MSPs who’ve figured out the automation secret sauce aren’t exactly racing to post it on Reddit. Why? Because the competitive edge is real. We’re talking time-saving, labor-cutting, client-delighting, margin-enhancing magic that when done right turns an MSP from good to next level.
Today’s MSPs aren’t just automating. They’re building the technology directly into their strategic DNA, reshaping operations, profitability, and client relationships in ways that once seemed impossible. So, what are the automation secrets MSP experts guard closely, and how can you leverage them to transform your business?
SECRET 1: Automation is Not Just Efficiency, It’s Strategy
Philip de Souza
Philip de Souza emphasizes automation as strategic rather than purely tactical. “There are various rules we can establish to just ensure that the tedium of doing business is eliminated, so we can free people up to do smarter work,” said the president of Aurora, a California-based consultancy specializing in data security.
Aurora integrates automation deeply into workflows, transforming what were once manual processes — like purchase orders and vendor onboarding — into seamless, automated sequences. Much of Aurora’s automation journey stemmed from necessity. It was an “unintended consequence,” as de Souza put it, from the extremely low unemployment rate and work-from-anywhere shift during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There was this huge draw on resources. Finding the right resource for the right cost and having a return on investment became very difficult,” said de Souza. The end goal of automation was to bring down operational costs, he noted.
SECRET 2: Automation Boosts Employee Satisfaction and Retention
Employee morale is a key yet often overlooked benefit of automation, according to Matt Rose, co-founder and chief experience officer at Tech Rage IT.
Rose initially adopted robotic process automation (RPA) to relieve his employees from repetitive, monotonous tasks such as user creation and ticket management. Then, he noticed an immediate improvement in morale. “Nobody likes repetitive tasks,” Rose explained. “Our techs are happy not to have to click the same button repeatedly. It has improved their job satisfaction dramatically.”
Matt Rose
The automation of their hiring processes — leveraging AI-driven screening to quickly filter through resumes for things like redundant applications — has significantly cut administrative overhead, improving staff satisfaction. It has enabled Tech Rage IT employees to spend more time on meaningful, higher-impact tasks, Rose explained.
“Even if we spent 10 minutes per resume and we get 200 resumes, you’re talking 2,000 minutes,” he illustrated. “It’s countless hours saved.”
SECRET 3: Your New Security Best Friend — and Potential Enemy
Security is a core consideration with automation. De Souza highlighted that automation substantially enhances security by rapidly identifying threats and initiating preventive actions. Yet, this double-edged sword also introduces vulnerabilities, as automation is equally available to attackers. “You need checks — engine lights — to ensure automated systems don’t quietly fail,” de Souza cautioned.
Rose added that Tech Rage IT similarly emphasizes security. The MSP limits access to its automation tools to prevent sensitive client data breaches and advocates for careful scrutiny of AI integrations. “You have to think through where the data’s going, what kind of data you’re putting into it, and who you’re giving access,” he shared.
SECRET 4: Automation Enables Proactive Business Intelligence
Arvind Parthiban
Integrating automation with business intelligence (BI) tools creates powerful insights that drive proactive decision-making.
Aurora leverages automation combined with BI to predict customer needs and identify upselling opportunities. “Automating data collection and analysis helps us quickly identify what clients might need next, enabling us to proactively reach out with tailored recommendations,” de Souza explained.
SuperOps CEO Arvind Parthiban reinforced this value. “Fully leveraging automation capabilities allows you to anticipate and resolve potential issues before they impact your clients, significantly minimizing downtime.”
SECRET 5: Not Every Process Is Worth Automating
Justin Esgar
Justin Esgar, CEO of Virtua Computers, provides a straightforward approach: automation should clearly and significantly benefit your business operations.
His rule of thumb? “MSPs should leverage automation if and only if it will save them a minimum of 10 hours a week of work,” Esgar advised.
This practical guideline helps MSPs avoid wasting resources on automations with marginal returns, focusing instead on those that provide measurable, impactful results, thereby maximizing ROI and operational efficiency.
“If you are building an automation that solves something you do once a month for one hour, you have now spent more time building the automation than using it. Not worth it,” Esgar added.
SECRET 6: Keep the Human Element in the Equation
Automation should support, not replace, human expertise. Although automation significantly reduces workload, human oversight remains crucial, Rose pointed out. “Tools break, APIs change. Having a manual backup process is essential.”
Tech Rage IT maintains manual checks alongside automation to ensure accuracy, especially when categorizing and prioritizing client requests.
Similarly, de Souza advocates for routine checks on automated processes to ensure automated systems are running smoothly and effectively.
SECRET 7: Evolution is Key
Mike Estep
Automation isn’t a one-off project but an ongoing journey, shared Mike Estep, chief client officer at Blackpoint Cyber. He advises MSPs to continuously refine their automation strategies.
“As the business matures, and MSPs can afford to dedicate staff, then they can begin to build their own automation processes,” Estep advised. “The MSP must understand that automation success comes from having the resources, either internal or external, that can be dedicated to getting the process done.”
In the early stages, outsourcing can help manage initial setup complexities. As MSPs grow, dedicating internal resources to automation is essential to adapt to changing technological landscapes and business requirements.
“Regularly review and optimize automated workflows based on analytics and feedback to maintain effectiveness,” suggested Paul Daigle, CEO of Biz Advisory Board.
SECRET 8: Your Tools and Platforms Are More Powerful Than You Realize
Paul Daigle
Fully utilizing existing professional services automation (PSA) and remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools dramatically enhance efficiencies.
Daigle emphasized integrating automation tools with your existing PSA to ensure seamless operations. “This integration can significantly improve efficiency by centralizing all your operations, from ticketing to billing, in one platform, reducing the need for manual data entry.”
PSA systems can be used for tasks beyond project tracking, such as client onboarding, billing, and workflow automation. This way, MSPs can dramatically increase productivity, reduce errors, and enhance client satisfaction.
SECRET 9: Don’t Wait — Automate Now or Get Left Behind
The urgency to adopt automation has never been clearer. “If you don’t adopt automation, you will lose,” Rose stated. “It’s not a fad; it’s the future.”
Service providers who are slow to embrace automation risk falling behind in a competitive marketplace dominated by automated processes and AI-driven insights. Automation, once optional, is now essential for business survival and growth. MSPs adopting automation strategically and intelligently are positioned not just to survive but thrive, creating significant competitive advantages.
For MSPs hesitant about diving into automation, the message is clear: Waiting on the sidelines might be riskier than taking the plunge.
Featured image: iStock
