#42 – From the Trenches: People-First Account Management & Smart Prospecting (Trever Jennings)

In this From the Trenches episode, Trever Jennings—a former help desk technician turned sales and client account manager at an Oklahoma City MSP—joins Josh Peterson to unpack what it really means to run people-first account management in today’s MSP world. Trever shares how moving from the tools to the conference room changed his perspective on value: instead of focusing on ticket counts and dashboards, he now spends his energy listening to clients, understanding their business pressures, and translating technical issues into plain language. The conversation explores how post-COVID expectations around project management, responsiveness, and proactive communication have reshaped the account manager role, making empathy, curiosity, and follow-through just as important as technical depth.

From there, the discussion turns to smart prospecting: carving out specific days for hunting versus farming, leaning into respectful door knocking, and approaching prospects as peers rather than targets in a spray-and-pray sequence. Trever and Josh compare the fatigue of robotic outreach—including AI-driven cold calls—with the staying power of thoughtful, handwritten mailers and short, sincere conversations. For MSP leaders who want to formalize their client experience, this episode dovetails with BMK resources on building a structured client engagement strategy from onboarding to QBRs and leveraging MSP sales consulting for sustainable revenue growth. If you’re ready to align account management, sales, and service inside a single operating system, explore how the BMK Vision platform can support a more intentional, people-centered MSP.

For MSPs navigating small-business growth and innovation, explore these related articles: how to build profitable service agreements, creating a people-first MSP culture, and improving MSP financial operations through better data.

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Episode Highlights

• 00:00:11 – Trever reacts to AI-powered calling agents, contrasting their impersonal feel with genuinely helpful AI in inbound service scenarios.
• 00:02:01 – How he transitioned from help desk technician to a client-facing sales and account management role by leaning into people skills.
• 00:04:15 – Why great client account managers focus on caring about clients as people, not just managing tickets and hardware.
• 00:08:07 – The power of simple, informal client touchpoints—like lunches and check-ins—versus data-dense QBR decks.
• 00:18:40 – Door knocking, networking, and respectful cold outreach as effective alternatives to high-volume, automated prospecting.
• 00:26:11 – Trever’s critique of AI-driven outbound sales calls and why they often damage trust rather than create opportunities.
• 00:33:47 – A look at Oklahoma City’s evolving business landscape and how MSPs can position themselves as trusted technology partners.

About the Guest

Trever Jennings is a sales and client account manager at a managed service provider based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Starting his career on the help desk, he developed a deep understanding of day-to-day IT challenges before moving into a client-facing role where his people skills, curiosity, and calm presence could have a greater impact. Today, Trever focuses on building genuine relationships with clients, balancing regular check-ins and informal conversations with structured reviews to keep technology aligned with business goals.

In addition to managing existing accounts, Trever actively prospects for new business using respectful, peer-to-peer outreach—combining door knocking, networking, and thoughtful mailers instead of relying on high-volume automation or AI-driven robocalls. His approach emphasizes empathy, clarity, and partnership, helping Oklahoma City organizations in industries such as oil and gas, biotech, and professional services navigate their IT decisions with confidence. He welcomes conversations with other MSP leaders and sales professionals who want to elevate their client experience and prospecting strategies.

🌐 Connect with Trever on LinkedIn →

About the Host

Josh Peterson is the CEO of Bering McKinley and host of the BMK Vision Podcast. Through the From the Trenches series, Josh highlights MSP leaders who redefine growth through creativity, resilience, and genuine client connection.

🌐 Connect with Josh on LinkedIn →

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