Here’s how to claim a more strategic role with your clients.
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A successful MSP is built on providing business solutions. Use technology to improve your clients’ businesses, and you will have sticky customers who will happily pay high prices.
How do you go from being a technician to solving business problems? The key is to follow Sir Christopher Wren’s example set in 1688.
The technical challenge.
You are skilled at technology and solving technical problems. You know that you need to do business reviews and clients tolerate these but aren’t very excited about them—they often see them as you trying to sell new services (and let’s be honest, they are).
You also know that they need CIO-level advice and that you can help them (while also improving your business). But if you do suggest a broader conversation, they aren’t interested.
So, how do you convince them you can take on this role? Don’t try to convince them of anything – show them.
Christopher Wren’s story
Wren knew how to engineer buildings, and when he designed a Town Hall for the city of Westminster in 1688, he knew it would stand even though it featured a large open patio under the second floor.
When reviewing the design, the mayor was concerned that the second floor would fall and insisted that Wren add supporting columns.
Wren knew his design was sound, but he also saw the uselessness of arguing, so he built the columns. Still, he wanted to demonstrate his expertise to the world and future clients – so how did he demonstrate the validity of his design?
He didn’t attach the columns to anything. He left a gap between the top of each column and the bottom of the ceiling – the columns were dummies.
Or are dummies; the building and columns stand today. The winner of that argument: Wren.
Show don’t tell
The point of Wren’s story is that you are better off demonstrating what you can do rather than convincing your clients to listen to you. Don’t argue or convince; let your actions win them over.
The way to do this is by conducting Strategic Business Reviews regularly and following up with actions afterward.
The power of the Strategic Business Review is that you guide the conversation to business challenges. You don’t ask permission to do this; you just do it.
One of our clients couldn’t get the CEO to attend a meeting. But while conducting an SBR, the technicians realized that they were in over their heads: they couldn’t answer the business questions our client asked. So what did they do? They brought in the CEO.
Or, when my partner Joe had to convince his client to spend an extra $150k on hardware.
The client didn’t want to spend a dime. Joe set up the new hardware for one employee, known up to that point as the slowest, and when that employee’s productivity shot up to be the fastest, Joe’s client wanted that same boost for everyone.
He paid the 150k; no argument needed.
No Dummy Columns, just good business
Robert Greene even codified this concept as one of his 48 laws of power (#9), “Win through your actions, never through argument.” It’s a powerful way to reset expectations and redefine your role in your client’s organization.
The point is not one of deception: there is rarely a need for dummy columns, and I’d recommend against faking anything but rather leading with actions. If you want to take a more strategic role in your clients’ businesses, claim it and be more strategic.
Your actions will change their mind more profoundly than any argument ever could.
