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 SMB Books, 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.
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Karl's SOP Bookshelf

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

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