Nothing Happens
by Itself
Copyright © 2023 Karl W. Palachuk
| |
|
Hello Karl,
Coming Soon on Audible!
I love working based on priorities. In fact, one of the Absolutely Unbreakable Rules is: "Prioritize Everything." But . . .
A priority system means that you have to be brutally honest about lower-priority tasks. Either you have to create processes to make sure that low-priority tasks get some attention, or you need to accept that there will tasks that never get done.
Gulp. That's a bit hard to swallow. Why is something on my list if it's never actually going to get attention? We'll come back to this. See below.
In the meantime, I have a lower-priority project that has worked its way to the top of my to-do list. We are finally producing the audio book version of The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery. I meant to do this on release, but I had to go through the painful process of accepting that I cannot be the voice for my own audio books.
Most of my audio books have been read by Greg Zarcone, a voiceover artist with over a hundred titles to his credit. But way back when we created the Killing IT Podcast, I hired my brother Robin to do the intro. It was great. So I engaged him to read the audio version of The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery.
SO . . . that book will be out on Audible this month. Maybe even by next week.
And while I was at it, I realized that we had never put the four-volume SOPs (The Managed Services Operations Manual) on Audible. Originally, we charged a premium for those books. Audible has a limit on what you can charge per minute and does not understand that a good trade publication is more of a tool than a book. So we never put them up.
Now those books sell for $39.95 each and the Audible model makes sense. So we're putting those up on Audible as well. Stay tuned here and my blog for updates.
Note: Members of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community have always had access to the four-volume set at no additional charge. They are in the Community downloads. AND, Community members will have free access to the new book as well.
| |
|
I'm Doing a Webinar with Amy B. - Wednesday
Everyone is welcome to this unique webinar. This is NOT about selling your business, M&A, etc. This webinar looks at getting ready for "Life after MSP."
If you're within ten years of stepping away from your business - or you just want to be prepared - join us. We'll talk all about the reality of of what's next. Free of course.
Register now at https://nsitsp.org/events
or check out the blog post at https://nsitsp.org/news/ for the details. See you there!
| |
|
Class Is Under Way!
We had a GREAT first class for the four-week course based around the new book, The IT Consultant's Year of Intention.
This course is only available to member of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community. And we had a few people skip the first class because of IT Nation. So we'll have more folks this week.
Members: Please do yourself a favor and sign up for this four-part class. I 100% guarantee we will not waste your time!
Note: We are NOT recording these classes. We want everyone to be able to feel free to speak their mind and engage in a bit of "mastermind" business exchange. So please show up ready to participate!
Please to join us Thursday at 10AM Pacific / 1PM Eastern - and you'll be ahead of the crowd when it comes to planning for 2024.
Members Click Here
Non-members: If you want to join the class, just join the Community.
| |
|
Dealing with Low Priority Tasks
I believe in a three-level priority system, with true "Emergency" as the fourth level. If you've read my books or blog, you know that I believe an emergency (Priority One) cannot be set by a human. Emergencies set their own priority. As such, they had better be a microscopic part of you business, or you're probably in the wrong business.
That leaves the three most common priorities: High, Medium, or Low (P2, P3, P4). No one seems to worry about Hi-Pri tasks as they obviously get attention. But people worry a lot about Lo-Pri tasks because they worry that they'll never get done. Here are some tips.
First: Your standard priority, unless there's a reason to assign something else, should be Medium. And, if you're doing managed service, you should be planning all your work. So, you should calculate your backlog and response time. But a good target is that all medium priority tasks should be closed in about three business days. That allows the service manager to plan all work and for the "system" to just do its magic.
Second: Once you put your attention on a specific client (e.g, to execute monthly maintenance), look at all of their low-priority tickets and see how many you can knock out while you're working on that client's stuff. If, for example, their monthly maintenance takes 1.5 hours, go ahead and work on low-priority tickets for another half hour.
As a correlate, any onsite visit should include spending a little time working on low-pri tickets. If a client is on managed services, and these tickets are all "maintenance," then work til the top of the hour. It won't cost them any extra, and you'll spend time improving the little things while been seen in the office.
Third: As you do the daily massage of the service board (See Managed Services Operations Manual, Volume Four), sort by priority and then client. If any client has a lot of low priority tickets, assign a tech to give that client the love they deserve. Maybe three hours of focused attention. This is a great way for a newer client to get some experience and the the oddities of one of your clients.
Fourth: Adopt a policy that any ticket more than thirty days old is moved from Low to Medium Priority. At that point, your 3-day clock starts.
Fifth: Have faith. The system works. Truly low priority problems will often be solved as patches and updates are applied. More will be solved as higher-priority tickets are completed. If not, they'll automatically move up the list as they age.
In the end, clients ask about low priority items just to know how you'll handle it. Assure them, "We have a system" and revisit the issue in three months. If you work it right, there won't be an issue.
BUT . . .
Also know, that you should feel no guilt about low priority tasks in your life. Why is my garage in need of cleaning? Because it's very low priority. Might I die with a disorganized garage? Yes. Just like most people. It's okay.
Ultimately, time is an option. In other words, your priorities are reflected in you actions. Your priorities are reflected in your behavior. Tools, like your ticketing system, can certainly help. But low priority really means that everything else is higher priority.
So don't stress out. Instead, go home and hug someone who loves you.
| |
Tid Bits . . .
Lots of updates to the calendar for 2024! Everything's subject to change, of course, but we now have the 2024 ChannelPro, ASCII, SMB TechFest, and Xchange events. Start planning to attend some shows next year!
And keep sending your updates. Thank you.
-- -- --
As far as I know, I only have one more trip for 2023: the one-day ASCII Navigate show in Waikiki! See the note here: https://blog.smallbizthoughts.com/2023/11/ascii-announces-2024-event-schedule.html
If you are on one of the islands, I encourage you to join me. I know it costs a bit - but it's a lot less expensive than flying to the mainland. If you want more events in Hawaii, show up for the folks who make the effort.
AND I would love to get folks together for dinner. So contact me. Obviously, if you're coming from the mainland (or some other place), please join us as well. I know at least three of us who are going to Hawaii just for this event. And I know a couple folks coming from other islands.
Would love to see you there.
-- -- --
Don't forget to scroll down and view the latest videos.
Thanks for reading. Share with a colleague to win karma points.
:-)
| |
|
Join me live at . . .
- ASCII event - December 7 in Waikiki, HI
- Karl's 2024 State of the Nation report for SMB IT - Register Now
ChannelPro SMB Forum - Nov. 12-13, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA.
Links below in the events calendar - or at WhereInTheWorldIsKarl.com.
| |
|
Starts Soon - Register Now
Customer Service for IT Service Providers
Taught by Karl W. Palachuk
Author, Coach, and Community Builder
- Five Tuesdays
- Nov 28 - Dec 26
Register Now - Only $399*
(Only $349 with code below)
One of the most ignored/neglected aspects of running an IT business is Customer Service. My particular approach focuses on what I call the Three P's - People, Processes, and Programs.
I take a wholistic approach. In other words, I believe that customer service touches every part of your company. It's not just when technicians or CS reps are talking to clients. Remember: Customers just call it service. And service begins with your marketing, sales, and client onboarding. It includes the way you invoice and do collections. And, of course, it affects your technicians, front office, and CS staff.
Check out the super-quick intro video
https://youtu.be/qAH1Kx6-M0E
Description
Great customer service doesn’t just happen. It’s built from the bottom up with great processes, people, and programs. In this course, you’ll learn how to build a system that provides excellent customer service while keeping your company profitable. Most companies don’t design a customer-focused service delivery with intention. We’ll show you how to attract new clients based on your service delivery.
We use a framework that focuses on people, processes, and programs. “People” includes your employees, your clients, and your vendors. And that makes clear why you need to build a customer service system that’s totally consistent with your brand.
It’s critically important that you don’t simply “bolt on” customer service to whatever you’re already doing. Instead, we’ll show you how to create a never-ending loop of brand-building, employee management, and customer management. And we’ll do all this with in a way that maximizes profitability.
And of course, all of this is presented in the context of an IT consulting business.
| |
Only $399 - only $349 with code
Top Take-aways:
- Why is Customer Service different in small business?
- Where does customer service happen in your company?
- Why 10x-ing everything is stupid and harmful to your business
- How to build a great business based on your perfect clients
- Why customer service permeates every single thing in your business
PLUS lots more.
| |
|
Here are the specifics of what you'll learn, week by week:
Unit 1 What is Customer Service and Who Delivers It?
Unit 2 People: Clients and Employees
Unit 3 Processes for Success
Unit 4 CS programs and automation
Unit 5 Consistent, Scalable, Reproducible, Amazing Customer Service
Delivered by Karl W. Palachuk, author The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery . . . and other fine books.
As always, this course includes instructor office hours, lots of handouts, and homework intended to help you actually make change in your business.
ITSP University Certification:
Meets Certification Requirements for:
- Management
- Front Office
- Technician
- Service Manager
- Sales & Marketing
This class will be recorded. Each unit is generally posted within 24 hours of the live class. These recorded units will become the On-Demand class and you’ll have lifetime access to it.
Register Now - Only $399*
Save $50 with code above
Note: * Members of the Small Biz Thoughts Technology Community attend at no additional charge. See details in the Community
| |
All the Resources That Are Fit to Print | |
Recent Blog Posts, Podcasts, and Videos | |
|
Small Biz Thoughts Blog:
SMB Community Podcast - New episodes drop every Thursday
National Society of IT Service Providers News Blog
Relax Focus Succeed:
.
| |
Community News
SmallBizThoughts.org
| |
Join us every Thursday
9 AM Pacific / Noon Eastern
All members welcome.
| |
|
Heads Up!
The new audio book of The Absolutely Unbreakable Rules of Service Delivery is available fo you (members) to download right now. Just heads to the Community and browse to Community / What's New.
https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/category/whats-new/
Free to members. It will be available to the general public soon. See the note above.
| |
|
Members: Join the "Year of Intention" Class - and the new Breakout Program
You only missed one week. You'll have no problem joining us for week two - Thursday.
| |
Ready to Launch: Community Breakouts
IF you've been paying attention, then you know that the new book The IT Consultant's Year of Intention is free to you in the community. But we want this to be a lot more than a book. My motto is . . .
Nothing Happens by Itself
And that's why everything we do is focused on taking action to make changes in your business (for the better). Our courses have homework so you are prompted to take action. We produce workbooks and checklists to promote taking action.
And so . . . The new book is also a new class inside the SBT Technology Community.
100% free to members. 100% not available to non-members.
Get all the juicy details (and register) here:
https://www.smallbizthoughts.org/class-and-breakout-based-on-the-new-book-year-of-intention/
The special class is schedule for four sessions:
- November 9
- November 16
- December 7
- December 14
| |
|
In each class, we'll go through some of the book and then have "Breakout" session to help you begin planning your 2024 - with Intention. The Breakout will be something like a peer group or mastermind group - but with a defined time frame.
Our new Breakout programs will be very focused on a specific topic - but without the open-ended long-term commitment of most peer groups or mastermind groups. We're using the Year of Intention book to kick off the Breakout program.
If you just want the class - GREAT. Sign up. I promise you'll get great value from it.
If you want peer feedback and a safe space for brainstorming with other IT consultants, that's also GREAT. Jump in and join us.
Those who choose to join the Breakout program will continue to meet for the first few months of 2024. So, you get to customize the experience you get.
Bottom line today: The first class is coming up in a few weeks, so sign up today. You don't have to commit to anything now. But we'd love to have you in class.
Note: All of this is 100% free to members! So jump in.
| |
Here's the last Community News video: | |
|
Every once in a while, one of my Yelp pictures makes it to the banner of a restaurant or venue. My recent, not-very-good photo of the Cottesloe Beach Hotel (outside of Perth) made the cut.
This might actually be a reflection of the fact that most of the other pictures where plates of French fries.
I did like the giant frog on top of the general store.
You can see my review at https://www.yelp.com/biz/cottesloe-beach-hotel-cottesloe
:-)
| |
What's Here?
This calendar lists two kinds of things: LIVE in-person events from any organization that focuses on the SMB consulting community; and MY events, whether live, webinar, etc.
If you have live events on your calendar that may be useful to others in the SMB Community, please let us know. We'd be happy to list them.
| |
|
November 2024
ChannelPro SMB Forum
Nov. 12-13, 2024
Los Angeles, CA
Stay tuned for info: https://events.channelpronetwork.com/
Join me Live!
| |
Note: If you know of any in-person event for SMB Consultants, please send info to karlp@greatlittlebook.com. | |
Check out all my "Channels" | |
Share on YOUR Social Media: | |
Small Biz Thoughts is a subsidiary of Great Little Book Publishing Co., Inc. | |
View this and previous newsletters at
| |
|
AI Transparency Statement
We do not use artificial intelligence apps in the writing of any content for this newsletter. Some of our royalty-free paid graphics might use AI-generated images. But all of the writing is by Karl W. Palachuk, or others as noted.
| | | | |
