Commercial Integrator May 2023 - 8

THE SERVICE DESK
Navigating Diffi cult Client Relationships, Part 2
Another set of ASCII Group members refl ects on how to handle bumps in the road,
including payment issues, cybersecurity carelessness and service disputes.
Like all entrepreneurial operations, MSPs must consider the welfare of their own businesses while, at the same time,
they work to maintain positive relationships with clients.
THIS MONTH,Commercial Integrator once
again presents comments from multiple
leading ASCII members. All of them are
addressing the same topic: what to do
when client relationships get diffi cult. These
problems can materialize in several ways -
for example, nonpayment or late payment of
invoices due, continual cybersecurity lapses
that expose IT providers to unnecessary
risk, or disagreements about service levels
or support hours. Like all entrepreneurial
operations, MSPs must consider the welfare
of their own businesses while, at the same
time, working to maintain positive relationships
with clients.
As noted last month, CI received a fl ood
of response to the questions posed below.
So, next month, we'll fi nish up with Part 3
of this conversation. For that last installment,
we'll draw on detailed insights from
QPC Security's Felicia King.
We hope you enjoy this multi-month
presentation!
8
Commercial Integrator MAY 2023
Commercial Integrator: When you
run into billing/payment issues
with clients, what are your goto
solutions to avoid or mitigate
negative outcomes?
Mat Kordell (CyberStreams): To avoid
or mitigate negative outcomes related to
billing/payment issues with clients, we do
the following things:
1. Clearly defi ne the billing terms on the
fi rst page of the service agreement. This
page is in a welcome-letter format and
written in short, easy-to-understand
paragraphs.
2. Run predictable invoicing and payment
processes and send invoices on the
15th
of the month, which are due on
the fi rst of the following month. (We
bill ahead on the fi rst of the month for
that month's services.) The downside
of this is that we do miss some changes
that may occur in the second half of the
month, requiring prorating on the next
invoice. But the upside is that any issues
or disputes tend to be addressed well in
advance of the due date.
3. Use Wise-Pay to automate our billing
process, automatically debiting our
clients' accounts via ACH on the fi rst of
each month.
4. Off er fl exible payment options.
Although we do require by agreement
that clients pay by ACH, a client sometimes
may have a need or desire to pay
by check or with a credit card. We work
with them to facilitate this as long as
they work with us to make sure we are
paid in a timely manner.
5. Communicate proactively with clients.
We have regular communication with
clients prior to, at the time of and immediately
following the sending of invoices
and thereaſt er. This ensures that nothing
slips someone's mind or falls through
the cracks, and it can help to build trust
and prevent misunderstandings. If there
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Commercial Integrator May 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Integrator May 2023