings.
What advice would you share with an MSP looking to scale their business?
Take the leap and commit to becoming an Elite member so that you can take advantage of the help desk. The amount of time your company will gain back will allow you to focus more on new growth, better reporting, and perfecting your services.
What book are you currently reading?
‘How to Secure Office 365’ by Matt Katzer
Favorite blogs / podcasts
Linus Tech Tips – YouTube, MSP Insights