Even with the most brilliant developers and engineers on your team, IT service desks and MSPs can quickly get into trouble if they lack clear service offerings. Many tech startups will shout mission statements like "we specialize in X and Y" but lack the concrete steps to guide their clients through working with them. That's why IT pros that want to run a successful MSP business need to prioritize their messaging around how their services are deployed, their delivery processes, and how results will be measured. Therefore, by creating a more comprehensive service catalog, your customers will not only be encouraged to use your business, but they might also even book your MSP for services they might not have previously considered.
What Is An IT Service Catalog?
Instead of thinking of a service catalog as just a document listing everything your IT helpdesk or MSP can do, consider it an opportunity to make your services more accessible and easier to understand for existing and potential new customers. A good service catalog should include detailed descriptions of your IT helpdesk's offerings, with specific benefits, pricing models, delivery methods, key performance indicators (KPIs), and other important information.
By creating an inventory of services, your customers can pick and choose the offerings that best fit their needs, giving them an experience that will feel customized to their needs. This modular approach to IT helpdesk service delivery also makes it easier for you to keep up with the ever-changing needs of your clients and help your tech team make adjustments as needed.
How to Create a Service Catalog
Creating a service catalog is not as simple as just throwing together a list of your MSP or IT helpdesk's services and calling it a day. Here are some tips for creating an effective service catalog:
1. UNDERSTAND YOUR CLIENTS
The first step in creating an MSP service catalog is understanding your potential customers' needs. As an IT customer service professional, you should ask yourself questions like "What services do our MSP clients actually need?" and "What can we offer that our IT service desk competitors don't?"
It's also essential to make sure you have a good understanding of the tech industry, current trends, and what challenges your clients may be facing so you can create offerings tailored to their specific needs.
2. RESEARCH YOUR COMPETITION
Once you know what MSP services your target audience is looking for, it's time to research your competition. By understanding what the competition is offering, you can make sure your IT service desk catalog stands out from the crowd.
Take a look at your competitor's pricing models and services to get an idea of how much you can charge for similar offerings, as well as any unique features or benefits that you could use in your catalog in order to better compete in a crowded marketplace.
3. DEVELOP MSP SERVICE OFFERINGS
Start by creating detailed descriptions of each of your MSP offerings, including its purpose, features, pricing model, delivery methods, timelines, KPIs, etc. When writing your descriptions, make sure to be clear and concise. Your goal should be to provide enough information for potential customers to understand what you’re offering without overwhelming them with too much technical detail.
4. CREATE YOUR IT SERVICE DESK CATALOG & SMART CONTRACTS
You'll need the right tools to deliver service agreements to customers in the most efficient way. An IT Helpdesk Software like SherpaDesk's PSA will help streamline your MSP offering and keep your customers happy. With SherpaDesk's Smart Contracts feature, each IT service desk contract can include your rate plans, recurring expenses, and pre-paid services. This ensures that your IT helpdesk or MSP accurately keeps track of all billable services across all your customers.
A PSA software like SherpaDesk's IT helpdesk solution enables MSP professionals to quickly generate service agreements that can be quickly turned into invoices, allowing you to get paid faster while offering top-notch service.
5. PROMOTE YOUR CATALOG
Last but not least, you must promote your MSP IT helpdesk service catalog so potential customers can find it and learn more about what you offer. You can promote your services through social media, email marketing campaigns, or online advertising. Reaching your existing customers is crucial so they can be aware of new offerings or tools. With SherpaDesk's knowledgebase feature, MSPs can create a customer portal to promote new services, answer FAQs and let MSP customers contribute solutions for their internal processes.
What To Remember When Creating An IT Helpdesk Service Catalog
It is easy to get lost in the details when building an IT helpdesk service catalog, so here are some key points to remember:
• Keep it Simple — Your MSP's service catalog should be straightforward and easy to understand. Customers should not have to search for information or make assumptions about what you can offer them.
• Focus On Your Customer's Needs — When crafting your MSP's service offerings, think about how they will benefit your customers and help solve their problems, rather than just listing out the features of each offering.
• Adaptability is Key — Technology changes quickly, so make sure that your service catalog includes options that are flexible and can be changed as needed in order to meet future customer demands.
• Be Transparent — Make sure to include all costs associated with each service or bundle so that customers feel that your MSP values transparency. This helps to build trust and keep customer churn low.
• Keep Tt Organized — MSP Services should be grouped according to their purpose, and the customer needs they address, rather than just listing them in alphabetical order or randomly throughout. Above all else, remember that your IT helpdesk service catalog is a living document and should be updated regularly to keep up with the ever-changing needs of your customers.
MSP Service Catalog Template
Now that you know the basics of creating an IT helpdesk service catalog, here is a template to help you get started:
After creating an original version of this document, several more specific catalogs detailing each major category of service can also be created. At times, customers may be looking for help in only a certain area and will want to be sure of your offerings in that particular area before converting.
Final Thoughts
Creating an IT service catalog for your MSP is a great way to ensure that customers understand what you can offer them and how those offerings can help their businesses succeed.
By crafting an effective and organized IT service desk catalog, you'll be able to demonstrate the full range of services available from your MSP and highlight key benefits and pricing models associated with each offering.
The result? A seamless customer experience will leave your IT helpdesk clients confident in their decision to choose your MSP for their business needs.
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