The 5 Sins Killing Your MSP (And You Probably Don’t Even Know It)
Most MSPs don’t lose clients because the server blew up. They lose them because of death by a thousand cuts in customer service. After reviewing our recent MSP Mastery episodes, five "sins" kept coming up. If you’re honest, you’re likely committing at least one of these right now.
Nick Clift
4/2/20262 min read
Most MSPs don’t lose clients because the server blew up. They lose them because of death by a thousand cuts in customer service.
After reviewing our recent MSP Mastery episodes, five "sins" kept coming
up. If you’re honest, you’re likely committing at least one of these right now.
1. The Sin of Silence
I’ve been guilty of this one. We had a client where everything was running
perfectly. Tickets were low, tech was stable. I thought we were winning. Then they left. Why? "You just stopped talking to us."
The Lesson: Silence isn't "no news is good news." It’s a signal that you
don't care. If you aren't talking to your clients, someone else is.
(Ref: CAD33 Melissa Hockenberry)
2. The Sin of "It’s Just a Printer"
A tech sees a printer ticket and pushes it to the bottom of the pile. Standard, right? Except that "printer" was the logistics label machine. No
labels = no trucks leaving the warehouse.
The Lesson: We don't manage devices; we manage business outcomes. If you don't know which kit actually makes your client money, you’re a liability, not a partner.
(Ref: CAD40 Nick & Jeni review)
3. The Sin of Being a Robot
You can hit every SLA and still have a pissed-off client. Why? Because service is emotional. As Kultar Khatra pointed out, people don't remember the fix; they remember how you made them feel during the crisis.
The Lesson: Stop hiding behind ticket notes. Rip the band-aid off, have the hard conversation, and show some empathy. Efficiency is expected; care is the differentiator.
(Ref: CAD14 Kultar Khatra / CAD16 Guy Newton)
4. The Sin of the "Gatekeeper"
We’ve all had that client who insists every request goes through one "IT
person" internally. It’s a bottleneck that breeds frustration and missed
deadlines.
The Lesson: If you don't train your clients on how to use your service, they’ll use it wrong and blame you for the mess. Set the rules of engagement on day one, and stick to them.
(Ref: CAD04 Scott Jefferis)
5. The Sin of Invisibility
If everything is working perfectly, the client eventually asks: "What am I
even paying you for?" It’s the "empty bin" syndrome, if the only
evidence you were there is an empty bin, they’ll think the job takes five
minutes.
The Lesson: If your value is invisible, your contract is at risk. You have to show the work you’re doing to prevent the fires, not just the ones you put out.
(Ref: CAD29 Adam Ross)
The Bottom Line:
Technical skills are the baseline. Customer service is the game. Which one of these is currently leaking revenue in your business?
Thanks to our awesome guests who shared some valuable insights. Jeni Clift, ⚪️ Adam Ross Scott Jefferis, Melissa Hockenberry Kultar Khatra
Check out mspmastery.blog for the full stories.