SOP Friday

A weekly look at standard operating procedures for successful Managed Service Providers.

New SOP posts appear at Blog.SmallBizThoughts.com

INDEX OF SOPs

The articles listed below constitute about 65% of the entire series. Additional information and a complete table of contents is available at www.sop4smb.com.
The Managed Services Operations Manual 4-volume set is available at the Small Biz Thoughts Bookstore, Amazon, and wherever fine books for nerds are sold.

Expand each section for links to original blog posts and related videos.

Volume One: Front Office Mastery

Section One: Getting Started

Introduction to SOPs for Technical Consultants and MSPs

Setting Up an MSP Office
-- See Related Video

Getting Started - Naming Your Business
-- See Related Video

Getting Started - The Form of Your Business
-- See Related Video

Getting Started - Cash vs. Accrual Accounting
-- See Related Video

Getting Started - Licenses, etc.
-- See Related Video

How to Work 8AM to 5PM in I.T. Consulting
-- See Related Video

Keeping Your Standards and Procedures Organized

Team Management of SOPs

Making Exceptions to SOPs
-- See Related Video

Rules for Working at Home

Phone Etiquette and Procedures

Phone Procedures 1 - Philosophy and General Rules

Phone Procedures 2 - How Much Interruption is Okay?

Business Cards . . . All the Details

Signing Service Agreements

Section Two: Finance

The Central Role of Finance

Building a Business Plan for Your I.T. Company
-- See Related Video

Billing Procedures and Policies

Cash Flow: Getting Paid in Advance
-- See Related Video

Collection Policies
-- See Related Video

Cash Flow: Dealing with Late Payments

The Managed Services Grid

Invoice Review and Processing

Cash Flow: Weekly Procedure
-- See Related Video

Hourly vs. Salaried Employees

Running Regular Financial Reports

Choosing Pay Dates
-- See Related Video

Vendor Management and Coordination

Vendor/Distributor Record Keeping

Inventory Management
-- See Related Video

Is This a Profitable Hour?

Financial Goals: More than Revenue Targets

Financial Goals: Realistic Revenue Projections

Financial Goals: Getting Started

How to Track Credit Card AutoPayments

Section Three: Sales, Marketing & Client Management

Intro Notes

Defining Your Company to Clients and Employees
-- See Related Video

Quarterly Roadmap Meetings
-- See Related Video

Helping Clients with Audits - Security and Insurance

Celebrate Anniversaries (Employees and Clients)

Sales Tickets and Sales Queues

Trip Charges

Sales Scripts
-- See Related Video

Clients Who Abuse the Phones

Removing a Client from Managed Services

Volume Two: Employees and Internal Processes

Volume Three: Running the Service Department

Section One: Policies and Philosophies

Intro Notes

Naming Conventions for Machines and Servers
-- See Related Video

Schedules and Timelines for Running Your Company
-- See Related Video

Working in Real Time
-- See Related Video 
-- And Another One

Used Equipment and Warranties
-- See Related Video

Hardware Replacement and Upgrade Policy
-- See Related Video

Software Upgrade Policy
-- See Related Video

Nuking and Paving
-- See Related Video

After Hours Work
-- See Related Video

On Call and Night Staff
-- See Related Video

Managing Internal Administrative Tasks
-- See Related Video

Assign Techs or Rotate Them?
-- See Related Video

Approved Tools
-- See Related Video

Do Not Exclude Yourself from the Rules
-- See Related Video

When Processes and Policies Become Obsolete

Section Two: Employees in the Tech Department

Intro Notes

Technician Daily Time Management-- includes daily work flow

Time Tracking for Employees

The Tech on Call for The Day - Managing Daily Workflow

How to Maximize Billability of Technicians
-- See Related Video

Email Rules and Etiquette for the Consultant

Technician Supplies -- The "Scary Box"

Final Friday Training
-- See Related Video

Section Three: Client Management

Intro Notes

Setting Up a New Managed Service Client (Checklist)

Client Personnel Changes: New User Checklist

Client Personnel Changes: Employee Departure Checklist

Activating and Registering Client Software and Hardware

Local Docs versus Server / My Docs

Moving a Client Office

Section Four: Practical How-To Examples

Intro Notes

Troubleshooting Guidelines

Troubleshooting and Repair Logs

HIPAA Part One - Training

HIPAA Part Two - Compliance

HIPAA Part Three - Documentation

Adding a New Machine to Managed Services

How to Use Velcro

DNS and DHCP Allocation - Server vs. Firewall
-- See Related Video

IP Address Allocations (static, dynamic, exceptions, documenting)

Router Configurations

Labeling Equipment

Removing Old Information - From Everything

Responding to Viruses

Volume Four: Support and Service Delivery

Section One: Policies and Philosophies

Intro Notes

Naming Conventions for Machines and Servers
-- See Related Video

Schedules and Timelines for Running Your Company
-- See Related Video

Working in Real Time
-- See Related Video 
-- And Another One

Used Equipment and Warranties
-- See Related Video

Hardware Replacement and Upgrade Policy
-- See Related Video

Software Upgrade Policy
-- See Related Video

Nuking and Paving
-- See Related Video

After Hours Work
-- See Related Video

On Call and Night Staff
-- See Related Video

Managing Internal Administrative Tasks
-- See Related Video

Assign Techs or Rotate Them?
-- See Related Video

Approved Tools
-- See Related Video

Do Not Exclude Yourself from the Rules
-- See Related Video

When Processes and Policies Become Obsolete

Section Two: Employees in the Tech Department

Intro Notes

Technician Daily Time Management-- includes daily work flow

Time Tracking for Employees

The Tech on Call for The Day - Managing Daily Workflow

How to Maximize Billability of Technicians
-- See Related Video

Email Rules and Etiquette for the Consultant

Technician Supplies -- The "Scary Box"

Final Friday Training
-- See Related Video

Section Three: Client Management

Intro Notes

Setting Up a New Managed Service Client (Checklist)

Client Personnel Changes: New User Checklist

Client Personnel Changes: Employee Departure Checklist

Activating and Registering Client Software and Hardware

Local Docs versus Server / My Docs

Moving a Client Office

Section Four: Practical How-To Examples

Intro Notes

Troubleshooting Guidelines

Troubleshooting and Repair Logs

HIPAA Part One - Training

HIPAA Part Two - Compliance

HIPAA Part Three - Documentation

Adding a New Machine to Managed Services

How to Use Velcro

DNS and DHCP Allocation - Server vs. Firewall
-- See Related Video

IP Address Allocations (static, dynamic, exceptions, documenting)

Router Configurations

Labeling Equipment

Removing Old Information - From Everything

Responding to Viruses

ALL SOP VIDEOS

View on YouTube

Managed Services Operations Manual
4-Volume Set

When you document your processes and procedures, you design a way for your company to have repeatable success to help you become more successful, more efficient, and more profitable.

Learn more at sop4smb.com
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Karl's SOP Bookshelf

Looking for great Standard Operating Procedures for your computer consulting business? Start here: