Skip to main content
  • Login
  • Support
  • Partnerships
    • Partnerships Overview
    • Solution Provider Program
    • Technology Alliance Program
    • Distributor Program
N-able
  • Request a Quote
  • Try Now
    • N-able RMM
    • N-able N-central
    • N-able Backup
    • MSP Manager
    • N-able Mail Assure
    • N-able Passportal
    • N-able Risk Intelligence
    • N-able Take Control
Request quote
N-able
  • Products
    • Monitoring & Management
    • N-central Automate. Tackle complex networks. Get remote monitoring and management built for efficiency and scale.
    • RMM Start fast. Grow at your own pace. Try this powerful but easy remote monitoring and management solution.
    • Backup
    • Backup Get data protection for servers, workstations, applications, documents, and Microsoft 365 from one dashboard.
    • Security
    • EDR Defend against ransomware, zero-day attacks, and evolving threats with endpoint detection and response.
    • Mail Assure Leverage mail protection and archiving to keep your users safe from email threats and downtime.
    • Passportal Adopt and enforce best practices for password and documentation management with ease.
    • Tools & Services
    • MSP Manager Increase helpdesk efficiency with a robust PSA, ticketing, reporting, and billing management solution.
    • Take Control Help support customers and their devices with remote support tools designed to be fast and powerful.
    • View All
  • Solutions

    Solutions

    • Security Protect your customers and expand your business by offering layered security services without the complexity.
    • Monitoring Choose the right remote monitoring and management solution to meet you where you are and grow with you.
    • Operational Efficiency Boost profits by improving efficiency via automation, resources and training, and time-saving products.
    • IT Departments Keep your organization productive by easily managing IT from a single, easy-to-use, web-based dashboard.
    • Remote Monitoring Solutions Comparison Compare N-able RMM and N-central side by side. Sign up to talk to a specialist to find the right fit.
    • View All
  • Resources
    • Download
    • Resource Library
    • Product Information
    • Free Tools
    • Learn
    • MSP Institute Webinar Series
    • Daily Live Demos
    • MSP Advice Project
    • Ask the N-central Experts
    • Upcoming Webcasts
    • Connect
    • Blog
    • Security Resource Center
    • Events
    • RMM Foundations Training
  • About
    • Company
    • About Us
    • Leadership
    • Careers
    • News & Press
    • Awards & Recognition
    • Support & Policies
    • Customer Success
    • Customer Support
    • Legal
    • Security
    • Get in Touch
    • Contact
    • Get a Quote
    • Worldwide Sales & Support
  • IT Departments
  • Contact Sales
    • Contact Sales
    • General Inquiry
    • Get a Quote
    • Worldwide Sales & Support
    • Talk to Specialist
    • Security Solutions
    • Monitoring Solutions
    • Operational Efficiency
  • Try Now
    • Monitoring & Management
    • N-central
    • RMM
    • Backup
    • Security
    • EDR
    • Mail Assure
    • Passportal
    • Tools & Services
    • MSP Manager
    • Take Control
SolarWinds MSP is becoming Read More
Filter Blogs
  • Filter by:
  • MSP Business
    • Automation
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • Security-series
    • Best Practices
    • Business
    • Business Growth
    • Business Risk
    • Cloud Computing
    • Customer Service
    • Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity Awareness Month
    • Data
    • GDPR
    • Internet of Things
    • IT Support
    • ITSM
    • LOGICcards
    • Machine Learning
    • Mail
    • Managed Services
    • Marketing
    • Mobile
    • Networking
    • Operations
    • Podcast
    • Product
    • PSA
    • Remote Management
    • Research & Trends
    • Risk Intelligence
    • Security
    • Security Vlog
    • Service Desk
    • Services & Support
    • The Head Nerds
    • Tips & Advice
    • Training
Home Blog MSP Business Six steps to onboarding customers properly
MSP Business

Six steps to onboarding customers properly

By Eric Anthony
13 February, 2018

It is generally agreed that standardization is a major factor in the profitability of a managed service provider (MSP). Recently, we were working on a project where we attempted to define MSP standardization. We definitely over-simplified things, but in terms of standardization, I believe there are three main levels. While this is a very simple way to view standardization, it helps to quickly identify where an MSP is on the maturity scale:

  • No Standardization—Individual clients have a variety of hardware and software configurations inside their businesses
  • Client Level Standards—Each client has standardized hardware and software within their business 
  • MSP Level Standards—All clients share a standard hardware and software configuration

One of the most difficult things about standardization is getting people onboarded properly. However, it is also the fastest way to make sure clients get up to the right level of standardization. In this article, we will talk about some of the things you can do to get clients to onboard properly.

What is Onboarding?

What is.jpgOnboarding is the process that you go through to get a new client into your managed services program. The first step is the initial meeting. This is the meeting that also starts the pattern for all of your future QBR (quarterly business review) meetings with your customers.

At the very least, your account manager and your service manager should be in attendance (in some cases, of course, both of those people are you). It is important to have more than one person there from your business to show that supporting this customer is a team effort. If you assign specific techs to clients, I would include that technician as well. Prior to this meeting, you will have already done your site assessments and should be prepared to discuss the onboarding process; the meeting agenda should consist of the following:

  • Show them where they stand from the assessments 
  • Explain what needs to be brought up to your specifications 
  • Present the quote and timeline for completion
  • Agree on an action plan for getting their network up to your specification 

Moving Ahead With Your Onboarding Plan 

onboarding_finalisedplan.jpgOnce the action plan is approved, you can start moving forward. It is very important to get them to agree to the action plan because it should be defined as project work and therefore not covered under your managed services agreement. At the end of the meeting, setup at least one milestone meeting and a punch list meeting. The milestone meeting should occur 50% of the way through the project or not less than one every two months. The punch list meeting is to finalize the onboarding process and schedule the first QBR meeting.

So what exactly happens during onboarding? Onboarding takes place in six stages:

  1. Assessment—You have to know what they have 
  2. Evaluation—Compare what they have to where they need to be and create a project list
  3. Quotation—Quote the projects on your list 
  4. Agreement—Get agreement from the client on the quote and schedule 
  5. Implementation—Get all of your projects done, documenting as you go 
  6. Completion—Punch list meeting and final documentation 

The complexity and work that goes into these steps depends on your level of standardization. The most important thing is to make sure you have a process for all six stages that you follow every time to make sure the onboarding is completed. Incomplete onboarding will end up costing you and the client money and time.

Overcoming Objections to Onboarding

onboarding_objections.jpgYou are almost certain to get some objections to the onboarding process. The most common one is cost. Onboarding is project work because the network is not yet in a state where it can be managed efficiently. The client needs to be made aware that managed services is about managing a complex combination of hardware, software, and personnel. Without standards, processes, and rules, these things simply cannot be managed. 

The whole idea behind managed services is decreased problems due to increased efficiency and risk management. Standardization is key to this efficiency part, but it is easier to get the client to buy into the idea of risk management through security. It is easy to draw parallels between risk level and minimum standards. Another way to approach objections is to tell them that until the onboarding process is complete, all work will be done on a time and materials basis. They will understand this now or in three months when they realize they are spending more than what you quoted for managed services to keep their antiquated “pile of spaghetti” running.

The reality is that standardization is a major key to profitability of any MSP. However, no matter what your level of standardization, you need to onboard your clients quickly and effectively to minimize your cost. There is also a hidden “profit” to standardization—regardless of the size of your MSP business, you will have less stress trying to maintain disparate systems for many clients. Create your standards and then your procedures for onboarding and see how much more profitable and less stressful your MSP can be.

Additional reading:

  • 4 Managed Services Onboarding Don’ts
You might also like...
MSP Business

Find Out Which SEO Keywords Your Competitors are Using

MSP Business

Mobile Device Management—A threat to employee privacy?

MSP Business

A guide to cold calling for MSPs

MSP Business

How to structure SLA delivery using your service desk

MSP Business

Mac Terms to Know When Providing Mac Support

MSP Business

MSPs—Should You Charge for Quotes?

Want to stay up to date?

Get the latest MSP tips, tricks, and ideas sent to your inbox each week.

Loading form....

If the form does not load in a few seconds, it is probably because your browser is using Tracking Protection. This is either an Ad Blocker plug-in or your browser is in private mode. Please allow tracking on this page to request a subscription.

Note: Firefox users may see a shield icon to the left of the URL in the address bar. Click on this to disable tracking protection for this session/site

Recent Posts
  • DearCry Ransomware Review 
  • PSA vs ITSM vs ESM: Part 2—Which is the right fit for your MSP?
  • 4 ways PSA software helps MSP businesses
  • PSA vs ITSM vs ESM: Part 1—What do they do? 
  • Endpoint security for Mac: What you need to know In 2021
Categories:
  • Security (252)
  • Tips & Advice (130)
  • Backup & Disaster Recovery (97)
  • Best Practices (97)
  • Managed Services (89)
  • The Head Nerds (88)
  • Business Growth (79)
  • IT Support (43)
  • Business (42)
  • Automation (41)
  • Operations (38)
  • Cybersecurity (37)
  • Mail (37)
  • Remote Management (31)
  • ITSM (26)
  • Data (23)
  • Networking (22)
  • Cloud Computing (21)
  • PSA (16)
  • Marketing (15)
  • Product (11)
  • Service Desk (7)
  • Services & Support (5)
  • Mobile (4)
  • Risk Intelligence (4)
  • Customer Service (3)
  • GDPR (3)
  • Internet of Things (3)
  • Training (2)
  • Research & Trends (2)
  • LOGICcards (1)
  • Cybersecurity Awareness Month (1)
  • Business Risk (1)
Show moreless
N-able

Products
  • N-able RMM
  • N-able N-central
  • N-able Backup
  • N-able EDR
  • N-able MSP Manager
  • N-able Mail Assure
  • N-able Risk Intelligence
  • N-able Take Control
  • N-able Passportal
  • All Products Use Cases
Solutions
  • Security Solutions
  • Monitoring Solutions
  • Efficiency Solutions
  • Identify which RMM solution is right for me
  • Drive Efficiency with Automation
  • Manage my MSP Business More Efficiently
  • Manage my IT Department More Efficiently
  • Layered Security
  • Cross-Platform Support
  • Data-Driven Insights
About
  • About Us
  • Careers
  • Newsroom
  • Leadership Team
  • Upcoming Events
  • Subscription Preferences
  • COVID-19 Response
Support
  • N-able RMM
  • N-able N-central
  • N-able Backup
  • N-able Mail Assure
  • N-able Take Control
  • N-able MSP Manager
  • N-able Risk Intelligence
  • N-able Threat Monitor
  • N-able Passportal
  • N-able Take Control Downloads
  • Backup & Recovery Downloads
  • Service Status

Footer 2

  • Legal Documents
  • Privacy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • Security Information
  • Sitemap

© N-able Solutions ULC and N-able Technologies Ltd.
All rights reserved.