IT By Design (ITBD) has unveiled a series of resources aimed at helping its MSP partners hone critical operational processes.
The staffing and outsourced services provider announced the new offerings, which include an online university, peer groups, an employee performance management solution, and an internal tools and technology consultancy, at its second annual Build IT event, which takes place online today and tomorrow.
The new education service, called Build IT University (or “Build IT U” for short) and available immediately, contains attributes of both a partner enablement platform and a partner community. Members will have access to collateral, whitepapers, and a variety of print, audio, and online classes, as well as networking opportunities and virtual forums for sharing advice with fellow MSPs.
Courses will cover what ITBD calls the nine most essential elements of business success: culture, finance, human resources, leadership, marketing, sales, security, service, and strategy. Instructors include executives from ConnectWise, Datto, IT Glue, Liongard, RapidFire Tools, and SolarWinds, among other managed services vendors.
“As an MSP ourselves, we understand the many facets that contribute to the success of an MSP,” said Kam Attwal Kaila, ITBD’s president and chief community officer, in prepared remarks. “Our focus on nine building blocks of entrepreneurial excellence will accelerate every business—whether you are an MSP just getting started or a mature, seasoned business. There is quite literally something for every owner, every learning style, every MSP practice—all geared toward driving growth and profitability.”
By the end of this year, Build IT U will include peer groups as well. Members will participate in monthly calls, live classroom sessions, and quarterly 1:1 coaching calls with industry experts. They will also have access to virtual CIO advice. Role-specific groups will be available for finance, marketing, HR, and other functional specialists as well as business owners and CEOs. An accountability structure will ensure that enrollees follow through on commitments.
“When talking to cutting-edge leaders, no matter their age, the one thing they have in common is learning. Some read, some listen, but all share a passion for lifelong education,” said ITBD CEO Sunny Kaila in a media statement. “During the uncertainty of 2020, we learned that those business leaders who challenge themselves to innovate and bring passion to their teams are leading companies that will succeed—even in difficult economic times. Build IT U provides relevant, MSP-specific learning opportunities not currently found in the industry. We expect MSPs will find exactly what they need to stabilize and then accelerate their growth right here behind a single pane of glass.”
A new consulting service called MSP Compass, also available now, helps ITBD partners draft customized three- to five-year blueprints for optimizing their internal infrastructure and operational processes, adopting in-house IT policies and governance standards, and creating comprehensive disaster recovery and business continuity plans.
Currently in beta testing and due to enter general availability later this year, a new performance management application called Team GPS draws on ITBD’s own best practices for maximizing workforce effectiveness to identify specific steps users can take to enhance employee engagement, team execution, and customer satisfaction. It is the vendor’s first foray into the software market.
“Our mission is to build communities—with a passion for excellence,” said Kam Attwal Kaila in a press statement. “That means challenging our team to think innovatively about what we can do to meet the future needs of our partners—and also challenging our MSP partners to think bigger and better. The goal is to always look forward toward growth—whether that is lifelong learning through our Build IT initiatives or with innovative services that help fuel a new level of success.”
Coming later this year as well, ITBD disclosed today, is a new “one-stop NOC” option that lets users of its outsourced network operations center utilize ITBD’s RMM rather than one of their own. The service is designed for MSPs that don’t have an RMM solution or don’t like the one they’re using, and supplements rather than replaces ITBD’s existing support for a wide range of third-party platforms.
ITBD added RMM solutions from Datto and Kaseya, as well as Datto’s Autotask PSA system, to the list of products supported by its outsourced NOC, help desk, and RMM virtual administrator services in May. Its 500-person NOC team has been operating out of a new 36,000 square foot facility Chandigarh, India, since February.
