The Issue with Issues and Sub-Issues has been resolved
If you’ve been reading this column for long, you know how much I abhor imprecise data. The problem with imprecise data is that it can totally derail a Service Manager as they try to drive Service Delivery improvements.
One Part of Autotask Where We Have Been Wrestling…
There is one part of Autotask where we have been struggling for a long time with imprecise data: Issue and Sub-Issue types. The problem starts with the intake process and the accuracy of the data depends on the technical knowledge of the intake personnel. But even with highly skilled technical intake personnel, there is the challenge of the limited information available at the time of intake.
It is only once the ticket has been completed that someone really knows what the Issue and Sub-Issue are. But at that point, no one wants to update the ticket. It is hard enough to encourage, require, and hold the Tech accountable to finish the engagement strong by updating the documentation, communicating with the Client, and entering their time correctly.
AND NOW we expect them to go back and edit the ticket? That is expecting too much. Worse, we then make strategic continuous improvement decisions on imprecise data – and that is never a good thing.
Life Would Be So Easy if All MSPs Managed Were Incidents
Compounding this problem is that on the surface, Issue and Sub-Issue apply to incidents only. If all we managed were Incidents, life would be easy. But we don’t.
As a matter of fact, we deal with at least 11 different types of Client requests. It is possible to set up an Incident Ticket Category and a Moves/Adds/Changes Ticket Category, as well as ones for Installs, Projects, Preventative Maintenance, Sales, Procurement, etc., and we strongly recommend this. In this way, Issue and Sub-Issue can be required for Incidents, and the fields are hidden where they do not apply, such as for projects.
A Smart Way to Leverage the Data…
Before we move on, since Issue and Sub-Issues only apply to Incidents, there is a way to leverage the data to drive an automated estimated hours mechanism. By having the estimated hours automated, the Tech has a barometer as to how they are doing during the Tech engagement. If they are halfway thru the estimated hours, but just scratching the surface, it may be a signal to ask for help.
If you think asking a guy to stop for directions is hard, try asking Techs to ask for help when needed.
However, automatically populating the estimated hours makes using Issue and Sub-Issue fields way more valuable than just for incidents. Think about it this way: a new PC deployment should take 2-4 hours and a WAP even less. If you have one Tech that takes longer than 4 hours on either, it would be a good idea to:
1) Not assign that Tech PC deployments or WAP installations
2) Provide deployment/installation training
3) Look deeper into the rest of their performance
For this reason, we recommend that Issues and Sub-Issues cover Incidents and I/M/A/Cs. We do not feel Issues and Sub-Issues cover, are needed, or make sense for the rest of the Ticket Categories.
The Secret to Improving the Issue and Sub-Issue Quality
But how can we improve the Issue and Sub-Issue Quality?
The secret came to Advanced Global while working with a new Client. They came to us with a TBD Issue and Sub-Issue. When asked what that was for, they showed us their Issue and Sub-Issue process:
1) At the time of Triage, the Issue and Sub-Issue are automatically set to “TBD”
2) Issue and Sub-Issue fields have been added to the Incident and I/M/A/C ticket categories (and removed from all other Ticket Categories)
3) The Issue and Sub-Issue fields are required fields for Incidents and I/M/A/Cs
4) A WFR reopens Incidents and I/M/A/C tickets when the ticket is completed with TBD as the Issue and Sub-Issue
5) The tickets show back up on the Tech and Service Coordinator’s dashboards as tickets completed with Issue and Sub-Issue equaling “TBD” prompting for the entering of accurate data before the Tech can be rid of the ticket
Thank you for reading this far and, hopefully, appreciating my mission to eradicate imprecise data and improve your MSP’s Service Delivery. The introduction of Autotask Ticket Categories really has been a game changer and when used properly, can really help take a bite out of crime…err, imprecise data.
If we can be of any help in explaining, implementing, or coaching your Team on completing engagements properly with this setup, please drop us a line at info@AGMSPCoaching.com. Our entire Advanced Global team is here to help.
The elephant in the room:
Who is Advanced Global, and why should we listen to them?
Recently someone we’ve been in communication with since DattoCon 2018, who was faithfully reading our articles, commented that up until a few months ago, “I really did not know what Advanced Global does.” So here are a few bullet points to let anyone interested know who we are and what we do:
1) We Are – the Autotask Global Service Delivery Authority
2) We Help – MSPs thrive
3) We Solve – Service Delivery issues, inefficiencies, and challenges by making sure:
a. techs know what to work on next
b. someone is managing all open tickets and driving them to completion
c. the staffing levels are correct, and the workload is balanced
d. Real-Time Time Entry is a cultural habit
e. the Client has a great client experience
f. profit is maximized
g. Autotask is being fully leveraged
h. the historical data that is in the Autotask software is accessible to benchmark, track & USE effectively
i. the Service Delivery operations can scale
j. projects are completed On-Time and On-Budget
k. the company can grow
l. MSPs know what they don’t know
4) Our Tools:
a. Autotask “Best in Class” standard build
b. Our MSP robust Service Delivery SOP library
c. Advanced Autotask Live Reports
d. Expertise in providing a transformational educational experience
Note: We are not philosophers; we are doers with 31+ years of Service Delivery experience, bringing real Service Delivery Improvement change, profitability, and Best in Class performance.
We start by offering a FREE No-Obligation PSA Configuration Evaluation