IT Experts Podcast – MSP SOP Super Tips with Ben Spector & Ian Luckett

In this episode of the IT Experts Podcast, we are joined by Ben Spector, an MSP mentor and product manager from Zomentum, as we talk about SOP super tips, systems in the process, and how tactical implementation can either make or break an MSP.

Speaking of SOP, Ben Spector shares with us who he is, what he does, and who he helps. He also shares with us a bit of the back history of his previous life.

Before we dive into the main part of the show, I ask Ben what he would have done differently after knowing what he now knows today. Ben says that it will be delegating more effectively to the people you hired to do better than you. It was something he really struggled with especially in understanding that he didn’t have to do everything.

Your ability to grow and build an amazing team is the only thing you need to master to grow and build an amazing business.

Ben and I then talked about trust, and I ask him about a golden nugget he can share that would help IT & MSP business owners that struggled in delegating effectively as he did. Ben states that it starts with a shift in mindset about trust.

Trust until you can’t, rather than don’t trust until you can.

Then I ask Ben when he started to get a passion for the symptoms and pain of having bad systems and processes that he became a “Process Doctor”. Ben thinks they are looking at this too late in the journey in a way because a vast majority of MSPs contain only a few employees which put them on a scale where the processes don’t necessarily exist yet.

We then talk about the way techie MSP business owners think and act when hiring salespeople, and how their mindset lacks in terms of understanding the process and more importantly, trust.

Ben then humbly shared the reason why he exited his MSP. I also highlight that vulnerability when it comes to one’s experiences or mistakes is important in helping other MSP business owners learn.

Then I ask Ben, how do you know which processes are broken and which one should you go and fix first? Ben says it has something to do with process analysis. He then explains what it is and how engineers are naturally very vulnerable to this. Ben highlights that processes will never be perfect.

Don’t allow yourself to be paralysed by process. Just get out there and do it.

We both then talked about involvement, employee engagement, employee satisfaction, and data as important elements in getting the processes right. Ben then explains more about systems and processes. Systems are where you’re going to implement the process and the crucial role that capturing data plays in the overall process.

Ben then also highlights how his career experiences made him learn a lot of relevant things being both an employer and an employee, learnings that he can then apply should he decide to start another business.

Wrapping up the episode, we talked about Shiny Ball System Syndrome and Ben shares his tips on how MSP business owners can make a sensible decision quickly without turning the whole business on its head. Don’t miss it.

I hope you enjoyed the humility and vulnerability of this episode that makes it one of our bests yet. The value that this episode offers does not disappoint.