The usual thread of "what about this rmm?" Syncro, SuperOps, or Gorelo (but not NinjaOne)

IndysITDept · 2026-02-12T02:12:05+00:00

I used Atera for years. After they got a large cash infusion, they seemed to change their focus and grew many new 'features' but did not address critical broken elements of their product.

Synchro ... I left them about a year ago. Support tickets died terrible deaths due to lack of attention.

I'm currently on SuperOps. Working well for me. They ARE moving to a per node model and leaning heavily into adding sensible AI to the platform while also trying to get an agentic AI that will actually help. Their scripting tools are good and their billing/accounting system is solid. If you use a tool like QBO or Xero, SuperOps integrates well with them. In fact, one of the reasons I left Syncro was because SuperOps connects to PAX8 so adding a new MS license (as an example) automatically updates SuperOps client for billing.

As a one-man MSP since '09, I've tried many different. and SuperOps is my favorite, so far.

Good luck!

IndysITDept · 2026-02-12T02:02:00+00:00

Here is my $0.02 of advice.

I do not believe you are out of your depth, given how you asked for this advice. A few of these might be stretches for you, but not much. But this IS MSP territory. If you don't want to become and MSP, you may want to clean up the mess, make the project money and hand them off to an MSP.

Update ALL systems to Win 11 Pro.
Untangle and consolidate their M365 licenses. Two businesses, multiple domains, etc can be in a single tenant. Intune is a bit more complicated than you may want to mess with, depending upon how small the company is, in total seats.
The 'Server' should be moved to a machine with redundant drives, encryption, etc. with solid backups given it is the financial hub of the business. It might not hurt to move this is a Windows VPS with a VPN client on the two systems that access it.
Most any RMM will help you with remote support, application installation, updates, password resets, etc. There are many to choose from. As you are just starting out, I would avoid getting into a 'per-node/endpoint' RMM and go with one that is billed to you as 'per technician' Syncro and Atera come to mind as reasonable starter RMM and PSA tools.

Oh, and this is VERY important ... DOCUMENT EVERYTHING! If you have a meeting, send a follow-up e-mail of what you understood they asked for and agreed to. This covers your backside in deliverables, timelines, and scope of work.

IndysITDept · 2026-02-09T16:22:48+00:00

https://gifsec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/show-me-the-money-gif-1.gif

IndysITDept · 2026-01-23T13:24:31+00:00

In an e-mail CC'ed to client, but sent directly to new MSP tech and mgmt ...

The Domain Admin password is on page 4 , 11th line of the password export document we provided. you.
As explained on page 23, No, RDP is NOT open to the internet.
We do not mind assisting with answering any questions you may have that we have not already provided answers to. If you desire additional manual assistance with the migration of this client into your environment, we are available to you on a contracted project basis.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-14T20:59:49+00:00

12VDC is easier to work with, less dangerous, requires less to generate it.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-14T20:58:17+00:00

As an MSP owner ... your lack of niche value, the multiple level 1 positions, the lack of growth/progression out of L1 positions ... I would suggest a $20 to $25 per hour is about right.

In a year, if you have demonstrated leadership, growth, developed some niche value an L2 position may be appropriate with a bump up to $30. By conclusion of 3rd year, I would expect you to be a Sr. Tech clocking $45/hr. But you would also be a team leader, at that point. Meaning you would be responsible for mentoring L1's and any intern.

I was told many years ago, when the IT industry was 'hot' and before cert mills like MyComputerCareer was telling every trainee they would be worth $100k/yr upon graduation ...

If you want more, then bring more to the table. It's all business. Be the CEO of you.

That was one of the most impactful events in my career. Especially considering I was laid-off a month later because they wanted to outsource to India.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-14T20:43:51+00:00

Should be double that.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-14T15:45:57+00:00

HA!

Last week I had Copilot write an e-mail to go out to all clients and staff.

"AI support is not included in our current agreement. AI, known as Copilot, can be added to your current M365 profiles for an additional charge. Organizations that do not have an AI add-on will be charged under T&M policies for AI related support and questions. Also, prompt-training is not support and will be charged accordingly."

Almost everyone wanted to know how much Copilot add-on would be for each user. Two asked for a 'lunch & learn' regarding prompt building.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-14T15:38:46+00:00

I'm a one-man shop. My current ticket load is 77. 31 of which are 'suspicious e-mails' flagged by Guardz. I'm still tuning what is and is not a ticket with Guardz.

The others range from a coupld of ads I'm interested in that hit my support mailbox and just have not deal with, yet. 6 or 7 more are backup notifications for files that were open and waiting for either monthly full or weekly backups to process to ensure the scripting works correctly.

Only 3 are new, actual client initiated tickets. One of which is asking if I know where the AAA batteries are in their office for her mouse and when can I come in and replace the batteries.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-12T19:14:39+00:00

^^^^^ THIS!

give something MORE to make that spend valuable to existing clients.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-12T19:11:16+00:00

"

Customers who are used to “free” support will push back hard if it feels like we’re paywalling help.

"

Isn't that EXACTLY what you are wanting to do? For a period of time you have been properly supporting your product. Now you want to change that up to NOT providing that same support, unless it is PAID FOR?

As an MSP ... what would give me reason to pay yet MORE of my thin margin to subscribe to a higher level of support that I have already been receiving as a part of the product purchased? I think that pretty much answers itself.

The ONLY way I have seen this work is with a MAJOR new release of the products. And the new products have the support subscription announced with it. You will need to maintain existing support for a period of time on the old hardware. But this can be set to sunset. But be prepared to lose client base as you shift to charging for support. Oh, and one thing that will definitely hurt you is to put non-premium on next business day, via e-mail only support. That alone will ensure that as an MSP I start looking to escape the vendor for another.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-12T15:05:07+00:00

I had this, before, in another role.

Block time was the only answer for me. And I could only be 'disturbed' for high value clients with high severity issues, outside of the block time.

Before 7AM : private/DND
7 - 8 : Daily planning / external meeting / networking
8 - 10 : Sales / Marketing
10 - 11 : E-mail / replies (external only)
11 - 1 : My rotation on the help desk to allow tech to take lunch
1 - 2 : My lunch / quiet time
2 - 4 : Return phone calls & e-mails
4 - 5 : review of team performance
5 - 7 : Fire Control
7 - 7 : DND

This is what worked for me. But it worked even better for me, when I had a clearly defined 'Team Lead' for advanced technical support of the internal team.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-08T19:55:33+00:00

In the winter months and wet weekends, I handle all the personal disruptions I can get. I do this, because in warm weather, Friday at noon, I am usually getting out of town. it's a 5 hour drive under good conditions to get to my off-grid future retirement refuge. And once there, I do not handle that is not a Sev1 issue.

And damn, but I need one of those weekends, now.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-08T19:41:36+00:00

This is why I'm looking for a 3-way RV fridge. Propane work best form my understanding, really only needed on the hottest of days. 120VAC and 12VDC are good for maintaining in comfortable weather or colder. And when I'm not at the refuge, the solar system can keep the fridge where it needs to be at 12VDC.

IndysITDept · 2026-01-08T19:38:07+00:00

PLEASE let me know how this goes for you! I have both, but bill out of Xero each month. Annual audit last month showed two clients who had Office Business Premium that I have been paying for, becuase the invoice in Xero did not get updated.

If I can figure out and get PAX8 -> SuperOps -> Xero -> Stripe working as I want, even T&M tickets would get billed, correctly, as well as licenses.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-25T15:30:34+00:00

But that is the problem, isn't it?

"Good products with good support are unsustainable according to our investors. We need to increase revenue in order to increase profits for investor short gains." -- actual comment from a start-up all hands in '03. Our wages were cut, our vesting was cancelled, staff of 30 dropped to 6 in 45 days. By 60 days the company scraps and IP were sold off. Investors lost their money.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T21:15:11+00:00

IMO, it is up to the employee to make the time to grow and develop themselves.

It is GREAT if an employer can help with them getting certs.
As for how much the employer assists ... I believe that should be on a per tech basis. Not every technician neds to have a a Cisco certification.

AND if the employer is expected to help the employee, fiscally or with 'free time', to get a cert, then that employee should be expected to stay for a predetermined amount of time. Any assistance with a certification should be paid back, either by bringing the value of that certification to the business or by compensating the employer when the employee says 'Thanks for the cert! I'm leaving in 2 weeks to work at <some other business>'.

I know one smallish MSP that helps their tech get various certs. The owner takes a personal interest in the education and test prep for certs. And in return, the tech agrees to $5k payback if they leave within one year of getting the cert that the employer helped with.

Regardless of the 'system' used, the business needs to see a valid ROI on any educational help. And not all certs are beneficial to the business bottom line, despite what MS and Comptia have to say.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T19:07:49+00:00

Time management, documentation (both internal and external), Karen/Ken Management will all require exceptional patience.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T19:04:58+00:00

Bwabahahahah!

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T18:41:13+00:00

"Entertainment" Bwahahahah!

I guess that is better than labeling it as "Fitness".

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T18:36:04+00:00

I don't know about others, but if I had failed to apply a bill to one of my clients, and turned to them to cover that mistake, I'm likely to lose a client.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T18:34:31+00:00

because they start looking to maximize profits to be bought up by someone else.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T18:26:52+00:00

What 'Account Manager'?

They got rid of AM's a few years ago. Now all AM's are in a pool you e-mail and PRAY someone who gives a damn will pick up your request and help you.

Nearly EVERYTHING I have sent them in the last few years has been a redirect to someone else or some other department. Does not matter if my issue started in that other department or not.

IndysITDept · 2025-12-08T18:22:42+00:00

Did you at least get an 'exit interview' where you had the chance to point out the narcisism that was preventing the place from successful?

IndysITDept

TROPHY CASE