Syncro's new AI-powered Smart Ticket Management Out Now. 
“We’ve always thought that AI should augment and enhance the human element, especially in a service industry like ours where the stakes are tremendously high. I think we’ve used it to pretty good effect so far, and I think Syncro’s approach is exactly complimentary to our philosophy.”
Jasper Grewal, Business Leader of ROI Technology
To say that the world is abuzz with chatter about artificial intelligence (AI) is an understatement. AI has become a transformative force across the globe in more ways than one, with many industries experimenting with the technology to create innovative new solutions – or improve existing ones.
For folks in the managed services industry, one of their primary areas of focus is how to leverage AI to run a more efficient operation. We recently partnered with ChannelPro Network to host a webinar where we heard from managed service providers (MSPs) who are doing exactly that (unlock access to the full webinar recording here).
Below, we’ll introduce the MSPs we chatted to and recap the high points of the discussion – in particular, their experiences in harnessing AI and AI-driven software like Syncro to improve their businesses.
Let’s dive in.
Meet the Panelists
- Jasper Grewal, Business Leader of ROI Technology
- Carl Alcott, CTO of KCHelpdesk
- Dan Suzor, NOC/HelpDesk Manager of Cybertek Systems
AI: A Catalyst for Operational Excellence
Integrating AI into your MSP operation is not a “one-size-fits-all” or “one-and-done” type of thing. For starters, every MSP’s situation is different. Secondly, AI and technology in general is always evolving, so there’s always something new for MSPs to learn about, test, experiment with, etc.
On top of that, not all AI capabilities will make sense or align with your business needs. So, it’s important to remember that just because a feature or software provider boasts the “AI” label, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the AI tool for you.
For our panelists, Syncro’s AI-driven capabilities do align with their business needs, and they each shared their experiences and insights about adopting and leveraging AI – and how Syncro is playing a vital role in that journey.
Here’s how.
Increasing Technician + Operational Efficiency
Jasper highlighted how Syncro’s AI-specific features have helped his technicians—especially those with less experience—to handle client issues more confidently and therefore, quicker and with more efficiency. For example, Syncro’s Smart Search and ticket categorization features, which incorporate AI technology (like how to understand natural language inputs) help to significantly reduce the time spent on manual processes, enabling his team to focus on more complex issues that actually do require human intervention.
“The new AI features in Syncro really help some of my techs, especially some of my less-seasoned ones, comprehend what somebody is asking for right away. [The features] help my team hit the ground running, reduces escalations, and improve everyone’s confidence level.”
Jasper
Dan echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the same AI capabilities in Syncro that are mentioned above have become essential for automating repetitive tasks, such as ticket triaging and resolution.
Looking under the hood, Syncro’s Smart Ticket Search is designed to understand the natural language inputs of technicians. Which means that, instead of relying on exact keyword matches, technicians can input descriptions using plain language, vague terms or even just a hunch about what might be relevant.
This automation not only speeds up response times but also ensures that issues are categorized and assigned correctly, reducing the margin for error. By offloading these tasks to AI, MSPs can operate more smoothly and allocate resources where they are needed most.
Enhancing Client Service + Delivery
“We’re just trying to automate as much as we can behind the scenes so we can focus on the customer, focus on reducing repeated problems, and focus on preventing other issues.”
Dan Suzor
While AI can automate many backend processes, the panelists were unanimous in their belief that it should not replace personal client interactions. Maintaining a human touch in client communications remains essential, particularly in industries and regions where personal relationships are paramount.
While AI offers numerous efficiency gains, the panelists agreed that it should never replace the human element in client interactions. Dan pointed out that in his rural customer base in Winner, South Dakota, personal relationships are especially key. His team uses AI to streamline backend processes, ensuring they have more time to focus on building and maintaining these relationships rather than automating client-facing tasks.
Similarly, Jasper emphasized the importance of using AI to support, not replace, human interaction. By automating repetitive tasks and improving data accuracy, AI frees up time for his team to engage more meaningfully with clients, reinforcing the trust and rapport that are critical in the MSP industry.
In short, AI should be used as an augmentation tool to support, rather than replace, technicians. MSPs should focus on using the technology to workloads and optimize workflows, which ultimately enables you to provide value when and where your clients need it most.
Fueling Profitability + Growth
Where there’s automation there’s increased efficiency – and where there’s increased efficiency, there is profit. The line from A to B to C is pretty linear. As mentioned above, harnessing AI to automate routine tasks frees up time to focus on serving existing clients and finding new ones – both of which are obvious pathways to boosting profitability and overall growth.
Obviously, it’s not just about automating routine tasks. There’s an asterisk at the end of that statement – it’s about automating with accuracy. Because what good is leaving your work to the machines if the machine and technology are unreliable? If that were the case, you’d lose – not win – client support (and clients in general).
To that end, “quality is crucial” are essential words to remember and live by when entrusting technology and AI to share the workload. The effectiveness of AI largely depends on the quality of data input.
“If you’re using Syncro, start with enriching the data that you already collect. The quality of the data you put in is going to directly drive the quality of the data you get out of it. It’s entirely your data, just being surfaced in different, hopefully more productive, ways. You’ll get better data out of it.”
Jasper
Looking Ahead: The Future of AI in Managed Services
AI is no longer a futuristic concept to most of the world, but especially not to MSPs—it’s a practical, powerful tool that is already making a significant impact on the IT professionals who use it as well as the clients they serve.
By embracing AI, MSPs are not only improving their operational excellence but also positioning themselves for future opportunities and growth. As AI technology continues to develop, these opportunities will only increase, whether that’s integrating AI with other tools and platforms to create a more seamless and efficient workflow, leaning on it to train and onboard new techs, or harnessing it in some still-undiscovered way.
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