Kaseya Exec: Providing A Great Customer Experience Gives MSPs A Competitive Advantage

According to Kaseya’s ‘Global State Of The MSP’ report, MSPs say their No. 1 priority is how to differentiate themselves from the competition.

While there are many ways an MSP can stand out from the pack, Kaseya believes it all comes down to the customer experience.

Brian Doty, channel development manager for Miami-based Kaseya, spoke at CRN parent The Channel Company’s XChange 2024 event in Orlando, Fla., last week and highlighted Kaseya’s “Global State Of The MSP” report. The report, conducted every year, provides insight into where the MSP market stands today and where it’s projected to go tomorrow.

According to the report, being able to differentiate themselves from the competition is still MSPs’ top priority. “So it makes perfect sense that improving the customer experience is the No. 1 strategic priority for MSPs this year,” Doty said. “And growing the business’ revenue is tied [to that].”

Other priorities include improving solutions to better meet customer needs and building a cyber resiliency plan.

To provide an exceptional customer experience, Doty said MSPs must understand their customers’ perspectives, provide memorable experiences to build loyalty and retention, and hold regular meetings to demonstrate value and educate them on cybersecurity solutions.

He used Chick-fil-A as an example of a company that provides an exceptional customer experience. “Orders are consistent, people are always very friendly and it's fast,” he said.

There have been a few times the fast-food chain has messed up his order, but not only did the company correct it but went an extra step to apologize and compensate him for the mistake.

“They really did a good job making it right,” he said. “That’s something that I want to dig into a little bit more when you’re thinking about that exceptional customer experience, making it memorable for your clients so that they always want to do business with you and they never think about going anywhere else.”

The ways to create fans and improve the customer experience include empowering employees to resolve issues, implement automated billing through a client portal, create a live chat and self-help options, be consistent and always go the extra mile.

“Maybe the normal process isn’t going to work for this client,” he said. “Is your team empowered to do what’s right to take care of the client? What kind of experience does that create for your clients if [it has] to check with the boss all the time?”

Take the Chick-fil-A approach, he said. Don’t just make it right, make it better than right, he added.

Matt Disher, president of Palm Springs, Calif.-based MSP Southwest Networks, echoed Doty’s sentiment in that it’s important to keep in contact with customers, such as meeting with them on a quarterly basis.

“Customer satisfaction surveys are not always enough,” he told CRN. “It’s getting face-to-face time with them, sitting down, being strategic and being that true partner. It’s [saying], ‘This is how I would build my business if I were you.’ Being strategic and having those conversations is very, very important.”