Stop doing client onsites


Hey Reader do you provide regular onsites for your clients?

Do you really need to?

No, do you REALLY need to?

The reason for doing onsites should be a substantial business need. In far too many cases, people tell me they do onsites for these reasons:

  • It demonstrates value to the client
  • The client said they need them

These are not good reasons to do onsites.

"Value to the client"

Your tech being visible at the client shouldn't be how you demonstrate value. If you think this type of thing is important, send an account manager (or owner) onsite. You should focus more on building business and service relationships. Techs have tech work to do, and going onsite is expensive and inefficient.

"Clients need them"

No, they don't. 99% of the work an MSP does can be done remotely.

Clients will often demand having someone onsite in order to justify paying you. This is a psychological crutch that you shouldn't support. Refer to the previous point and focus on building business relationships and ensure they understand your value as a technology partner. Not "The IT guy."

When to onsite

I'm not against onsites entirely. They have a place when something is actually physically broken, or you as the MSP has determined an onsite is required, and of course projects.

Beyond that there should be few occasions that techs are going to the client site instead of supporting remotely.

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