Published on October 3, 2023
We are in an era defined by digital transformation and Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are facing unprecedented challenges. Whilst the demand for their expertise has surged, this in turn increases the pressure on their support and engineering teams, which is escalating. This can cause internal friction and even risk leaving customers underserved. Burnout causes people to rush tasks and in these situations they may fail to do their best work. No MSP wants their engineers to serve customers in this way, but it is easy to fall into a downward spiral if the systems and tooling do not provide the appropriate functionality and support.
Put staff first
More businesses than ever rely on MSPs to manage their networks, secure their data and ensure the uninterrupted operation of their digital ecosystems. There’s a lot to do, but according to research by Forrester Consulting, only one-third of tasks are currently automated across IT functions. Repetitive manual processes are a burden and take valuable time away from other activities. For MSPs, it would be a missed opportunity not to embrace automation and put their staff first. Not only is this good for their people but it will help improve the bottom line. It seems that alleviating some of the pressures on staff to help improve employee wellbeing is good for the MSP and their customers.
Automation = Success
It’s no surprise there has been a sharp rise in burnout and stress-related absences among IT professionals, leaving MSPs battling to balance the demands of customers with the health of their staff. A study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that those who work in technology reported high levels of stress due to high job demands and lack of control over their work.
Despite fears that machines and artificial intelligence (AI) could replace humans in the future, a recent study found that 60% of respondents believe automation can help to address some of the burnout challenges and increase job fulfilment. In the same survey, 57% of employees said they view employers that use automation to modernise operations and support employee wellbeing more favourably than those that don’t. This statistic supports the generally accepted trend that it is easier to recruit good technical people if you can give them the latest tools and technology to help them succeed.
Five benefits of automation
Here are five ways in which automation is helping reduce the pressure on MSPs and supporting their
technical teams to better manage processes and mitigate staff burnout:
- Streamline processes
Automation is an opportunity to streamline and optimise processes to handle routine tasks quickly and accurately, allowing agents and engineers to focus on high-value activities. For example, using AI software to automate routine and rule-based tasks, will minimise the number of mundane keyboard entries staff must do, freeing them to work on projects that add value to the customer. - Proactive monitoring and alerts
Early detection of threats is crucial for preventing IT issues. Automated tools can constantly monitor systems and trigger alerts when anomalies are detected, reducing the need for round-the-clock manual monitoring and the number of high-stress scenarios that accompany serious service disruptions. Network and device monitoring systems can automatically identify and sometimes avoid issues before they happen, promptly notifying an MSP’s support team and allowing them to avoid escalations. - Intelligent ticketing
Intelligent ticketing systems, powered by automation, can deflect the high volume of low-level requests to provide quick answers to questions and guide self-service remedies while categorising and prioritising more complex issues, enabling efficient allocation of resources. By quickly determining the urgency and complexity of incoming tickets, they can be assigned to the relevant team members. This reduces response times and helps ensure support teams are not overwhelmed. - Predictive maintenance
According to Gartner, the cost of unplanned IT downtime for businesses is an estimated $5,600 per minute. Automation-driven predictive maintenance tools can monitor server health and predict when it is likely to fail, allowing engineers to proactively replace equipment, minimise stress during emergencies and limit the financial impact on businesses. - Enhanced security
Using automated cybersecurity processes allows MSPs to continuously monitor for threats, instantly respond to incidents and ensure compliance with security protocols. For example, automated security tools can detect unusual network activity, isolate compromised devices and automatically apply security patches to reduce the risk of a data breach.
MSPs must embrace automation
Embracing automation is a great way of supporting people in their jobs rather than replacing them, helping to increase resource capacity. It may seem like a daunting task, especially given the complexity, but the benefits to both company and staff alike are too significant to ignore. However, there are lessons to be learned about how to transform an MSP’s operations without further tying its people in knots, and that’s where the technical expertise and industry knowledge of a technical partner comes in. By partnering with the right people, an MSP can avoid taking on further stress and de-risk their transformation investment.
End-users expect seamless and always-available digital experiences; there is no time for disruption or delays. That’s why MSPs can’t afford to ignore the benefits of automation for their staff, customers and the bottom line. To find out more about how your MSP can automate processes and transform operations, please contact us today.
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