--- title: Build a Better MSP - Blog | Adam Walter description: Adam Walter | Build a Better MSP and Transform From an IT Service Provider to a High-Value Business Partner. Differentiate your MSP from your competition with ease, get in front of potential ideal clients and close higher-value deals. --- - [Login](https://tool.managedservicesplatform.com/) - [Help](https://help.managedservicesplatform.com/) - [Status](https://managedservicesplatform.statuspage.io/) [![HIT white powerd by msppng](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/HIT%20white%20powerd%20by%20msppng.png) ![HIT white powerd by msppng](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/HIT%20white%20powerd%20by%20msppng.png)](https://www.humanizeit.biz) [![Request Demo](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/388605/35167528-0a8b-4e13-bc76-41b9dcfa705a.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/388605/35167528-0a8b-4e13-bc76-41b9dcfa705a) - [Pricing](https://www.humanizeit.biz/pricing) - [Education](https://www.humanizeit.biz/events) - Humanize IT Podcast - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDUiMI4qjlJGa1zA1pwy6-avqM8D3I4OE) - 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They don’t know what to do or what’s coming next, so they hold their breath, make decisions in the moment and hope for the best. Moving from one thing to the next without strategy has left these employees increasingly tired and unmotivated.  In the technology world, we have a phrase for this practice that we hear multiple times a day: *Firefighting*. Firefighting means you’re spending your day putting out one fire after, always moving to the next issue with no time to plan ahead or create solid solutions for the future. Being stuck in this firefighting mode comes with a big problem: burnout.  Always having something to do is fun at first; it feels like you’re coming in as a hero and fixing the problem. Then reality hits. You aren’t getting anything done, you’re just bouncing around from one thing to the next and creating recurring problems.  Fortunately, there’s a way to stop this, and that’s where Lessons Learned comes in. ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Managed Services Providers](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/managed-services-providers) [Strategic Leadership](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/strategic-leadership) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) ###### 4 min read ## [Podcast That Bridges the Gap Between Business and Technology](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/this-podcast-helps-your-msp-to-bridge-the-gap-between-business-and-technology) By [Denes Purnhauser](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/denes-purnhauser) on Jun 10, 2020 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/humanize-it-vcio-podcast.jpg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/this-podcast-helps-your-msp-to-bridge-the-gap-between-business-and-technology) I have long been a huge podcast fan. I listen when I drive, hike or while working out, but I had trouble finding something great to share with our MSP community. I told this to Adam Walter about a year ago and he took up the challenge. Now after hearing the 7th episode of his Humanize IT podcast, I decided to put out this blog for our audience to make sure the word got out. I love this new voice and narrative about how to differentiate, how to serve and how to run an MSP of the future. He has been interviewing the most forward thinking MSP leaders about how to make IT more human, how to drive great conversations and how to deliver business value to clients. Check out the latest episodes here. Thanks to Adam for doing this for the community! ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Virtual Chief Information Officer](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/virtual-chief-information-officer) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) [Skip Ziegler](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/skip-ziegler) ###### 3 min read ## [Your web conference setup sucks (and how to fix it)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/your-web-conference-setup-sucks-and-how-to-fix-it) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on May 5, 2020 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/your-web-conference-setup-sucks.jpg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/your-web-conference-setup-sucks-and-how-to-fix-it) In today’s distributed workforce everyone is settling into a routine. Many, however,  haven't really put objective thought into how their presence is viewed by their clients. We are still playing by old rules: dress nice, speak clearly, have a predefined agenda. This is no longer the case, and it takes a back seat to web presence. So, for those of you who don’t want to read this whole thing, here are the 3 things you need to know. 1. Your web setup is too casual and unprofessional. 2. Your current setup will cost you customers in the long run. 3. For less than the cost of a new outfit you can distinguish yourself. ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [IT Consultative Sales](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-consultative-sales) [IT Client Engagement](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-client-engagement) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) ###### 3 min read ## [How We Predict the IT Industry Will Adapt to a New Crisis](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/change-is-in-the-air-how-we-predict-the-it-industry-will-adapt-to-a-new-crisis) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on Mar 25, 2020 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/can-do-it.jpg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/change-is-in-the-air-how-we-predict-the-it-industry-will-adapt-to-a-new-crisis) One of the best things about IT is that we thrive on change.  Even when the world is on fire, we are at our best — we have come through for society several times over within the last 20 years alone. Our resilience and adaptability are what make our industry so valuable.   ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [IT Client Engagement](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-client-engagement) [Technical Account Manager](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/technical-account-manager) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) ###### 2 min read ## [Why your meetings suck](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-your-meetings-suck) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on Mar 3, 2020 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/why-your-meeting-suck-blog.jpeg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-your-meetings-suck) Imagine sitting in an operational meeting with your accountant. They are telling you about reconciliation and collecting receipts. They then tell you how many transactions took place and where they need clarification on spend.  Bored yet? I am typing this and **I am bored**… This is how your clients feel when attending your quarterly or monthly operational meetings on connectwise tickets. The SLAs and project status are important to YOU and they are kind of important to the business but the method in which you are portraying information is wrong.  How do I know this? I have been an IT professional for over 20 years. Today many clients will ask me to sit in on meetings with their MSPs to help them understand what is going on. It truly is horrible, clients have just accepted that this is the way things are. Lets go a bit darker now. The truly sad part is that even the account manager and techs are bored in these meetings. They are viewed as a necessary evil because someone told them that a MSP best practice is to meet with the client on a regular basis and give status updates. So here you are, in another boring meeting, wishing that it were time to leave.  ***“Everyone is miserable but you keep moving forward  because it is what you are supposed to do.” *** Now lets flip the tables for a second, that is right, just grab the top and flip the whole thing over. Screw what you are supposed to do, let's talk about what you want to do.  ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) ###### 4 min read ## [Why your QBRs are costing you, customers](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-your-qbrs-are-costing-you-customers) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on Sep 2, 2019 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/shutterstock_279749591%20%282%29.jpg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-your-qbrs-are-costing-you-customers) For those of us who have been in technology for a while, we have seen some pretty crazy setups from well-meaning people. Largely this is because we have very smart capable people trying to work in environments with limited knowledge.  Most were trying their hardest but just didn’t know any better.   Some of the crazy things I saw back in the day were “vlans” that were actually just subnets, firewalls with giant holes in the ruleset, and unrestricted VPNs that were completely insecure. These mistakes were not made by lazy admins, they were made by well-intentioned technicians that didn’t know they were doing anything wrong. All they knew was that things were working smoothly. ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Managed Services Providers](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/managed-services-providers) [Virtual CIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/virtual-cio) [IT Client Engagement](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-client-engagement) [QBR](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/qbr) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) [Quarterly Business Review](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/quarterly-business-review) ###### 4 min read ## [Why vCIO Programs Fail](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-vcio-programs-fail) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on Jul 25, 2019 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/Why-vCIO-Programs-Fail.png)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/why-vcio-programs-fail) The industry is changing, you need to evolve or be left behind by your clients. The next step to MSPs is vCIO, but how do we get there? I have spent the last few years coaching [MSPs on how to create successful vCIO programs](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/vcio-excellence-membership-program-sales-site). There is a consistent message across every single MSP: ***“We want a vCIO program but have not been able to get it going”*** ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Virtual CIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/virtual-cio) [IT Client Engagement](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-client-engagement) [Strategic Leadership](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/strategic-leadership) [Disruptive MSP](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/disruptive-msp) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) ###### 1 min read ## [6 Best Practices of Top Performing vCIOs](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/6-best-practices-of-top-performing-vcios-by-virtual-c) By [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/author/adam-walter) on May 31, 2019 [![](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/virtual-cio-best-practices.jpg)](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/6-best-practices-of-top-performing-vcios-by-virtual-c) If you think technology strategy involves talking to your client about firewalls and server patching levels you are doing it wrong! Technology is becoming a commodity. Just a few years ago you needed an engineer just to install wireless. Now anybody with a cheque book can order turnkey solutions from amazon and manage their entire technology stack from the cloud. Businesses need partners to help them compete, they don’t need to be more educated on the greatest next generation firewall. ###### Topics: [vCIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/vcio) [Virtual CIO](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/virtual-cio) [IT Client Engagement](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/it-client-engagement) [Adam Walter](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/topic/adam-walter) [All posts](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/all) [![Sign up for the Client Engagement Excellence Manifesto PDF coming end of January](https://hubspot-no-cache-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/default/388605/91c338c8-f4a5-4b5f-be05-e2a3093ff4c0.png)](https://hubspot-cta-redirect-na2-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/cta/redirect/388605/91c338c8-f4a5-4b5f-be05-e2a3093ff4c0) ### Sign up for updates ### Featured ### Pick a topic, any topic. - [Recent Posts](https://blog.humanizeit.biz) - [QBR](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/qbr#topic) - [vCIO](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/vcio#topic) - [Client Success](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/client-success#topic) - [Technical Account Manager](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/technical-account-manager#topic) - [Humanize IT podcast](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/humanize-podcast#topic) ##### PRODUCT PRODUCT - [IT Client Engagement](https://www.humanizeit.biz/it-client-engagement) - [IT CRM](https://www.humanizeit.biz/strategic-msp) - [IT Sales](https://www.humanizeit.biz/it-sales) - [Pricing](https://www.humanizeit.biz/pricing-old-877) ##### QBR TOOLKIT QBR TOOLKIT - [QBR Discussion Points Checklist](https://info.humanizeit.biz/qbr-discussion-points-checklist) - [Executive QBR Power Questions](https://info.humanizeit.biz/executive-qbr-power-questions) - [Remote QBR Checklist](https://info.humanizeit.biz/remote-qbr-checklist) - [QBR Annual Playbook](https://info.humanizeit.biz/qbr-annual-playbook) - [QBR Time Calculator](https://info.humanizeit.biz/qbr-time-calculator) ##### RESOURCES RESOURCES - [Peer Groups](http://www.managedservicesplatform.com/peer-groups) - [Upcoming Events](https://www.humanizeit.biz/upcoming-member-events) - [QBR Toolkit](https://www.humanizeit.biz/qbr) - [Win New Clients with IT Audits](https://www.humanizeit.biz/win-new-clients-resources) - [Upsell Clients with QBRs](https://www.humanizeit.biz/expand-existing-clients-resources) - [Implement New IT Services](https://www.humanizeit.biz/implement-new-it-services-resources) - [Structure vCIO Operations](https://www.humanizeit.biz/structure-account-management-and-vcio-operation) ##### BLOG BLOG - [Quarterly Business Review - QBR](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/qbr) - [Virtual CIO - vCIO](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/vcio) - [IT Account Management](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/it-account-management) - [IT Consultative Sales](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/it-consultative-sales) - [Cyber Security](https://blog.managedservicesplatform.com/topic/cybersecurity) [![HIT white powerd by msppng](https://www.managedservicesplatform.com/hubfs/HIT%20white%20powerd%20by%20msppng.png "HIT white powerd by msppng")](https://blog.humanizeit.biz/) - [Terms](https://www.humanizeit.biz/terms-conditions) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.humanizeit.biz/privacy-policy) Copyright © 2020 Humanize IT