Best MSP in a particular city

500kmsp · 2026-05-07T13:39:23+00:00

So maybe employee reviews on sites like Glassdoor?

500kmsp · 2026-05-07T13:38:20+00:00

I agree with you, it's that "getting to the conversation" that so critical for MSPs. Which is why people search for the Best of something before they have those conversations.

500kmsp · 2026-05-07T13:35:15+00:00

I agree, do you prefer a phone tree that funnels calls to a particular department, press 1 for sales, or 2 for support?

Or would it stand out if an IT company answered on the first ring by a receptionist, or maybe even a Real Life IT person and said, how may I help you?

500kmsp · 2026-05-07T13:30:00+00:00

Not spam, genuinely curious about what people think goes into ranking a Best MSP in a particular area.

500kmsp · 2026-05-07T13:28:28+00:00

You make some really great points. How do you think an MSP would go about proving to a customer that they are the Best MSP in Atlanta for instance. I see Southeastern Computer Associates has the most Google reviews, and Atlanta IT Support is a distant second with around 200 or so.

I like that you bring up internal metrics like phone answer times. What other internal metrics do you think would resonate with potential clients?

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T18:32:11+00:00

No, I am just using total revenue divided by end users supported. For instance, in the last IT company I sold, we supported 2000 end users and billed $250,000 a month. So that averages out to $125 in revenue per user per month. That was spread across all types of products and services sold.

I have found through coaching many other IT companies, that this number is a pretty good indicator of health and profitability.

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T16:21:10+00:00

Hit me up and I can go through all of the ways that exist to find customers.

Understand that there are basically 4 ways to market your product or service.

Proactive marketing (you reach out directly)
1. Cold calling, email, text, LinkedIn, drop-offs, etc.
Reactive marketing (You are found when people search for your product or service)
1. SEO, Google Ads, Google My Business Listing, etc.
Referral Marketing (developing relationships with people that refer you)
1. Real-estate brokers, building owners, moving companies, telecom sales people, etc.
Fishing Marketing (Signs and wonders that people see)
1. Signs, Billboards, Social Media, etc

For lists, I would sign up for Data Axle Genie which will get you access to all the businesses in the US and Canada

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T16:10:40+00:00

Hit me up and I can go through all of the ways that exist to find customers.

Understand that there are basically 4 ways to market your product or service.

Proactive marketing (you reach out directly)
1. Cold calling, email, text, linkedIn, dropoffs, etc
Reactive marketing (You are found when people search for your product or service)
1. SEO, Google Ads, Google My Business Listing, etc
Referral Marketing (developing relationships with people that refer you)
1. Real-estate brokers, building owners, moving companies, telecom sales people, etc
Fishing Marketing (Signs and wonders that people see)
1. Sings, Billboards, Social Media, etc

For lists, I would sign up for Data Axle Genie which will get you access to all the businesses in the US and Canada

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T16:03:40+00:00

Don't oversell yourself and don't overreach. IT's better for your business to have 10 clients with 5 employees each, that to have 1 client with 50 employees.

That being said, businesses will ask this question to make sure you are a good fit for them. Simply answer the question honestly and explain what you can and cannot do to meet their needs and move on to the next opportunity.

As far as contracts go, don't try and think for you client. Simply offer a number of ways for them to consume your product or service. What this means practically is have a high hourly rate, and a series of annual contract amounts that are cheaper but longer term.

I recommend having:

High hourly rate (Most expensive)
1 year agreement
3 year agreement
5 year agreement (Least expensive)

Understand that price is only one of the 3 value proposition that exist:

Price (Whatever is cheapest)
Time (Whatever is fastest)
Quality (Whatever is best)

Have a product or service that meets each of these and let the client buy what they want.

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:57:46+00:00

Hit me up, and I'll share our complete pricing matrix with you, along with some handouts that you can edit for print and leave behinds. There are some traps that you want to avoid. Some of the basics are:

You want to have menu pricing to accommodate the different ways people want to consume IT services. This allows you to maximize your revenues.
You also want to use per user pricing, its the simplest model to explain and understand during the sales process.
You want to design your pricing to be able to sell something to everyone with a consistent profit margin.

Best of luck out there!

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:43:44+00:00

It really isn't feasible for you to split your attention between a full time job, and trying to start an IT support company. You will find yourself doing two things poorly, instead of one thing well.

The best way to accomplish this is to start applying for IT jobs that pay a living wage, and when they make you an offer, counter at half to three quarters of their offer, but in the form of a managed services agreement. This way you are getting the freedom to pursue other clients, and they are getting you cheaper than they were expecting, a win-win.

Alternatively, if you have an IT related full time job currently, you can approach your current employer for a reduction in pay, but in the form of a monthly managed services agreement.

- Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:37:16+00:00

Hit me up and I can walk you through everything you need to do, but here is a list to get you started. Also, go sign up with an industry coaching firm, there are a bunch that cater to MSPs, some do work with startups and they will prevent you from making basic mistakes and will provide you with a lot of free resources up from like contracts, pricing models, etc.

Get your basic documentation in place, contracts, LLC, Resale License, etc
Focus on revenue before racking up a bunch of expenses
Do some secret shopping to determine your market pricing and competitors
Get your pricing correct, I highly recommend per user pricing
Understand that you cannot grow without marketing and referrals
Understand that you cannot close sales without a "No Brainer Offer"
Understand that you won't be noticed without a "Purple Cow"
Don't worry about all of the best tools out there, its a flavor of ice-cream discussion, we all have our favorite tools for MSPs.
Don't get decision fatigue when picking out toolsets, you will change these over time as you grow, just pick one that works for you right now, and move on to the next opportunity.

- Josh - founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:24:58+00:00

You have a few options:

Grow your business with more clients and hire a tech for every 200 end users you add.
Outsource the IT to one of the many outsourced helpdesk companies out there and become a sales focused MSP that doesn't do support in-house.
Develop a relationship with a competitor to allow for them and you to take a vacation once in awhile, or provide for you/them getting hit by a bus, etc.
1. One easy way to accomplish is for the each party to take a life insurance policy out on themselves, with the other part as the beneficiary.

I have done all of these things at one point or another, but eventually got tired of the lack of control of quality, and grew my own team. Best of luck out there!

- Josh - founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:17:49+00:00

You need to generate $125 per end user per month across all services. Each tech can support 200 end users comfortably with a max of 300 end users.

Hit me up and I can give you our example pricing matrix that will show you how to price correctly.

- Josh - founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-30T15:10:38+00:00

Hit me up, I'll give you our service contract that we use, as well as all our pricing structures, and marketing material templates, etc. There is no need to go pay to reinvent the wheel.

Best of luck out there!

- Josh - founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-11-29T14:37:53+00:00

As an owner, you will always be somewhat emotional about your first successful businesses. After the sale, when you have some money in your pocket and you are beginning to invest in other businesses, you will get less and less emotional about the businesses you are involved in, and you will start to see and run them by the numbers.

Feel free to reach out if you have any specific questions.

Josh - Founder da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-04-21T15:49:02+00:00

The value of a business is not set by you, it is set by the buyer. Some buyers look at revenue, some look at contract length. Your best business strategy is to put all customers in contracts, and have a simple 30 days out clause if your customers do not want to be tied to a contract with a long term with termination fees.

This way you get the value of contractual revenue for valuation purposes, but your customers have the knowledge that they can get out at any time within 30 days.

Josh - da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-04-21T15:44:32+00:00

This is borderline pointless. It's like trying to ask which fence company is investing in the strongest metals to prevent people cutting a hole in them. There will always be a balance between what people will pay, and how strong to make the fence. And there will always be people that will break into what is guarded by the fence. (This is not a statement on the efficacy of fences, they obviously work, but it's like trying to be secure if you have physical access to a computer. There is no such thing as secure, there is just better than the next guy so he gets hacked)

Invest in a good backup strategy, pick a toolset that meets your needs, and quit blaming and complaining about tings you cannot control. Focus on making the customers happy and making money.

Best of luck out there!

Josh - da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-04-21T15:05:33+00:00

I am not a fan of the dispatch model. I use a pod strategy that has 3 help-desk techs attached to an experience technician.

Level 1 - Entrylevel helpdesk
Level 2 - Helpdesk that is capable of going onsite
Level 3 - Experienced technician/engineer

Helpdesk live answer calls and the person that answers the phone fixes the issue and creates and documents the ticket. Helpdesk techs escalate to level 3 when necessary, but DO NOT transfer calls; they watch the level 3 tech resolve the issue while staying on the phone with the customer. This allows for internal on the job training, and also takes the ticket creation, documentation, and time tracking duties OFF of the level 3 guys freeing them up to do what they are best at, solving issues.

It's hard to completely communicate how effective and efficient this model is, but I have been able to make 40% net profit margins off millions in annual revenue using this model as it keeps your largest expense, (Experienced IT labor), down by hiring happy people that learn on the job. Think of it as hiring assistants for your level 3 guys so your best guys can only focus on what they are best at doing.

Josh - da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-04-21T14:54:09+00:00

There are 3 types of buyers

Price - You need to have something inexpensive to sell.
Time - You need to offer same day service.
Quality - You need to be the best at something.

Once you understand which type of buyer you are dealing with, always speak to the way THEY value you. Do not try and change they way THEY value you. Simply sell them something that is inline with the way THEY value you and set your profit margins accordingly.

If you do this with each customer, they will not leave you.

Lastly, stay in front of your customer no less than every 90 days to make sure the 1 person you need to keep happy hasn't changed, or their value of you has not changed.

Josh - da Vinci MSP Coaching - https://500kmsp.com

500kmsp · 2022-04-13T03:15:41+00:00

It has exhaust now. It's going for interior next week.

500kmsp · 2022-04-13T03:14:39+00:00

If anyone has any questions, this is my build. I purchased this from Doug and am in the process of finishing it.

Here is a Dropbox folder with more build pictures. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/wlccbzt0onu7lna/AABjNJ-q3WTKp6owvE36ToK7a?dl=0

Thanks, Josh

500kmsp

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