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New breed MSPs are the talk of the town right now, leaving traditional providers scratching their heads wandering what sets them apart and why they’re enjoying elevated success. At the heart of a new breed MSP’s approach is a dedication to customer experience, shaped by a set of common characteristics and guiding principles. These principles: proactivity, flexibility, adaptability, and a business-centric focus, are the foundation of what it means to be a New Breed MSP and directly influence a levelled-up customer experience.
So, what three things are new breed MSPs doing to bring their customer experience to new heights?
1.Adopting the role of a CTO and driving a business-focused approach to IT management
Many new breed MSPs are offering fractional CTO services and being able to step into the role of strategic IT leader is one of their key characteristics. Whilst some new breed MSPs offer this as an official service, others have naturally adapted their service offerings to build this in as part of their business-focused approach. This is one of the aspects that is enabling new breed MSPs to enhance their customer experience, differentiating them from their traditional counterparts in a way that is visible to their customers.
Instead of simply managing the IT infrastructure, new breed MSPs work closely with senior business leaders, understanding their goals, challenges, and operations and embedding themselves into the wider business strategy. The value of this should not be underestimated and business leaders as well as operational teams feel the positive effects of this approach across the board.
A new breed MSP will have a team capable of taking a seat at the executive leadership level within their client’s organisation, confident in challenging the status-quo along with advising on capabilities when it comes to infrastructure support. Whilst for many MSPs, much focus has been placed on efficiency gains through automation and AI, new breed MSPs take a more balanced approach and are careful not to attempt to replace the human element of their service, recognising its critical importance at this level. New breed MSPs focus on enhancing and embedding this human element as a core component of their service, recognising that a human-centric approach is a key value driver and a critical factor in delivering an enhanced customer experience. When executed well, a strong human element becomes a distinct and unmatched competitive advantage for any new breed MSP.
A new breed MSP will enhance customer experience through a business focused approach by:
· Engaging with client leadership and advising on how IT infrastructure will compliment and support overall strategy
· Driving and supporting client innovation and adaptability through proactive IT management and infrastructure alignment
· Focusing on long-term outcomes by combining industry knowledge and expertise with client goals to develop a sustainable, goal-based service plan.
2. Proactive IT management with a focus on irradicating chaos
New breed MSPs are focused on providing superior customer experience through proactive IT Support powered by cutting edge technology. These MSPs are tapping into tech such as advanced monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation to detect and prevent potential issues before they impact clients. Prevention has a significant impact on the client experience since, if there are no issues to report, clients are saving time.
While the human element remains crucial, as discussed earlier, integrating new technologies like AI and automation adds immense value. These tools are only as effective as the skilled professionals managing them, but for forward-thinking MSPs, adopting such innovations is a clear choice. By focusing on prevention and anticipating issues before they occur, these MSPs set a new standard in IT support and client satisfaction. One consideration new breed MSPs also have when implementing technology to support proactive issue identification and resolution is how scalable it is. These MSPs work to ensure that any new vendors they work with can continue to support both their business and their clients as they grow and the complexities of support increase.
Whilst proactive support is paramount for new breed MSPs, they are also careful not to invalidate reactive support. They recognise that some things will ‘slip through the proactive net’ and implement solid SOPs, technologies and teams to ensure any impact is minimal. After all, no system is entirely foolproof, and having a reliable reactive framework ensures seamless resolution when unexpected challenges arise. This balanced approach reinforces their commitment to delivering superior customer experiences.
A new breed MSP will deliver proactive IT Management through:
· Technology-enhanced expertise: Harnessing cutting-edge tools to amplify in-house expertise and expand service capabilities.
· Human-centric innovation: Combining advanced technology with a people-first approach to enhance client experiences.
· Balanced support framework: Leveraging data-driven insights and solid SOPs to deliver both proactive and reactive support seamlessly.
3. Flexible service models with adaptable, scalable provisions and transparent pricing
New breed MSPs know that adaptable service offerings that reflect clients’ growing needs are critical to maintaining long-term relationships. However, adaptation goes further than simply reacting to client requests. New breed MSPs proactively provide flexible, transparent service plans that are ready to scale as their clients’ businesses grow.
These service models are not created ‘off the cuff;’ they are carefully curated to ensure clients always have a clear understanding of their “next step.” New breed MSPs consistently advise on what it will take to reach the next level, offering strategic guidance, education, and a clear route for scaling services. This approach to a service model provision ensures clients feel supported and prepared, building trust and paving the way for growth and success.
Another critical factor in these flexible and adaptable service models is their ability to reflect the unique characteristics of each client. Unlike traditional models that pigeonhole clients into “bands” or predefined packages, new breed MSPs avoid a one-size-fits-all approach. Instead,
providing service plans that align with each individual client, without the client paying for unnecessary extras or compromising to keep their costs down.
Pre-defined packages that are only partially relevant to the client or encourage paying for additional features that are not required - often breed dissatisfaction and disillusionment. Clients will likely feel they are either wasting money on unnecessary services or driven to pay more just to access the features they really need. New breed MSPs remove these pain points, they provide clients with exactly what they need, no more and no less, building trust, satisfaction and value.
New breed MSPs will enhance their service models through:
· Customised solutions: Tailored service plans that align with each client’s needs and goals.
· Growth support: Scalable plans that adapt as clients’ businesses evolve, with clear next steps.
· Enhanced trust: Transparent pricing and relevant services that eliminate unnecessary costs and foster satisfaction.
In summary, a new breed MSP delivers superior customer experience through remaining proactive, transparent and embedded within the client's business. If you’re ready to make steps towards becoming a new breed MSP but need more time to focus on the strategic stuff, Uptime can help. Our outsourced services can reduce your operational workload, giving you the freedom to concentrate on driving your MSP into the next generation.
