Here we outline the ITS proven process, which revolves around three core departments that form the cornerstone of any decent Managed Service Provider (MSP).
It explains how the original design was flawed due to excessive "noise" disrupting the workflow, and how the company addressed this issue by introducing Alignment Engineering and Consulting departments to streamline processes, reduce noise, and foster client partnerships.
This is the team you speak with regarding fundamental issues like password resets, printer problems, software errors, and other day-to-day IT concerns. This is the "helpdesk."
Professional Services is the group that primarily handles projects like server migrations, new desktop/laptop deployments, switch installs, location moves, etc. This team controls the moving parts of your network.
Centralized Services is the group who are our silent heros. This team handles a lot of the background work, such as firewall maintenance, backups, patches, and other tasks that keep your IT infrastructure running smoothly.
While any good MSP will have these three core components, the original design was flawed because excessive "noise" (an increase in tickets coming into the Desktop Support team) could disrupt the flow of how each department interacts.
This "noise" would cause the workforce to be pulled from the other two sections, leading to Centralized Services falling behind on their tasks and Professional Services projects being delayed, resulting in client frustration and overall dissatisfaction within the group.
Increased Tickets
Workforce Pulled
Delayed Tasks
Client Frustration
An increase in tickets coming into the Desktop Support team.
The workforce is pulled from Centralized Services and Professional Services to handle the increased tickets.
Centralized Services falls behind on tasks like firewall maintenance and patch management, while Professional Services projects are delayed.
Clients experience frustration and dissatisfaction due to delayed projects and tasks.
In 2017, one of the company's board of directors adopted an archetype that introduced, for lack of a better analogy, a quality control group called the Alignment Engineering department.
At that time the department was tasked with running a list of 70 processes and procedures, all adhering to best practices across the company's entire client list (with no extra charge to the client).
After 18 months of hard work, the 70 processes and procedures based on NIST and Microsoft best practices had been implemented for all clients.
An unexpected result was a reduction in the "noise" by about 30-50% across the entire client base.
This reduction resulted in increased productivity for both the clients and the company internally.
The company could now focus on more important things like how to partner with clients and leverage their technology to move their companies forward.
By systematically applying these best practices, the Alignment Engineering department fortified clients' network defenses, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing overall network security.
Soon after the Alignment Engineering department was introduced, another group was added to the process as part of the partnering efforts. The Consulting / Chief Information Officer services works hand in hand with the Alignment Engineering Department to coordinate Strategic Business Reviews (SBRs) with each client every 4 to 6 months, based on the client's size and complexity.
The SBRs foster a partnership between the company and its clients.
The SBRs have an ongoing agenda that addresses improvements in service, stability, and security.
The SBRs enable clients to know what they don't know about their IT environment.
The SBRs allow clients to forecast IT expenditures for the next several quarters.
The original list of 70 processes and procedures has increased over the past seven years to nearly 400 items that are checked across the client base on a yearly basis (portions of that 400 are completed monthly either remotely or onsite). This continued reduction in noise has made the clients productive, successful, and most importantly, happy.
Year | Number of Processes | Noise Reduction |
2017 | 70 | 30-50% |
2024 | 400 | +50% |
The introduction of the Alignment Engineering department and the implementation of processes and procedures streamlined workflows across the company, reducing the disruptive "noise" and allowing each department to focus on their core responsibilities.
With reduced noise and streamlined workflows, both the company and its clients experienced increased productivity, enabling them to focus on more important tasks and initiatives.
The Strategic Business Reviews (SBRs) fostered a partnership between the company and its clients, promoting transparency, forecasting, and a collaborative approach to improving service, stability, and security.
The company's commitment to continuously expanding and refining its processes and procedures, now numbering over 400, demonstrates a dedication to ongoing improvement and client satisfaction.
Our CEO, Tom Andrulis, emphasizes the importance of shifting from a reactive vendor to a proactive IT partnership. Tom's insightful approach highlights how a proactive IT partnership not only mitigates risks before they become issues but also drives innovation and supports long-term business growth. By addressing challenges before they arise, your business can focus on what truly matters—growth and success.
What to Expect From Your IT Company
Our CEO, Tom Andrulis, emphasizes the importance of shifting from a reactive vendor to a proactive IT partnership. Tom's insightful approach highlights how a proactive IT partnership not only mitigates risks before they become issues but also drives innovation and supports long-term business growth. By addressing challenges before they arise, your business can focus on what truly matters—growth and success.