In an insightful panel discussion at the SuperSummit Virtual ‘24, Nancy Henriquez, the Head of US Community at SuperOps, moderated the conversation with Diana Giles, President of Skyline IT Management, and Thomas Burris, Co-founder and CEO of Simple IT LLC. The speakers shared valuable insights on the benefits and challenges of automation in the MSP space. In this blog, we highlight the key takeaways from the session to help you harness the power of automation in your business.
Implementing automation: Where to begin?
Nancy started the discussion by asking Diana and Thomas to define automation and discuss their experience with it. Diana described automation as "taking a task that is done on a repetitive basis and streamlining it in a way that it's done hands-off." Thomas agreed with this definition and emphasized that automation involves "anything you can do programmatically that eliminates the need for manual intervention." This definition sets the stage for understanding the scope and potential of automation in the MSP industry.
Nancy further delved into the practical aspects of automation, asking Diana and Thomas where they initially started implementing automation in their respective businesses. Diana revealed that she began with her RMM tool, while Thomas shared that he started with bash scripting on Cron Jobs. These insights showcase the flexibility and versatility of automation, allowing businesses to start small and gradually expand their automation initiatives.
Automating beyond technology
The discussion also highlighted the significance of automating not just the technology aspect but also service delivery and business operations. Thomas mentioned that they leverage SuperOps to create rules that automate ticket updates and prioritize them based on specific technician actions. Diana emphasized how she has implemented automation in internal processes and customer experience, exemplifying using a Microsoft form to create tickets for new user onboarding. This emphasis on automating holistic business operations highlights the potential for improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Competitive advantages of automation
When discussing the competitive advantages gained through automation, Thomas highlighted how it enables faster ticket resolution and enhances the overall customer experience. Processes that traditionally took an entire day can now be completed in just 15 minutes, allowing for rapid employee onboarding. Diana also pointed out the significant improvements automation has brought to workstation deployment and client communication workflows. Automation, when leveraged strategically, can be a powerful tool for gaining a competitive edge in the MSP industry.
Testing, standardization, and continuous improvement
The speakers recognized the challenges associated with automation and offered valuable strategies to ensure success. They emphasized the importance of testing automation on a small scale before implementing it widely. They also underlined the need for standardization and finding commonalities among clients to overcome the challenges of achieving one-size-fits-all automation. Additionally, continuous improvement and testing were highlighted as crucial practices to refine and optimize automation processes continually.
The human component in automation
While automation offers immense benefits, the speakers stressed the value of maintaining a human component to ensure a personal touch. Thomas emphasized that even with automation, human expertise and customer interactions must remain at the forefront. Automation serves as a tool to enhance the human element, not replace it. Striking the right balance between automation and human touch is key to delivering exceptional MSP services.
Embracing automation for success
This discussion provided valuable insights into the world of automation in MSPs. Diana, Nancy, and Thomas explored the benefits and challenges of automation, shedding light on strategies for successful implementation. When applied strategically, automation can save time, improve service delivery, and give MSPs a competitive advantage. By prioritizing testing, standardization, and continuous improvement, businesses can harness automation's full potential. One of the key takeaways from the session was that automation shouldn't replace the human touch, but rather amplify it.
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