Operation Excellence
Key Changes and Improvements at The 20
Continuous improvement. It’s a nice idea for an MSP, but difficult to implement – unless you’ve got The 20 at the helm of your operations. We’re constantly looking for ways to streamline managed services operations to give our MSP members an edge, and the last five quarters have seen some particularly exciting changes and improvements.
At our recent MSP Members Summit, The 20’s Chief Operations Officer Ken Pecot took the floor to present key advancements and set the stage for future progress. It was awesome to see how far we’ve come in such a short time, and energizing to hear Ken discuss how much farther we can go. Let’s delve into some highlights from our COO’s insightful presentation.
Support Desk Success
Our Support Desk has been firing on all cylinders and delivering exceptional results. Our close rates are up, our escalations are down, and our First Time to Touch (FTT) is the lowest it’s been in almost two years.
These improvements are due in part to the pod structure we implemented at the beginning of last year; this structure has enabled our technicians to (a) forge stronger relationships with end clients and with each other, (b) achieve a deeper understanding of end clients’ IT environments, and (c) work more efficiently and with less stress.
It’s also important to note that our talent level is at an all-time high. The managed IT services industry is a technical one, but behind every successful company there are quality people, and we’re the first to admit that our success rests on the shoulders of our incredible team.
The CX Dream Team
Our Customer Experience (CX) Team, led by Chief Experience Officer Ciera Cole, has been busy developing new ways to assist our MSP members and their end clients. We often talk about the importance of relationships to success in the MSP space, and there’s no doubt that our CX Team’s tireless efforts are at the heart of The 20’s relationship-building prowess. Simply put, they care, and do the little things – as well as the big things – to make sure our MSP members feel supported and understood.
We got to hear from this top-notch team at Summit, where they delivered important updates and reviewed exciting new opportunities. As our MSP members’ single point of contact, the CX Team has done a stellar job of building training programs and specialty groups to give our MSPs the tools and resources they need to find success in our fiercely competitive industry. At Summit, they unveiled “Co-Selling Assistance,” an exciting new program designed to help our MSPs close more deals. We can’t wait to see all the new revenue that this opportunity creates for our members!
Taking the Lead
Here at The 20, we strive to be a leader within the managed services space and to continually push the boundaries of what an MSP can do. But to blaze a trail, we need strong leaders within our company: people who care, who inspire, who come to work each day with a desire to get better – and to help others do the same.
That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the appointment of Audrey Conley as our new HR Director. With 15+ years of experience and the expertise that comes with it, Audrey is poised to help us continue nourishing a healthy company culture that values growth, development, and collaboration among our team members. A top-notch communicator and problem-solver, Audrey will work closely with our leadership team to drive strategic HR initiatives and help us attract, retain, and develop top talent.
Speaking of developing talent, we’re also proud of our pod managers and pod leaders, some of whom started out at The 20 as Tier 1 technicians. Their success affirms something we believe in strongly: potential is a powerful thing, and when you put people in an environment that fosters their growth, they will, more often than not, not only meet but exceed your expectations.
We’re on a Roll!
Last year The 20 MSP entered the M&A arena. We acquired thirteen MSPs in 2022, and seven more this year for a total of twenty deals closed, the second most in the IT services industry. Our ultimate goal is to build a premium MSP with a deep national footprint and unmatched scalability.
While our expansion is undeniably rapid, the pace is comfortable for us as we’re only acquiring MSPs that belong to The 20 MSP Group. These member MSPs have already signed on to our way of doing things – they use The 20’s tool stack, service delivery processes, business model, etc. – and so, integrating them into The 20 is a relatively straightforward and seamless undertaking.
Adding these MSPs to our growing company doesn’t just make us bigger, but better too, as every MSP we acquire brings something special to the table, including expertise that allows us to expand our offerings to bring end clients even more value. For instance, we recently launched a new password tool and an IT support program for micro-businesses and solopreneurs. These innovative offerings wouldn’t have been possible without collaboration with our new team members. Our clients and partners can expect us to continue evolving our services as we bring more MSPs – and more expertise – into our tent.
Want to know what it’s like to sell your MSP to The 20? Visit our brand-new M&A page and check out short testimonial videos featuring MSP owners who decided to sell.
The Cycle of Continuous Improvement
In an industry as competitive as managed IT services, success is less about becoming good at what you do than it is about getting better at what you do – consistently and constantly.
At Summit last week, Ken expounded on some of his core business philosophies, including the idea of driving continuous improvement through the layering of initiatives. While we’re not going to publish the details of Ken’s approach, we will share one idea that we think will inspire and motivate a lot of MSPs out there:
If you want to implement a culture of continuous improvement at your MSP business, consider taking the following tack. Start with the basics – those everyday tasks and routine processes that your MSP depends on heavily. Use documentation to define what those tasks involve, and apply critical thinking to iron out any kinks or inefficiencies. Once you’ve mastered those tasks, you can begin layering on more complex, strategic initiatives. The goal is to master these initiatives as well, so that they become a part of the “basics” – i.e., your everyday operations. But don’t stop there. Keep the cycle of improvement in motion by continuing to layer on more initiatives, thus ensuring sustained success for your MSP.
Finally, you want to make sure you’re using the right metrics to track your MSP’s progress, and identify areas in need of improvement. And remember, if you’re not striving to move forward, it won’t be long till you start falling behind!
Final Thought: Customer-Centricity for the Win!
Here at The 20 we have big plans for the rest of 2023, not least of which is the continuation of our roll-up; we have plenty of MSPs in our acquisition pipeline, and look forward to further expansion and to solidifying our national footprint.
But no matter how big we get, we’re determined not to lose sight of the very thing that has helped us grow to this point: keeping our customers happy and their businesses healthy. And as Ken reminded us all at Summit, securing customer satisfaction isn’t just about following your processes to a tee or meeting performance metrics. It’s about exercising empathy and doing your best to see things from your customers’ perspectives.
Here at The 20 we’re going ‘all in’ on this customer-centric approach, because we know that the most important part of managed services is right there in the name: service.
Join us at VISION
If you want to be the best, come to VISION ’23 this August and discover growth tactics that will blow your mind. VISION isn’t just another IT event – it’s where MSPs learn to go from good to great.
Tickets are going fast, so secure your spot today and we’ll see you in Dallas!