EP148 - The Top 5 Helpdesk Automations That Every MSP Needs with Bradley Munday from Uptime Solutions and Ian Luckett

Bradley Munday from Uptime Solutions joined us to shed light on the top 5 automations every MSP should be integrating. 

 

First and foremost, Escalations. A critical aspect of managing an incident is recognising its journey through the helpdesk. While automating the ticket escalation process is common, Bradley stresses the importance of ensuring your system automatically logs 'who' escalated 'what'. This isn't just about operational efficiency. It's a treasure trove of information that pinpoints individual competencies and highlights areas requiring further training. 

 

Up next is Tagging Tickets. With most PSA systems offering ticket tagging features, Bradley highlights the magic of automation here. By auto-searching for specific keywords or setting certain triggers, MSPs can effortlessly categorise incoming work. Beyond simply categorising tasks, this aids in recognising patterns, understanding the type of work being received, and crucially, spotting tickets that might have gone stale or need managerial intervention. 

 

The third automation is something MSPs might overlook but is incredibly important – Chargeable Ticket Approval. What should you do when a ticket that ought to be chargeable lands on the desk? Bradley's advice is straightforward – employ automation to ensure that work doesn't commence on such tickets without generating a requisite charge. 

 

Our conversation then moved towards enhancing customer relationships through Automated Customer Communication. Bradley believes in empowering technicians to concentrate on core tasks, while the PSA takes on the mantle of follow-ups. By automating communications for tickets awaiting customer inputs or approvals, the desk remains decluttered, ensuring technicians remain sharply focused. 

 

Last but by no means least, Bradley talked about the significance of Automated Ticket Routing/assignment. Tapping into the potential of machine learning or AI, he envisions a future where MSPs can more accurately assign tickets to the right engineer or queue. Whether it's leveraging ticket titles, descriptions or data accumulated from previous automations, the goal is clear: get the right job to the right professional. 

 

Bradley's insights weren't just an exploration of the current best practices but also a gaze into the future. He envisages a shift in the MSP landscape. As clients increasingly embrace automation, they'll naturally look to their MSPs for DevOps tasks. So, the time is ripe for MSPs to proactively embrace machine learning integrations. 

 

As we wrapped up, it became clear that these automations aren't just tools. They're the backbone of an efficient, customer-centric, and forward-thinking MSP.  

 

We hope you enjoyed this episode. 

 

You can connect with Bradley Munday in his LinkedIn profile by clicking HERE 

 

Connect with me on LinkedIn and see what I'm up to by clicking HERE 
 
To join our amazing Facebook Group of over 300 MSPs where we are helping you Scale Up with Confidence, then click HERE 

 

Until next time, look after yourself and I'll catch up with you soon!