Setting Expectations With Your MSP Clients & Team
Most MSP owners get stuck at the same ceiling: they are the smartest person in the room, and their "processes" only exist in their heads. When they finally try to document everything, they often create a bureaucratic monster that kills creativity and slows down service delivery.
In this episode of How to MSP, Andrew Moore and Connor Fagan (Renada) break down the high-level operational strategy required to move from a "hero-based" business to a repeatable machine. We discuss the "Ambiguity Trap," the dangers of over-engineering tools like Halo PSA, and why your senior engineers might actually be the biggest bottleneck in your helpdesk.
What Should Be In Your MSP Onboarding Checklist?
Repeatability is the key to growth. If your onboarding process is reinvented for every client, it becomes a bottleneck that drags down your team and increases delivery risk. That’s why your checklist must be:
Standardized: Applied consistently across all new clients
Flexible: Accommodates slight variations without becoming bespoke
Documented: Supported by templates, SOPs, and internal tools
Tracked: Integrated into your PSA for accountability and reporting
This structure allows you to onboard more clients, faster, while maintaining a high standard of delivery. It also gives your operations team confidence that what was sold can actually be fulfilled—without pig tossing or scope confusion.
Your Service Desk Is Trash: How to Build an MSP Service Desk with Data, Process & Heart
In this episode of How to MSP, host Andrew Moore welcomes Mark Sowden, a 20-year MSP veteran and former Vice President of Service who has built award-winning delivery teams from the ground up. Mark breaks down the exact strategies used to whip chaotic service desks into shape, focusing on accountability, data integrity, and scalable team structures.
How Do You Perform a Cybersecurity Risk Assessment for SMBs?
At the core of any risk-aware strategy is a cybersecurity risk assessment. This is not a one-time technical audit. It’s a structured, repeatable process that evaluates vulnerabilities, identifies likely attack vectors, and prioritizes remediation based on business impact.
For SMBs, this process is often eye-opening. Many are unaware of the full scope of their digital exposure or assume their size makes them less attractive to attackers.
Beyond the Call Center : Why Dedicated Remote Talent is the MSP Growth Lever
Discover the critical difference between low-cost outsourcing and strategic staff augmentation. This episode explores how to bridge those gaps by integrating dedicated international resources who bring high-level problem-solving initiative and cultural alignment to your service desk. You will learn how to implement essential daily disciplines and structured onboarding plans that ensure these remote team members are fully integrated into your company culture.
Using “Moneyball” to Hire & Retain Top Talent for Your MSP
A major theme of this episode is applying the concept of Moneyball to recruitment. In the book (and movie), the Oakland A's realized they couldn't afford "five-tool players" (superstars who do everything), so they focused on undervalued players who were elite at one specific thing (getting on base).
James Bier argues MSPs should do the same. You might not find the perfect "unicorn" technician who knows every stack and has perfect soft skills. Instead, look for "Trade Craft" and "Grit"—traits that are often undervalued by traditional HR but predict massive success in an MSP environment.