In this interview, Richard speaks to Ben Rogers, a Sales Manager at CloudBilling. CloudBilling offers a solution that helps MSPs to automate their billing processes quickly, accurately, and comprehensively.
Ben explains how they help MSPs with their billing and support them manage all of their responsibilities, as well the types of clients they work with and what integrations they have.
An Interview With Ben Rogers
How CloudBilling Helps MSPs
As a company, the struggles faced by MSPs were obvious. Ben says: “They use manual processes and can’t consolidate data effectively. It’s often in different silos. So we take the complexity out of the billing run.
“Yes, it’s a mundane task. But it’s also your cash flow, and a guaranteed touchpoint with your client. We make things easier by applying pricing rules and automating 99% of your run.”
Ben says that they really understand MSPs and know that billing affects departments throughout the company. “Most MSPs don’t have a billing problem; they have a data problem. So we work to spot gaps and close them. We consolidate it all and find ways to make things easier.”
Why MSPs Don’t Realise There’s a Problem With Their Billing
Because it’s not a very exciting part of running a business, issues don’t get noticed until the customer asks questions. “And that’s when you realise your processes aren’t as efficient as you thought.
“There are a lot of moving parts to running a business and things get overlooked. And that’s especially true in the MSP space, where things change rapidly. So you need to think differently about billing and really make the most of your data.”
Plus, transparency is important. Show them on the invoice where they’re getting a solution for free – such as additional servers. Be on the lookout for upselling opportunities too.
The Tools They Integrate With
Ben acknowledges that a typical MSP will use multiple different cloud services. But they make sure that their solution can integrate seamlessly with whichever tool an MSP uses.
“We can pull the data in, apply complex pricing rules and add your products. And we can process data in lots of different ways. Of course, the size of the MSP can have an impact – smaller companies tend to use distributors, for instance.
“So, it can be challenging for them to get the right information into their systems. We can push the data to an ERP or push the invoices out ourselves. And we get contract data from their PSA (professional services automation) tool.”
How to Make Sure You’re not Losing Money With Your Existing Solution
If you work with multiple suppliers and rely on manual processes, human error can lead to revenue leakage. As Ben says, “I’ve worked with MSPs where £3bn companies use Excel for everything.
“And there will be multiple people within the organisation who have edit permissions for those spreadsheets. If lots of departments are making inputs and data syncs, there’s a lot of room for error.
“Or, perhaps a customer left but the system wasn’t updated – you’re still paying Microsoft for services and don’t realise for months.” Ultimately, Ben says, it comes back to visibility. Do you know what’s going on in your MSP?
How MSPs can use a Billing Tool to Make Life Easier
To make your business processes easier, Ben says start by standardising your offerings. “Because this will lead to automation eventually. Make sure your new products are all sold in a similar way.
“What do your teams spend time on? Are processes well-defined? And don’t take shortcuts. Finance teams are under pressure to get invoices out on time. So they need information from other departments to do that.
“If the company’s large, that gets tricky. So, talk to your team, identify the gaps and look for where you can improve. And once that foundation is there, you can analyse your data and make better decisions.”
The Growth Opportunities With Billing
If you use a billing tool, it frees up a lot of time, says Ben. “From an operational point of view, instead of spending your time on sending out invoices, you can look at other areas of business. For instance, recurring revenue.
“Once you have the billing foundation in place, you have all your data in place. And then you can see what’s coming in and going out. Your invoices go out on time, build better relationships with customers and manage multiple vendors easily.
“As the MSP owner, you can be confident that your numbers are right. You can use the data you have to drive strategic decisions. You’re no longer guessing and hoping for the best.”
How to Connect With Ben Rogers
- CloudBilling
- Follow CloudBilling on LinkedIn
- Follow CloudBilling on Twitter
- Connect with Ben on LinkedIn
How to Connect With Me
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- Follow @tubblog on Twitter
Mentioned in This Episode
- Cybersecurity platform: Kaseya
- Cloud marketplace: Pax8
- IT product and services distributor: Ingram Micro
You Might Also be Interested in
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- Podcast: The Most Important KPIs to track for Your MSP Business Growth
- A New Data-Driven Marketplace and Other Takeaways from Pax8 Beyond 2023
Richard Tubb is one of the best-known experts within the global IT Managed Service Provider (MSP) community. He launched and sold his own MSP business before creating a leading MSP media and consultancy practice. Richard helps IT business owner’s take back control by freeing up their time and building a business that can run without them. He’s the author of the book “The IT Business Owner’s Survival Guide” and writer of the award-winning blog www.tubblog.co.uk
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