{"id":44155,"date":"2019-11-12T09:36:14","date_gmt":"2019-11-12T09:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/?p=44155"},"modified":"2023-03-22T09:40:58","modified_gmt":"2023-03-22T09:40:58","slug":"how-it-documentation-empowers-better-onboarding-for-msps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.n-able.com\/pt-br\/blog\/how-it-documentation-empowers-better-onboarding-for-msps","title":{"rendered":"How IT Documentation Empowers Better Onboarding for MSPs"},"content":{"rendered":"

As a managed services provider (MSP), customer relationships are at the core of your business. When you build trust with your customers, you retain their business and bring in new customers through word of mouth. For an MSP, onboarding new customers is one of the most important phases of the relationship building process. After all, the onboarding process is the customer\u2019s first insight into how you\u2019ll work with them.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s vital to create comprehensive documentation from the start to guarantee a successful customer onboarding process. In this article, we\u2019ll examine why IT documentation matters during onboarding and look at best practices for this process.<\/p>\n

Why documentation matters for onboarding<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Robust information technology documentation is a crucial part of an MSPs job since the networks and systems MSPs manage continue to grow increasingly complex. But despite how important it is, it\u2019s easy to neglect documentation during the onboarding process. Because the relationship is new, you\u2019ll likely focus your time building a personal connection with your customer and explaining your role as an MSP. It\u2019s easy to let tedious tasks like documentation fall through the cracks\u2014but it\u2019s a mistake to forget about documentation at this stage.<\/p>\n

Information technology documentation standards are the foundation of an MSP\u2019s work. The reason is simple: to properly manage a customer\u2019s systems, you\u2019ll need to learn what those systems contain and how they operate\u2014onboarding is the perfect time to do this. Once you have a complete picture of the environment you\u2019re managing, you can begin the work of securing, maintaining, updating, and upgrading your customer\u2019s network.<\/p>\n

The right documentation procedures also contribute to positive customer relationships. For instance, when you have a documentation process in place, you\u2019ll build a knowledge base that grows over time. Instead of constantly asking your customer for information they previously shared with you, you\u2019ll already have access to that information. When a network issue arises in the future, you\u2019ll impress your customer by having the necessary information at your fingertips.<\/p>\n

How to document the onboarding process<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019ve signed a contract to provide managed IT services to a major new customer\u2014and both of you are looking forward to a productive and long-lasting relationship. Congratulations! Now it\u2019s time to get down to business.<\/p>\n

Onboarding is the process of adding a new customer to your portfolio and gaining a complete understanding of their network and its needs. The process can range from a single afternoon (for smaller customers) to several weeks (for the largest customers). You\u2019ll meet with the customer to learn about their IT systems and current procedures. The documentation process should begin here\u2014make certain to keep a record of everything they tell you. You should end up with a full list of the customer\u2019s hardware\u2014what desktops, laptops, mobile devices, servers, printers, and routers they\u2019re using\u2014and where these products are in the hardware lifecycle. You should also record serial numbers, warranty information, and establish if there are any current hardware problems.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s equally important to document software. Find out what software products the company uses, whether they\u2019re updated regularly, and if they have software as a service (SaaS) subscriptions. For more traditional software licenses, make sure you note product keys.<\/p>\n

Next, look at their security and backups. Obtain a list of all users\u2014both employees and vendors\u2014and their account names and passwords. If you aren\u2019t already using one, you should consider using a secure password manager<\/a> to store customer details. Make sure to ask and document answers to these important questions:<\/p>\n