As an MSP leader, you're constantly making bets on new technology. You see a new tool, it promises to solve a major pain point, and you make the investment, hoping it will be a game-changer.
But how often does it actually pay off?
Too often, those exciting new tools end up as shelfware; expensive, unused software that quietly kills your margins. It's a frustrating cycle that leaves you with a bloated tech stack and a team that hasn't adopted the very tools meant to help them.
The problem isn't always the tool. The fix is to adopt a better mindset. It's about starting to think like a product manager.
To learn how to apply the discipline of product management for MSPs, we connected with Empath Navigator Jordan Silva, a people and process strategist, to discuss his approach for building a profitable service stack.
Jordan's passion for people and process is forged over a decade of building and leading service delivery teams in the MSP space. His journey taught him that to create a great work experience and deliver exceptional service, you have to start with the right foundation.
"Profitability is freedom," Jordan explains. "Strong margins allow us to be selective about our clients, pay the salaries we want, provide the benefits we want..." but to achieve that freedom, he argues, a critical choice must be made first.
That critical link between the services you choose and the business you're able to build is the heart of his approach to product management.
Based on his experience, the biggest mistake Jordan sees MSPs make when adding a new tool to their stack is not having a vision for where they are trying to go and doing too much too fast.
He adds that new offerings must serve a purpose and solve a problem. He points to a classic saying as a key principle for product management: "You can be good at anything, but you can't be good at everything."
This, Jordan explains, boils down to two critical questions every MSP must ask themselves:
The services an MSP offers are who they are as a business. But in a crowded market, the pressure to find a differentiator often spreads a team too thin.
"Reputation is what we all really have that differentiates us," Jordan says. "Cities are a lot smaller than we like to believe and being exceptional at a few things is still WAY better than being mediocre at a lot."
This is the most critical mindset shift an MSP owner needs to make. You must start thinking like a product manager. According to Jordan, that means looking at your service offerings from the lens of "what can I do that will WOW clients," not "what's the most I can fit on an invoice."
A big part of that strategy is picking the right tool. So, how do you evaluate a new product before you even book a demo to avoid buying more shelfware?
Jordan’s advice is simple: The best tool is the one you can manage.
He explains, "The top 3-5 products in a space will nearly generally be within arm's reach of each other in capabilities... Don't get razzle dazzled by the fancy features you probably will never use. Find the tool your whole team can manage best."
A manageable tool is one that allows you to do all the following well:
For your core tools, Jordan stresses, you need a partner, not just a vendor. Finding a partner you can work with through the inevitable bugs and mistakes is critical for long-term success.
For an MSP owner who wants to build a more profitable and efficient service offering, Jordan’s most important piece of advice focuses not on what to add, but on what to remove.
“Learn to properly sunset products, kill offerings that didn't get the traction you hoped for, and make sure you complete migrations, otherwise you still end up supporting way too many things for way too long.”
This discipline of completing migrations and maximizing the value of the existing stack is the key to preventing tech stack bloat and ensuring you get a proper ROI on your investments.
Thinking like a product manager is a discipline and it’s the core of an effective product management for MSPs strategy. For an MSP of any size, it simply means having a framework for evaluating tools, a process for building services, and a plan for training your team.
This article provides the core insights. If you're ready to turn those insights into a repeatable process for your team, the complete framework is waiting for you.
In his course on Empath, Product Management Strategy for Your MSP, Navigator Jordan Silva provides the complete, step-by-step guide, including the scorecards and templates you need to build a profitable service stack.
Ready to stop buying shelfware and start building a profit engine? Book a demo or start your 14-day free trial and get immediate access to this course.