Table of contents
Episode Summary
In this episode of Syncronized, Brandon Garcin talks with Josh Fricovsky, Engineering Director at Cortavo, about elevating the customer experience within an MSP. Josh emphasizes that customer experience (CX) should be treated as a core product, a key differentiator in a competitive market. He advocates for moving beyond a break-fix mentality and becoming a strategic partner for clients.
Josh shares practical strategies for enhancing CX, such as finding the “path to yes” by prioritizing solutions and compromises. He encourages MSPs to look for opportunities to add value in every customer interaction, from resolving technical issues to sharing educational content. Building a customer-centric culture within the organization is also key. This involves breaking down silos between departments and fostering collaboration.
Josh also discusses the importance of constant value demonstration. He advises against relying solely on quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to highlight your MSP’s worth. Instead, he suggests regular reporting and communication to reinforce your value and maintain strong client relationships. This proactive approach helps build trust and positions your MSP as a true partner invested in the client’s success.
Guest-at-a-Glance
💡 Name: Josh Fricovsky
💡What they do: Engineering Director
💡Company: Cortavo
💡Noteworthy: Josh Fricovsky brings 10 years of diverse MSP experience, with a focus on building strategic partnerships and prioritizing customer experience.
💡 Where to find them: LinkedIn
Key Insights
Customer Experience as a Differentiator
In a crowded MSP market, technical expertise is often a given. What truly sets an MSP apart is the quality of the customer experience it delivers. This means treating CX as a core product, not just a support function. Focus on building strong relationships, understanding client needs, and providing personalized service. By prioritizing CX, MSPs can foster trust and loyalty, leading to increased client retention and growth. Moving beyond break-fix and becoming a trusted advisor demonstrates value and strengthens partnerships. This shift requires a customer-centric mindset throughout the organization, ensuring every interaction reinforces the MSP’s commitment to client success.
Adding Value Beyond the Basics
While technical proficiency is essential, MSPs should strive to provide value that goes beyond simply resolving technical issues. This can include sharing educational resources, offering proactive suggestions for improvement, and identifying opportunities for automation or efficiency gains. By anticipating client needs and offering solutions they may not have considered, MSPs demonstrate their expertise and commitment. This proactive approach builds trust and positions the MSP as a valuable partner invested in the client’s long-term success, not just a reactive service provider. These added-value services can also create new revenue streams and differentiate the MSP from competitors.
Internal Alignment Drives External Success
A unified, collaborative approach to customer service is crucial for delivering exceptional CX. MSPs should prioritize breaking down internal silos between departments like sales, engineering, and service delivery. When teams work together seamlessly, sharing information and insights, it creates a consistent and positive customer experience. This internal alignment ensures that everyone within the MSP is focused on the same goal: client satisfaction. This cohesive approach strengthens the MSP’s ability to deliver on its promises and build strong, lasting client partnerships. By fostering internal collaboration, MSPs empower their teams to provide proactive, personalized service that drives client retention and growth.
Listener Takeaways
The Importance of “Soft Skills” in a Technical Field
While technical expertise is fundamental in the MSP world, Josh and Brandon discuss the often-overlooked importance of “soft skills” like communication, empathy, and relationship building. These skills are crucial for understanding client needs, managing expectations, and delivering a positive customer experience. In a field dominated by technical jargon and problem-solving, the ability to connect with clients on a human level can be a significant differentiator. This human-centric approach builds trust and fosters stronger partnerships.
“There’s a clean distinction between customer service and customer experience. How do we make the customer experience the best product? Because that’s what’s going to differentiate us from anyone else.”
Strategic Partnerships vs. Traditional IT Departments
The conversation shifts to the evolving role of MSPs. Josh highlights the transition from simply being an “IT department” to becoming true strategic partners for clients. This involves a deeper understanding of the client’s business goals and aligning technology solutions to support those objectives. It requires proactive planning, consultation, and ongoing communication. This shift positions MSPs as valuable advisors who contribute to the client’s overall success, not just their technical needs.
“We’re trying to be that blend. We know there are enterprise-level solutions, but a lot of our market is in that mid-market approach. So we try really hard to say, ‘This is an awesome thing you might have heard at a conference, but here’s how we can apply it to you.’”
Proactive Value and Preventing Churn
Josh and Brandon discuss proactive value delivery as a key strategy for client retention. Consistently looking for ways to improve a client’s experience, even in small ways, can have a significant impact on loyalty. Addressing potential issues before they become major problems, offering proactive suggestions, and demonstrating ongoing value builds trust and reduces the likelihood of churn. This proactive approach strengthens relationships and solidifies the MSP’s position as a valuable partner.
“Over time, those things help make up for maybe little slip-ups or mistakes…You never want to be one bad ticket away from losing a customer. The things we are talking about are what can really help build that longer-term trust and relationship.”
Leveraging Existing Clients for Growth
Josh shares his focus on leveraging the existing customer base for sustainable growth. He explains that by consistently seeking ways to increase value for current clients, MSPs can unlock organic growth opportunities. This approach not only strengthens existing relationships but also generates positive word-of-mouth referrals. By focusing on maximizing the value delivered to current clients, MSPs create a foundation for sustainable and profitable expansion.
“I’ve always said I’m biased because I feel like our best customer base is our existing customer base. Can I grow the business with our existing customer base by 5 to 10%, to 15 to 20% year over year? If I can, that means I’m doing something right.”
Syncronized is the MSP podcast that drives MSP growth, from startup to scale-up. In each episode, we dive into the topics that matter most to IT providers, such as automation, AI, service delivery and profitability. Join us as we engage with experts and gain hands-on insights and practical advice you can directly apply to propel your business forward.
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