For many MSPs, deploying Microsoft 365 means migrating emails and files to the cloud, setting up 2FA and conditional access, and calling it a day. But if that’s all you’re doing, you’re leaving a massive opportunity on the table and creating a pain point another MSP can use to steal your client.
The real question isn’t “Have we deployed Microsoft 365?”
It’s “Are our clients using Microsoft 365 to its full potential?”
Huge Pain Point: “Feeling like we’re not getting our money’s worth”
In our MSP, one of the most common frustrations prospects express after a bit of digging is that they feel they’re paying for Microsoft 365 but aren’t using all the features. They know there’s more to it than just Outlook and SharePoint that they should be using, but they don’t know where to start.
Take an example from last week: We met with a prospect who was only accessing SharePoint files through the web interface. They had no idea they could use the OneDrive client to access files seamlessly. Just by showing them this simple feature, we completely transformed their experience.
While this case was an extreme example, we find that most prospects have Microsoft 365 Business Premium. Still, they are not using co-editing features, Mobile Apps, Bookings, Forms, Engage, To Do, Planer, etc.
Don’t just deploy: Educate and Optimize
As an MSP, your role isn’t just to migrate data; it’s to empower users! And as a vCIO, you must:
- Understand how your clients are actually using Microsoft 365
- Identify underutilized apps that could improve productivity
- Create a plan to educate users on relevant features
If you’re not showing them these features, someone else and you could very well lose your client.
As a vCIO, your job is to ensure your clients get the most out of their Microsoft 365 investment. If they’re paying for features they aren’t using, they may start questioning the value not just of Microsoft 365, but of your MSP.
Worse, if another MSP steps in and shows them a great feature they didn’t even know they had, you are likely to be done as their trusted advisor and probably as their MSP.
If your Microsoft 365 deployments don’t include education and optimization, you’re leaving clients underwhelmed and vulnerable to competitors.
Your clients deserve to know, use, and benefit from the full range of Microsoft 365 tools they pay for. Make sure your MSP is the one guiding them—not someone else.
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Simon is the President of S3 Technologies, a leading Canadian MSP he co-founded in 2003. He built and scaled the vCIO team which eventually lead to him co-founding Propel Your MSP in 2018 to help MSPs with their vCIO services.
