An Interview With Jack Peploe 
Jack Peploe runs Veterinary IT Services, and won the MSP Website of the Year Award at the SuperOps MSP awards. Jack explains to Stephen McCormick why he niched his MSP business.
A Certified Ethical Hacker, he has made it his mission to help veterinary practices across the UK to utilise their technology so that they can function in a secure, professional and efficient manner, leaving vets to focus on patient care.
Why Jack Decided to Niche his MSP Business
Jack explains that, after many years in the IT industry, he decided to niche his business about four years ago, now serving veterinary practices of all sizes. “We decided to do something radical, because it was an untapped market.
“I also wanted to make a difference. And it might sound outrageous, but I felt that IT providers were becoming a commodity – not as valued as they should be. So I looked at who I really enjoyed working with, and decided to learn everything I could about their sector. That way I could provide an expert service.”
The Most Common Mistakes MSP Businesses Make With Websites
One of the most common things that MSP businesses do is use stock photography on their websites instead of sharing pictures of their team. “It might seem expensive, but professional photos are so important. For example, I appear on our homepage because I’m the front of the business.”
Another mistake Jack sees MSP owners make is to not explain what they do clearly enough. “Don’t use jargon and terminology that your target customers don’t understand. They aren’t IT experts, so saying ‘disaster recovery’ sounds like you save them from earthquakes!”
Finally, Jack adds: “For me, I want it to be very clear to visitors exactly what we do. I use clear references on how we help and why we’re different. You need to speak in their language. And remember, it’s not about you, the MSP. It’s about your client.”
The SuperOps Awards Experience
Veterinary IT Services won the best website in the SuperOps MSP awards competition. Jack found the entry process very easy, with only a few questions to answer. “If ever you get an opportunity to enter an awards contest, especially the SuperOps one, I’d say take advantage.
“The challenge is expressing what you know in only a few paragraphs. I was already familiar with SuperOps, which is how I learned about the competition. But I’d recommend keeping an eye on LinkedIn to see what your peers are talking about.”
Jack adds that, while his business doesn’t do website builds, he’d paid attention to how his should look. “We wanted to deliver something that really stood out. We already have a unique selling point as the only UK provider of IT support to veterinary practices. We use bright colours and talk about what matters to new practices.”
The Best and Worst Things About Running an MSP Business
Interestingly, Jack gives the same answer for both the best and worst parts of running an MSP – people. “Staffing is a challenge in every industry, but especially in the veterinary sector. It takes people a long time to qualify.
“So for me, it’s important to support my clients effectively. I need people who are flexible, who have the right mindset to help the business achieve its aims. I need them to be proactive and take responsibility. And to look for opportunities for self-development.
“But the flip side of that is that I get to work with people who help me to make a difference. My role is about strategy, and I get to sit down and talk to people and learn about their aspirations. They have so many cool projects going on.”
And Jack says that he’s built such great relationships with customers that they’ve followed him from company to company. “You build such a bond. We see projects through to the end, and we get such appreciation. And internally too – when you support staff growth it’s amazing.”
Industry Changes Affecting MSP Business Owners
Jack’s main concern is that IT support partners are driving prices down and being viewed as ‘cleaners.’ And, “We need to be aware of what the robots are doing. ChatGPT can develop a PowerShell script. So how can MSPs harness those tools to save themselves time?
“If you utilise AI to do level one tasks, you can focus on bigger things. We should get better at selling our support services, too. We call it technology alignment – helping our clients to use the tools they have to do more with their businesses.”
The other area where an MSP business will need to focus is on cybersecurity, and they may need to move to an MSSP model. Staying up to date on emerging threats is essential for all IT partners.
Jack’s Mentors and Biggest Inspirations
Jack says he’s all been interested in big name brands and entrepreneurs. “If they’re successful, I’m always intrigued to know how they’ve done it. I read a lot of books to learn from these people.”
He cites marketing author and speaker Marcus Sheridan as a big inspiration: “He really opened my eyes to marketing and the benefits it brings.” Likewise, Paul Green of MSP Marketing Edge has had a fundamental influence on Jack’s business.
“I’m an open individual. I like learning about new ideas and having an experimental mindset. I want to try different things to see if they’ll work for us too. Some things can help me and the business massively.”
How to Connect With Jack Peploe
- Veterinary IT Services
- Email Jack
- Connect with Jack on LinkedIn
- Follow IT Veterinary IT Services on LinkedIn
- Like IT Veterinary IT Services on Facebook
- Follow IT Veterinary IT Services on Twitter
How to Connect With Me
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Mentioned in This Episode
- Book: Marcus Sheridan: They Ask, You Answer: A Revolutionary Approach to Inbound Sales, Content Marketing, and Today’s Digital Consumer
- AI tool: ChatGPT
- MSP marketing expert: Paul Green
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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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