The BrightGauge Blog

When it comes to providing exceptional customer service, it is oftentimes the small details that can win a customer over. Making an effort to take something just one step further can result in repeat business for a managed service provider (MSP), which is always the goal. Something as simple as providing customers with a quick way to get an overview of their account details can make a difference in the way an MSP and a customer do business with one another. And that simple account overview is exactly what we are presenting this month. The Client Account Overview dashboard is ideal for lower-touch customers or those customers who don't require detailed visibility into the service provided to them. Essentially, it contains basic MSP information for the customer. Client Account Overview dashboard - view here The Client Account Overview dashboard includes: Useful information like contact details, how to open a ticket, where to pay bills, etc. Currently open tickets Number of workstations and servers A list of all services currently being paid for Modules to insert client logos, images, contextual information, and more This dashboard can truly be customized to include the exact information that would be most useful to an MSP's customer. At the end of the day, it's a way to add a professional touch to an MSP's relationship with their customer. To recreate this dashboard for your own customers, check out the links below: Client Account Overview dashboard (public view link) Client Account Overview Buildout Key We'd love to see how you are using this dashboard with your own customers. Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

A necessity for any service team is a regularly-occurring stand-up meeting where team members can review what's going on with support action items. Stand-ups answer questions like: How many tickets do we currently have open? What does our kill rate look like? Are we responding to tickets quickly enough? Is there anything that needs to be escalated? Being proactive about this type of information allows service team members to provide the best possible support to customers while running an efficient and productive service desk. So, how are you going about conducting your daily or weekly stand-ups? This month, BrightGauge partner Paul Bischer, Director of Business Development at GRIT Technologies, shares his Service Team Huddle dashboard. This dashboard provides an overview of the day's action items for the support team and is used to drive the agenda at daily team meetings by providing insight into open tickets, daily schedules, and any past due items. It also motivates daily conversation around performance metrics such as: % Same-Day Resolution Average Response Time Average Resolution Time Service Team Huddle dashboard - view here This is a really great way to keep your team huddles productive, on-agenda, and time-efficient, plus it gives your entire team visibility into what's going on in the service desk as a whole. Visibility can be a powerful motivator, especially during this era of remote work. To recreate this dashboard for your own team, check out the links below: Service Team Huddle dashboard (public view link) Service Team Huddle Buildout Key Thank you, Paul for sharing your insights. Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

When businesses look at their own key performance indicators (KPIs), one of the primary measurements to gauge customer service is the customer’s satisfaction and revenue expansion (their willingness to purchase additional products or services). What, though, are the mechanisms to drive those metrics? And what drives customer satisfaction? When asking what customers want, the clear and obvious answer is a return on investment (ROI). They want to know, and expect service providers to show, exactly how the service provides value and drives or supports their business objectives as well. The most effective and efficient way to provide that is through report automation. Quick links: Challenges of showing value to clients on a regular basis 4 ways to quickly show your value to clients through report automation How building strong client relationships through reporting leads to increased sales Drive revenue and boost customer service rates with BrightGauge's client reporting capabilities Challenges of showing value to clients on a regular basis When clients are looking at their own metrics and determining what adds value to their business, particularly during the budgeting process, they’re hoping to see exactly how your service is beneficial. If it’s clear, and you’ve provided tangible, visible results, then the challenges of demonstrating your value are certainly surmountable. Your client is looking for consistency and reliability. No one wants to chase down a service provider for the data they need to justify the expense. No one wants to have to translate complex reports that are delivered differently every time. While delivering the same product or report in the same fashion at the same time is key, if it’s not the data the client is looking for, it can be a huge misstep. Not only would unnecessary data create more work for the client, and you, but it can also suggest a lack of transparency, both of which are damaging to the customer relationship. If your competitor is offering the same services, at the same price, failure to deliver on promises or an ability to show how your service is supporting your client’s goals will likely impact retention. It’s one of the reasons that robust client reporting tools are essential to you. 4 ways to quickly show your value to clients through report automation The truth is, if your service is running effectively and smoothly, chances are your client isn’t spending much time considering your value, at least not until there’s a problem or a question about the expense. Regardless of if clients are looking closely at their ROI of working with you, there are plenty of ways you can showcase the value you deliver when using reporting automation. 1. Your automated reporting provides a valuable touchpoint Simply put, this deliverable reminds your client that you’re there and working for them. It’s a great way to initiate interactions and conversations with a client in a way that builds your relationship and positions you for future sales. 2. You're offering your expertise Reports, and customization of those reports based on KPIs, allow you to demonstrate your knowledge. But this expertise is not just of the service you’re providing. You're also showcasing the strategies your client can use to leverage your service to build their business. 3. You're building trust and a positive rapport Trust is as good as the coin of the business kingdom. It’s not just about the touchpoint; it’s about your ability to respond consistently, agilely, and reliably to the client’s needs. Without being present, automated reporting makes you visible, and your ability to deliver what a client needs through a solid client reporting solution makes them feel heard. 4. You're demonstrating accountability Along with building trust, regular consistent reporting shows that your business is accountable to the client. In a competitive market, the winner is often the providers whose customer service includes addressing client needs. Regular automated reports show your client that they’re a priority and when they have questions or needs, you’re willing to answer. How building strong client relationships through reporting leads to increased sales As noted above, regular reporting provides a valuable interaction with your client. Not only does it address their immediate needs, but it also opens the door for discussions regarding what needs aren’t being met, where their opportunities for growth are, and, perhaps most importantly, what role your business can play in that growth. Consistency, reliability, responsiveness, and expertise all build trust. Trust builds relationships. Relationships drive sales. If your client is already impressed with the services you're providing and sees demonstrated value, when they look to grow, they want to grow with someone they trust. Client reporting tools that provide automated reports on the KPIs they care about put your service in the position to make that sale. Drive revenue and boost customer service rates with BrightGauge's client reporting capabilities! When looking at your own organization’s metrics, you’re likely looking at ways to drive revenue, retain customers, decrease acquisition costs, and boost profit. Providing the services your client’s need and reporting on the KPIs they care about help build the kind of relationships that lead to future sales and, even better, referrals. BrightGauge’s client reporting tools allow you to build customizable reports that get delivered right to your client. There’s no time spent pulling the data, organizing it, and forwarding it; our tools do it for you. Reports are on time and organized where they need to be, freeing up your time to build your business with no sacrifice of customer support. Satisfied customers are customers who stay with you, and report automation ensures you keep delivering the same quality to the necessary stakeholders when they want it.

The start of the new year gives us all the opportunity to gain a fresh perspective and formulate a strategy for accomplishing the goals we have set for ourselves. This is applicable to our personal and professional lives alike. Many managed service provider (MSP) owners use the start of a new year to understand their current financial posture and to see where tweaks need to be made in order to close the year in a really healthy place. A great way to keep an eye on an MSP's financial health is by displaying critical metrics in a visible, easily-referenced dashboard that updates automatically. So, this month, we're sharing a Financial Health dashboard, with high-level metrics that any executive will want to keep her or his eyes on. Financial Health dashboard - view here The metrics covered in this dashboard include: EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Deprecation & Amortization) MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue) Margin % Churn % Lifetime Value gauge: insight into the potential total revenue each customer can bring, taking into account average MRR, churn rate, and margin. To recreate this dashboard for your own team, check out the links below: Financial Health Dashboard (Public view link) Financial Health Dashboard Buildout Key Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

Many managed service provider (MSP) owners often ask themselves one pressing question: How profitable is my business? Tracking profitability is generally a good way to understand how well a company is doing. If you have a consistent profitability ratio, it likely means you're a resilient business, you're doing a good job of balancing your costs, and you're succeeding in generating meaningful revenue. This month, we're looking at a Profitability Analysis report, which helps MSPs understand where they are by looking at important metrics such as: Hours spent on user tickets Agreement Health Effective Hourly Rate on Agreements Margin Percentages Other tickets details Profitability Analysis Report - view here Viewing an updated Profitability report on a consistent basis can help MSP owners and managers identify trends, course correct where needed, and implement new strategies to optimize the way business is done. To recreate this report for your own team, check out the links below: Profitability Analysis Report (Public view link) Profitability Analysis Report Buildout Key Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

Transparency in business is more than just a corporate buzzword, it’s a crucial tactic for earning client trust. Client reports help managed service providers (MSPs) build transparency with their customers by sharing vital data points on a regular basis—ensuring that the client is kept aware of important developments with whatever services the MSP is providing. Why does transparency matter in business? How can you create transparency with reporting automation? Why transparency in business is essential Transparency, or the ability to make clients feel as though you’re not hiding anything, is a critical trust-building tactic for any business. Without transparency, your business is a faceless entity—one that is readily replaceable. Giving customers insight into your processes and results helps to demonstrate the value of what you do. It can also help to explain any setbacks that may impact your service level agreements (SLAs) or results. This can be crucial for maintaining a positive relationship with clients even when things aren’t always going right. For example, ask yourself this: Have you ever had a problem with a service, but couldn’t get an answer out of your service provider about why there was a problem or how they planned to fix it? How frustrating was that experience for you? Now, what do you think your own clients feel if they can’t get a status update or an answer about an issue from you? Forbes notes that one of the benefits of transparency is that it can help improve profitability. According to their article, “polls through the years indicate at least two-thirds of consumers would spend more if it meant buying from a transparent company. A stunning 94 percent rank transparency as the greatest factor in brand loyalty.” In other words, clients are willing to spend more for the peace of mind of dealing with a transparent partner and are more likely to stay long-term when they feel they’re being given the whole picture. 5 ways to increase transparency through client reporting So, how can you use client reporting to create transparency in business settings? Here are a few tips to get you started: Focus on the metrics that are most important to the client. While giving the client a report that has every possible key performance indicator (KPI) on it can provide value, it can also be overwhelming. Consider which performance metrics actually matter to your client based on their goals and their role and create a list of the ones that make the most sense to report on. Creating a “data dashboard” view of the client’s most important metrics to go on the first page of the report can make it easier for them to find the info they want so they can avoid wasting time going through a massive pile of statistics with every report. Use Reporting Automation. Manually compiling client reports can be a major time sink—especially if you have to gather data from multiple sources and compile it into a digestible format. Client reporting software can help to automate this task. Using a client reporting solution that can draw data from multiple sources to automatically populate a report with the appropriate metrics can save hours of time on each report and increase transparency by ensuring that each report is consistent. Customize client reports for different stakeholders on the client side. Odds are that there are multiple decision-makers or VIPs in the client’s organization that may need to see the data in your client reports. However, not all of them may need to know the exact same things. Identifying the key stakeholders who need to see your reports, verifying the specific KPIs that matter to them, and creating custom reports that address their biggest concerns with a simple KPI dashboard view can all help to massively increase transparency with your customers. Additionally, it helps demonstrate the ROI for your services to multiple decision-makers (which can be important for when the client is internally reviewing whether to retain your services moving forward). Regularly communicate with the client outside of your reports. While client reporting is important for building transparency, these reports shouldn’t be your only communication channel with clients! It’s important to speak with clients outside of these reports to get updates about new initiatives they may be launching or changes in how they evaluate success in their organization. This can help keep you updated about important changes in the client’s organization that may mean needing to track different KPI dashboards in your client reports. Keep reports consistent (unless a major change is needed or requested). From one reporting cycle to the next, it’s important to keep the reports you send to the client as consistent as possible. Keeping your report format consistent from one report to the next helps make it easier to parse for your clients because they’ll know exactly where to look for the info they want. Short of a major change or a client request, it’s best to be as consistent as possible with client reporting formats (using reporting automation and other tools can help with this)! Boost transparency with BrightGauge’s client reporting tools Do you want to transform your client reporting process in a way that makes things faster, easier, and more consistent? If so, BrightGauge’s client reporting tools can help make you more transparent. With BrightGauge, you can easily create custom client reports using a drag-and-drop editing tool that gives you complete control over what data the report contains and where that information appears. Data for each report can be automatically pulled in to populate the KPI dashboard and individual data points throughout the report. BrightGauge’s reporting automation tools also allow you to schedule repeated automatic reports. Instead of having to set up each report and manually email it out to every client, you can set up a regular report once and let BrightGauge send an updated report each week, month, or quarter as needed to meet your reporting SLAs. This can be a huge time-saver for anyone who has to send a lot of client reports! Are you ready to transform your client reporting and build transparency? Reach out to BrightGauge today to get started!

In the era of remote work, how are you bringing your team members together and keeping them focused? Many of our partners swear by using goals to combat this challenge. Goal-setting is an effective and proven way to align team members and keep everyone marching down the same path. Maybe you're familiar with Gino Wickman's book Traction, which introduces the Entrepreneurial Operations System (EOS), a process many managed service providers (MSPs) use to grow and optimize their business. By setting goals, whether through EOS or another process, you're creating a culture of accountability that can have a really positive impact on your business. Implementing a goal-setting system is an excellent place to start, but how are you having conversations around those goals with your whole team? This month's report, a Goals and EOS Tracking Weekly Report, is a great way to move forward. Goals and EOS Tracking Weekly Report - view here This report can be used as a weekly check-in for operations meetings. It structures the meeting so the conversation is guided towards where the team stands with their goals, what's being done to meet their core values, what tasks/projects are currently open, what's overdue, and what known issues need to be addressed. Having this weekly check-in where every team member is responsible for playing their part can have a huge impact on how productive, efficient, and overall happy your team members are. To recreate this report for your own team, check out the links below: Goals and EOS Tracking Weekly Report (Public view link) Goals and EOS Tracking Weekly Report Buildout Key Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

When it comes to keeping your executive team in the loop on important performance metrics, the name of the game is quality over quantity. Executives are busy people and they need to be able to consume and digest content quickly and efficiently. Data dashboards and reports are a great way to keep them abreast on everything related to key performance indicators (KPIs). This month, we're featuring an Agreements Dashboard, perfect to share with your CRO. Agreements Dashboard - view here At a glance, the Agreements Dashboard will give your CRO (or any interested colleagues) a high-level view of: No Agreement Revenue (a look at whatever revenue is not tied to any agreement) Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) Customer Distribution (which customers are bringing in the highest percentage of revenue?) Active Agreements With Negative Margin (aim to have this number as low as possible) Your Effective Hourly Rate On Agreements Revenue Source Breakdown On one simple screen, it's easy to understand where your MRR falls with your goals, which customers are worth nurturing or even firing, and how your revenue is distributed across your business. By keeping an eye on KPIs like these, executives can make informed and better business decisions that will drive the organization forward. To recreate these dashboards for your own teams, check out the links below: Public view link - Agreements Dashboard Buildout Key Instructions for Agreements Dashboard Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!

Earning the trust of clients can be incredibly difficult—especially in the modern business environment where customers of all industries have been conditioned to expect immediate results. Being able to answer the question “Why am I paying you?” is crucial for earning client trust—and client reporting software can help you provide answers that earn trust. Why is building trust with your clients so important? How can client reporting tools help you earn trust as a managed service provider (MSP)? Why building client trust is essential for business success One of the most important aspects of any business relationship is trust. If trust is lacking, it doesn’t matter how good a deal your services are or how important they are to the client—they will seek out an alternative as soon as humanly possible. Trust is also something that takes a long time to earn, but can be lost in the blink of an eye. As noted in an article by Forbes, “trust is the fabric that holds everything together” for modern businesses. Yet, in that same article, it was stated that “recent studies show that overall trust in government, media, business, and other organizations is at an all-time low.” In a business environment where trust is in short supply, being able to earn (and maintain) trust can be a key differentiator for your business. Why should I use client reporting to build trust? Client reporting is a critical tool for showing your clients that your services are providing real value to them. It accomplishes this by making your activities and results more transparent to your clients. Report automation and client reporting can help you create an itemized list or receipt of your work as an MSP. Instead of simply saying that you “did X, Y, and Z” tasks, you can show your clients the itemized report of activities completed and results generated. Building trust this way can help to reduce your client churn. Considering that, according to sources like invespcro.com, “It costs five times as much to attract a new customer, than to keep an existing one,” this can prove to be a critical strategy for keeping your business profitable. By building trust, you can keep clients longer, which helps keep profits stable while minimizing the pressure to spend money on acquisition. 5 tips for transparent client reporting So, how can you ensure that your client reporting is done the right way to build trust? What key performance indicators (KPIs), data dashboards, and reporting automation solutions should you use? Here are a few basic tips for transparent (and effective) client reporting: Pick KPIs that really matter for your client. It should go without saying that not all metrics matter equally to different clients. Some clients may need KPI dashboards and reports that focus on sales metrics, while others may need ones that focus on things like service uptime and user satisfaction. Talk to your clients to discover the KPIs that really matter to them so you can include them in your automated reports. Use reporting automation to consistently collect data. Automated reports can help to ensure that your reports are delivered on a consistent schedule and have the same types of KPIs in them from one report to the next. This consistency can help to build trust by showing customers that you aren’t changing report contents. Send reports to ALL the right people on the client’s side. In many B2B relationships, it’s common for just the main point of contact on either side to communicate frequently, while every other stakeholder is left out of the loop. However, if you want to build trust, it’s important to ensure that your reports reach all of the important stakeholders on the other team. This way, decision makers in the client company know the value of what you’re doing for them (making them less likely to cut funding for your services). Customizing reports depending on the recipient helps take this a step further. Send reports when it’s convenient for the client. Different clients will have their own preferences for when to receive reports. One client might prefer to get reports on Mondays to start their work week. Others might prefer Fridays so they can take a look at the report over the weekend. Some may prefer Tuesdays because of scheduling constraints. Sending a report when it’s convenient for the client’s schedule or preference is one of those small touches that can really help to build trust and respect. Make reports personal. When building an automated report template, take some time to customize the report to make it more personal—like something you crafted specifically for them instead of just a mass email send. Some small, easy-to-add touches could include a cover page, company logos (both yours and your client’s), text boxes explaining certain pieces of data, page breaks, and images. Build better client relationships with BrightGauge’s client reporting tools Need help automating client reports and collecting the data you need to populate said reports? BrightGauge’s data dashboard and report automation solutions might be exactly what you need! With our automated reporting tool, you can collect data from multiple sources automatically and generate periodic reports with custom fields to send to your clients. You can even make your reports personalized for different people within a client company to make your reports more valuable for each recipient! Are you ready to build transparency and trust with your clients? Reach out to the BrightGauge team today to get started, or download our whitepaper The End-All Guide to Client Reporting at the link below:

When it comes to earning your client's business time and time again, the key is to build a relationship based on trust and transparency. Being proactive about showing your client the value you bring to the table rather than waiting for them to ask what you've been up to is a great way to earn a credible reputation. Our favorite way to practice this type of transparency is by getting in the habit of sending consistent and frequent client reports. Client reports show all of the "behind-the-scenes" work managed service provider (MSP) is working on that the client may not otherwise have visibility into. They essentially show the good, the bad, and the ugly and leave nothing to interpretation. One of the most powerful types of reports is the Quarterly Business Review (or QBR). You may always refer to this as a Business Review, but it's an in-depth meeting with a client where you may highlight the value of your services, review and reset goals, and create a strategy for moving forward. This month, we're sharing a comprehensive QBR Report template that you can recreate yourself and send off to your clients at whatever cadence makes the most sense for your relationship. This QBR Report includes ticket statistics, asset management details, and customer satisfaction metrics. Depending on what your client cares most about seeing, you could also add in gauges from your BDR, security, finance, or other tools. Quarterly Business Review Report - view here With BrightGauge, it's simple to create and send a report automatically on the date and time you choose. And by mapping your clients, you can save this report template and filter and share for specific clients when you're ready to send off (versus creating a new version of the report each time). This QBR Report can bring a lot of value to your clients and serve as a perfect conversation driver for talking through your business relationship. To recreate these dashboards for your own MSP, check out the links below: Public view link - Quarterly Business Review Report Buildout Key Instructions for Quarterly Business Review Report Please feel free to reach out to success@brightgauge.com with any questions you have!