IT Firm Checklist for Service Leaders

As consultants, we get this question almost daily. “Which tasks should our Service team focus on?”

Utilize this MSP Service Checklist as a way to prioritize important tasks across your entire  MSP organization. 

1. The dispatch model is firmly in place. You’ve chosen and documented between Centralized Dispatch, Priority Based Dispatch, or Tech Based Dispatch.
   • Dispatcher, if appropriate, has been hired, trained, reviewed, and empowered
2. Mastery of time entered. Time is entered as work is completed.  The service manager or dispatcher is well-equipped to enforce the time entry policy.
3. Service ticket statuses are defined. Staff is trained on appropriate status selection.  Service boards are free of incorrect statuses.
4. The service ticket closure process is well documented
   • Time correct
   • Proper agreement selected
   • Adequate notes
   • The resolution is accurate and appropriate
5. Weekly time submission occurs by 5 pm every Friday
6. Weekly time approval by the service manager or dispatcher occurs by 10 am every Monday
7. The client loyalty method is in place and consistently executed
   • Companywide meetings to review results
   • Follow up process with red-flag clients is in place and followed
8. Service tickets all have configuration items selected
9. Service personnel reviews are performed quarterly
   • Management by Objective (MBO) is documented and understood by managers and staff.
10. Job descriptions are in place and accessible to staff
    • Referenced during MBO reviews for career planning
    • Each level of technician
    • Service dispatcher/coordinator
    • Service Manager
11. The cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) system is in place and understood by all staff.
12. The certification needs of the company are defined
    • Understood by staff
    • Certification path well understood by employees
    • Certifications are documented in PSA
    • The certification needs of the company are reviewed annually
13. Expense entry and reimbursement policy and procedure are documented and followed
14. Hourly rates for all levels of billable staff meet the 4.5 X hourly wage criteria
15. Effective Hourly Rates (EHR) are measured for Agreements, Department
    • Management understands the significance and impact
    • Reported monthly
16. Agreement Gross Profitability (AGP) exceeds 65%
    • Management understands the significance and impact
    • Reported monthly
17. Service Department Gross Profitability exceeds 55%
    • Management understands the significance and impact
    • Reported monthly
18. Service salaries do not exceed 33% of service revenue
    • Management understands the significance and impact
    • Reported monthly
19. Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tool is maximized
    • Plan for monthly improvement in place
    • At least one employee (nonowner) has mastered the tool OR
    • Outsourced administration of the tool
20. The backup platform is standardized across a portfolio of clients
    • At least one employee (non-owner) has mastered the tool
    • Backups are regularly verified
    • Test restores are regularly scheduled and performed on each client
21. Anti-Virus platform is standardized across a portfolio of clients
    • At least one employee (non-owner) has mastered the tool
22. Professional Service Automation (PSA) is configured with
    • Correct service boards or queues
    • Views are configured
    • Workflow automation rules are configured and running properly
    • Charge codes for time entry
    • Rates are entered accurately
23. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are defined, measured, and met
24. Priority of client issues is defined, shared, trained, and drilled with staff and clients
25. Documentation of client networks is complete, accurate, and to date
    • System in place to ensure new clients are onboarded with a documentation checklist
26. Daily Huddle is performed every work day at the same time
    • 15-20 minutes
    • Not for solving problems, identification, and awareness
    • What’s up
    • Where are you stuck
27. On-call rotation and policies are established and published to staff
28. Ticket creation only occurs by dispatcher or backup
29. Phones do not ring in a group to billable staff
30. Clients do not call billable staff on cell phones
31. All service-related issues are communicated closed loop within the ticket
32. Service to the client is not performed until a ticket is created
33. The owner is not engaged in ticket work
34. Sales-to-service handoffs are established and in practice.

How did you do?

Having trouble implementing and meeting all of these tasks? Bering McKinley offers Business Performance Assessments designed to help existing businesses and MSP leaders move away from just diving into the business and staying busy. We help you evaluate areas for improvement and processes that will guarantee you work smarter and gain positive ground.