Blog Archives - FocusPlanit | strategy . structure . support

End-of-Year Message

December 4, 2023/in Blog

As the year ends, we find ourselves reflecting on the milestones, achievements, and invaluable collaborations that have defined over the past year. It’s been a journey marked by growth, learning, and the unwavering support of our esteemed clients. As we share this end-of-year message, we want to take a moment to express our gratitude and share some highlights from this transformative year.

This year, we dedicated ourselves to mastering our craft through offering ConnectWise Whiteboard Workshops. These immersive sessions allowed us to delve deeper with clients understanding of just how impactful ConnectWise can be. The insights gained from these workshops have empowered us to fine-tune our strategies, ensuring that our services are at the forefront of industry excellence.

One of our proudest achievements this year has been the growth of our team. From a dedicated group, we’ve evolved into a team of ten exceptional individuals, each contributing unique skills and perspectives. This expansion has bolstered our capabilities, allowing us to serve you better and tackle complex challenges with confidence.

We believe in the power of continuous learning. Throughout the year, we actively participated in numerous conferences and focus groups, seizing every opportunity to refine our skills and stay abreast of industry trends. These engagements have enriched our knowledge base, enabling us to bring innovative solutions and fresh perspectives to the table.

As we look back on the milestones achieved and the strides made, our commitment to our valued clients remains unwavering. Your trust and support have been the driving force behind our dedication to excellence. We pledge to continue providing unparalleled services, leveraging our expanded team and newfound expertise to exceed your expectations.

As we eagerly anticipate the upcoming year, we are filled with excitement for the opportunities it holds. We are committed to further elevating our services, implementing the insights gained from our experiences, and continuing to be your trusted partner in success.

To our clients, partners, and supporters, we extend our heartfelt gratitude. Your collaboration, feedback, and trust have been instrumental in our growth and success. We cherish the relationships we’ve built and look forward to further strengthening them in the coming year.

In closing, as we bid farewell to this transformative year, we do so with a sense of accomplishment and anticipation for what lies ahead. We wish you joy, prosperity, and continued success in all your endeavors.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

FocusPlanit is one of the industry’s premier ConnectWise® Consultants serving the entire United States. We offer hands-on support and training to ensure you get the maximum benefits from your business solutions and software. Contact us today and let us be your partner in success. You can learn more about our offerings and team on our website.

Office Efficiency During The Holidays

October 30, 2023/in Blog, Leadership, Office Management

The holiday season is upon us, bringing joy, celebration, and a little extra chaos to the workplace. While it’s a time for employees to unwind and recharge, it can be challenging for businesses to maintain productivity. The good news is that with the right approach, you can keep your employees efficient even during the holidays. In this blog, we’ll explore some strategies to ensure that the festive spirit doesn’t disrupt your company’s productivity.

Plan Ahead: Set Clear Expectations

One of the keys to maintaining efficiency during the holiday season is to plan ahead. Communicate your expectations and any changes in work schedules well in advance. Provide clear guidelines on time-off requests, project deadlines, and holiday-related company policies.

Encourage Flexible Scheduling

Allow employees to have flexible work schedules during the holiday season. This means they can adjust their work hours to accommodate holiday preparations, shopping, and family events. Flexible scheduling can reduce stress and make it easier for employees to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Offer Remote Work Options

With the advent of technology, remote work has become more accessible than ever. Encourage employees to work remotely when it makes sense for their roles. Remote work can reduce commuting time and increase productivity. Be sure to provide the necessary tools and resources to support remote work effectively.

Prioritize Work-Life Balance

The holiday season is a time for employees to spend quality time with their loved ones. Encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity to recharge. Emphasize the importance of work-life balance and allow employees to disconnect from work when they are on their designated time off.

Streamline Communication

Effective communication is essential during the holiday season. Streamline communication channels to ensure that critical information is shared efficiently. Tools like project management software, instant messaging, and email can help keep teams connected and informed.

Minimize Unnecessary Meetings

Consider reducing the number of meetings during the holiday season. While some meetings are essential, eliminating unnecessary ones can free up time for more meaningful tasks. When meetings are necessary, make sure they are focused and have a clear agenda.

Recognize and Reward Efforts

Acknowledge the hard work and dedication of your employees, especially during the holiday season. Offering small tokens of appreciation or expressing gratitude can go a long way in motivating and energizing your team.

Provide Support for Well-being

The holiday season can be stressful for some employees. Make sure they have access to resources for managing stress, such as employee assistance programs or wellness initiatives. Encourage self-care and provide guidance on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Cross-Train Employees

Cross-training employees ensures that essential tasks can be handled even when some team members are on vacation. Cross-training not only enhances employees’ skills but also provides flexibility in resource allocation.

Reflect and Prepare for the Next Year

As the year comes to a close, take the time to reflect on your company’s performance and plan for the year ahead. Use the holiday season to set goals and strategies for a successful start to the new year.

In conclusion, the holiday season can be a time of joy and increased productivity if managed wisely. By planning ahead, supporting work-life balance, and creating an environment that values employee well-being, you can keep your team motivated and efficient even during the most festive times of the year. Happy holidays and a productive new year!

Tips for Maximizing ConnectWise

October 26, 2023/in Blog, ConnectWise

ConnectWise is a powerful business management platform that provides essential tools for managing various aspects of your IT services business, including ticketing, billing, project management, and more. However, to truly maximize the benefits of ConnectWise, it’s crucial to understand its capabilities and implement best practices. This is where a consulting team of ConnectWise experts can play a vital role. In this blog, we’ll explore some tips for getting the most out of ConnectWise and why partnering with consulting experts can be incredibly beneficial.

Tip #1: Understand the Full Potential of ConnectWise

To make the most of ConnectWise, it’s essential to have a deep understanding of its features and capabilities. This includes ticketing, project management, customer relationship management (CRM), and financial management. Many businesses initially use ConnectWise for basic ticketing and time tracking but may not fully explore its advanced features.

A can help you uncover the platform’s hidden gems and customize it to suit your specific needs. They’ll provide insights into how different modules can work together to streamline your processes and improve efficiency.

Tip #2: Tailor ConnectWise to Your Business Processes

One of ConnectWise’s strengths is its flexibility and customization options. However, this flexibility can be overwhelming without guidance. A consulting team can help you tailor ConnectWise to align with your unique business processes. They’ll work with you to map out your workflows and configure ConnectWise to match, ensuring that the software becomes a seamless part of your daily operations.

This customization extends beyond simple configurations. It can involve creating custom reports, dashboards, and automation rules to automate repetitive tasks and enhance your team’s productivity.

Tip #3: Train Your Team Effectively

Proper training is crucial to ensure that your team can use ConnectWise efficiently and effectively. A consulting team can provide comprehensive training sessions tailored to your specific needs. They can help your team members become proficient in using the software, from basic functionalities to advanced features.

Regular training sessions are also essential to keep your team up-to-date with any software updates or new features. A knowledgeable consulting team can ensure that your team remains well-versed in the latest ConnectWise enhancements.

Tip #4: Optimize Integration with Other Tools

Chances are, your business uses a variety of other software tools alongside ConnectWise, such as accounting software, remote monitoring and management (RMM) tools, and customer support solutions. Integrating these tools seamlessly with ConnectWise can improve your overall efficiency.

ConnectWise experts can help you identify the best integration options for your specific needs, whether it’s integrating your accounting system for streamlined invoicing or connecting your RMM tool for real-time monitoring and automation.

Tip #5: Stay Compliant and Secure

In the world of IT services, compliance and security are paramount. ConnectWise consulting experts can assist you in configuring the platform to meet industry-specific compliance requirements and security best practices. They can help you establish user access controls, implement data encryption, and set up regular security audits to protect your sensitive information.

Why Partner with ConnectWise Consulting Experts?

Now that we’ve discussed some tips for maximizing ConnectWise, let’s explore why partnering with a consulting team of ConnectWise experts can be incredibly helpful:

Expertise: Consulting experts have a deep understanding of ConnectWise and can provide valuable insights and best practices that may not be apparent to your in-house team.
Time Savings: With their expertise, consulting teams can expedite the implementation and customization process, saving you valuable time.
Maximized ROI: By optimizing ConnectWise and tailoring it to your business, experts ensure that you get the most out of your investment.
Ongoing Support: Consulting teams can offer ongoing support and guidance as your business evolves, helping you stay ahead of the curve.
Risk Mitigation: Experts can help you avoid common pitfalls and ensure compliance and security, reducing the risk of costly errors.

Maximizing ConnectWise involves a combination of understanding its full potential, customizing it to your business processes, training your team, optimizing integrations, and ensuring compliance and security. Partnering with a consulting team of ConnectWise experts can provide you with the guidance, expertise, and support needed to achieve these goals effectively, ultimately leading to improved efficiency and a higher return on investment for your IT services business.

Understanding the Power of Streamlined Sales

September 1, 2023/in Blog, Business Consulting

In today’s dynamic business landscape, an efficient sales process is the key to staying competitive and achieving consistent growth. Streamlining your sales process not only enhances your team’s productivity but also provides a better experience for your customers.

Good Systems Are Key

A streamlined sales process involves optimizing each step from lead generation to closing the deal. It’s about removing bottlenecks, automating repetitive tasks, and enabling your sales team to focus on building relationships and driving revenue. The heart of a streamlined sales process is easy access to accurate customer data. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems provide a centralized platform where you can store and manage customer information, interactions, and preferences. This empowers your sales team to make informed decisions and personalize their approach, enhancing customer satisfaction.

With FocusPlanit’s help you can automate lead capturing, tracking, and nurturing. With our help we ensure all your systems and software, like ConnectWise are set up to categorize leads, prioritize follow-ups, and ensure no opportunity slips through the cracks. Leverage your sales software systems like ConnectWise Manage (PSA) and ConnectWise Sell (CPQ) to expedite your sales process from gathering and organizing leads to procuring the products. Working with our consulting team you can expect to create accurate and efficient quotes, reduce sales mistakes, and improve procurement processes.

This leads to higher conversion rates and a more efficient allocation of your team’s resources. Say goodbye to manual follow-ups, businesses can use automated communication through personalized emails and reminders, ensuring that prospects and clients receive timely responses and nurturing at every stage of the sales cycle.

Creating proposals and quotes becomes a breeze with proposal generation tools. Customizable templates and a user-friendly interface help teams create professional proposals that align with your brand, saving time and ensuring consistency. Collaboration among team members is essential for a seamless sales process. Businesses should invest in tools for internal communication, document sharing, and task assignment, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals.

Data-driven decisions are critical in sales. Businesses need real-time analytics and reporting dashboards that allow them to track key metrics, analyze trends, and identify areas for improvement. This empowers businesses to refine their strategy and drive better results. Every business has unique sales processes. Businesses need customizable workflows that can be tailored to their specific needs. This flexibility ensures that the system adapts to your processes, not the other way around.

Be In Control of Your Systems

In a fast-paced business world, staying ahead requires an optimized and streamlined sales process. With FocusPlanit’s help, you can elevate your sales operations, improve efficiency, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. From lead management to closing deals, we empower your team to work smarter, not harder, and unlock the full potential of your sales process. Embrace the power of streamlining with FocusPlanit and watch your business thrive in a competitive landscape.

FocusPlanit is one of the industry’s premier ConnectWise® Consultants serving the entire United States. We offer hands on support and training to ensure you get the maximum benefits from your business solutions and software. Contact us today and let us be your partner in success. You can learn more about our offerings and team on our website.

The Importance of Using a Business Consultant During Growth

August 1, 2023/in Blog, Business Consulting, ConnectWise

As a business embarks on a growth journey, it faces a myriad of challenges and opportunities. Whether it’s expanding into new markets, increasing market share, or diversifying product lines, navigating through growth requires careful planning and strategic decision-making. In such crucial times, the expertise and guidance of a business consultant can prove to be invaluable. In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of using a business consultant during periods of growth and how their insights can lead to sustainable success.

Objective Perspective

During periods of growth, businesses may find themselves caught up in the excitement and challenges of expansion. In such situations, internal teams can become biased and subjective when evaluating strategies and decision-making processes. A business consultant brings an objective perspective to the table, free from any internal biases. They are independent professionals who can critically analyze the organization’s current state, challenges, and potential opportunities without being influenced by internal politics or emotions. With their unbiased viewpoint, consultants can identify hidden inefficiencies, organizational bottlenecks, and areas where the company might be missing out on growth prospects. By leveraging this fresh perspective, business leaders can make more informed and rational decisions, leading to a more effective growth strategy.

Strategic Planning

Growth without a well-structured and comprehensive strategic plan can be akin to sailing without a map. A business consultant plays a pivotal role in strategic planning during periods of growth. They work closely with the leadership team to understand the company’s vision, goals, and growth aspirations. Based on this understanding, the consultant collaborates with the organization to develop a clear and actionable growth strategy.

The consultant’s expertise in strategic planning ensures that the growth plan aligns with the company’s core values, strengths, and long-term objectives. Moreover, they assist in setting realistic milestones, breaking down complex goals into manageable tasks, and developing a timeline to monitor progress effectively. A well-crafted strategic plan gives the organization a roadmap to navigate growth challenges, seize opportunities, and remain agile in a dynamic business environment.

Market Insights and Expansion

Entering new markets or launching new products/services can be risky endeavors without proper research and insights. A business consultant brings market expertise to the table, offering valuable insights and data-driven analysis to support expansion decisions. Through in-depth market research, consultants assess market trends, competitor landscape, target audience preferences, and potential challenges. This information is instrumental in identifying the right market segments to target, understanding customer needs, and positioning products or services effectively. Furthermore, a consultant can guide the business through market entry strategies, recommending the most suitable approach for expansion. They can assist in evaluating the risks involved and devising contingency plans to address potential obstacles. By leveraging market insights, companies can confidently venture into new territories, mitigating risks and optimizing growth opportunities.

Resource Optimization

During times of growth, businesses often need to allocate resources wisely to support expansion initiatives. Resource optimization is critical to ensure that the company is using its finances, workforce, and technology efficiently and effectively. A business consultant brings expertise in resource management, helping organizations assess their current resource allocation and identify areas for improvement. They conduct cost-benefit analyses, scrutinize budgets, and suggest cost-cutting measures without compromising the quality of operations. Consultants also play a crucial role in talent management during growth. They assist in evaluating the workforce’s skill sets, identifying talent gaps, and recommending hiring or upskilling strategies to meet the demands of the expansion. By optimizing resources, businesses can make the most of their investments, enhancing productivity and profitability throughout the growth phase.

In conclusion, utilizing the services of a business consultant during periods of growth is essential for businesses seeking sustainable success. Their objective perspective, strategic planning capabilities, market insights, and resource optimization expertise provide a solid foundation for making informed decisions and navigating growth challenges effectively. By leveraging the unique skill set of a consultant, organizations can accelerate their growth trajectory while maintaining a clear and purposeful approach to expansion. If you have any questions or would like to explore some of the services discussed, contact the professionals at FocusPlanit.

ConnectWise Streamlines Operations

March 19, 2023/in Blog, ConnectWise, Operations

In today’s world, where technology is rapidly advancing, businesses must use software systems like ConnectWise to streamline their operations and improve their bottom line and ConnectWise streamlines operations seamlessly. ConnectWise is a software platform that can help businesses develop a sustainable strategy for their operations by leveraging their existing software systems.

ConnectWise is a software solution designed for managed service providers (MSPs) and businesses that provides a suite of tools for managing their operations, including customer relationship management (CRM), project management, billing, and more. In this blog post, we will explore how ConnectWise software can help businesses develop a sustainable strategy for their operations.

A Sustainable Operations Strategy

One of the primary ways ConnectWise can help businesses develop a sustainable strategy for their operations is by integrating with their existing software systems. ConnectWise is designed to integrate with a wide range of software systems including those involved with:

Accounting
Marketing
Sales

By integrating with these systems, businesses can streamline their operations and improve their efficiency, resulting in significant cost savings.

Efficient Project Management

Another way ConnectWise can help businesses develop a sustainable strategy for their operations is by providing a central location for managing their projects. With ConnectWise, businesses can create and manage projects, assign tasks to team members, track progress, and more. This helps businesses stay organized and on track, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget.

A Complete CRM Tool

ConnectWise also provides businesses with a CRM solution that can help them manage their customer relationships. With ConnectWise’s CRM, businesses can track customer interactions, manage leads, and automate marketing campaigns. This helps businesses improve their customer service and increase their customer retention rates.

Powerful Billing Solution

In addition to these features, ConnectWise provides businesses with a powerful billing solution that can help them automate their invoicing and payment processes. With ConnectWise’s billing solution, businesses can create invoices, send them to customers, and track payments. This helps businesses improve their cash flow and reduce their administrative burden.

There is no doubt that ConnectWise streamlines operations and is a wise business choice, and while ConnectWise provides businesses with a single operational platform, we have found that most clients get overwhelmed with integrating into their businesses, which is why we created a ConnectWise All Inclusive Partnership called TeamFocus. This partnership allows us to partner with your team and will empower your business to maximize your sales processes, your operational systems, and your finance tools by using existing systems like ConnectWise.

FocusPlanit is one of the industry’s premier ConnectWise® Consultants serving the entire United States. Contact us today and let us be your partner in success. You can learn more about our offerings and team on our website.

Finding A Quality ConnectWise Consultant

February 27, 2023/in Blog, ConnectWise

Finding a quality ConnectWise consultant can be daunting, but the benefits lead to a vastly improved work environment in more ways than one. When looking for a MSP provider, make sure it’s a team of dedicated IT professionals. Regardless of the area of the business that has needs, you want a team who can help your business be more efficient and profitable.

FocusPlanit is a concentrated team of professional, seasoned experts focused on helping you create and maintain a successful business. By partnering with a dedicated team of consultants, you can identify and streamline the gaps within your current processes, freeing up your time (and your budget) for other high-priority areas of your business. We are on a mission to help business owners build highly functioning and sustainable operations leveraging existing systems like ConnectWise.

Experience Matters:

We have 45 years of industry experience
Over 30 years of working with ConnectWise
We support 23 different programs

Beyond experience, you want a ConnectWise partner that can help you develop the right strategy to meet your business goals. Identify the right structure and necessary tools needed to keep your office running smoothly, and offer support in your sales processes, your operational systems, and your finance tools.

FocusPlanit is a trusted team when it comes to improving strategy, structure, and support by providing expertise in:

Sales Processes

Quoting
Sales Management
Sales Reporting
Opportunity Management
Leads Management
Procurement

Operations

Automation
Service Desk
Dispatching
Project Management
Time Management
Scheduling
RMM Integration
KPI Reporting
SLA Management
Relationship Management
Onboarding

By partnering with a dedicated team of consultants, you can identify and streamline the gaps within your current processes. freeing up your time (and your budget) for other high-priority areas of your business. With a focus on quality, the FocusPlanit ConnectWise consulting team is a concentrated team of experts who truly understand not just the ConnectWise Suite, but the industry as a whole.

Only FocusPlanit has the expertise needed to leverage your software systems to develop a sustainable strategy for operations. Working with our consulting team you can expect help creating and executing a strategy that will streamline and expedite your help desk, projects, and overall management.

FocusPlanit serves the entire United States and is the industry’s premier team of highly qualified ConnectWise, QuickBooks, Wise-Sync, GoZynta, CharTec, ConnectBooster experts who have dedicated years of their professional life implementing and optimizing these solutions. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

What Is ConnectWise PSA?

January 31, 2023/in Blog, ConnectWise

What is ConnectWise PSA? ConnectWise PSA (formerly Manage) is a dedicated business management software designed to streamline your business using a single view (via one single data layer), automate sales processes, improve internal communication, and decrease operational costs through optimization. ConnectWise PSA makes things easy by managing cloud billing for all clients, utilizing built-in marketing functionality and sales opportunity management to stay informed, and maximizing productivity with time tracking and planning.

Only ConnectWise PSA can provide your company with the top-tier, highly effective business management tools needed to provide full visibility of the service and sales pipeline, as well as superior customer service and unrivaled cost-cutting.

Support For ConnectWise PSA

The FocusPlanit team partners with your team to manage your ConnectWise PSA, We offer a monthly partnership package called Team Focus. It includes:

Customized Offering Tailored to Your Business Needs
Assistance with 3rd Party Integrations
Unlimited Maintenance and Administration Hours
Customized Offering Tailored to Your Business Needs
Assistance with 3rd Party Integrations
Unlimited Maintenance and Administration Hours
And much more!

Packages are offered standard as one year but can be financed monthly. In addition, the FocusPlanit team can build in custom reporting or RMM consulting if needed at an additional cost.

Use your business systems to its fullest potential. We can partner with you to maximize your sales processes, operational systems and finance tools. Working with our dedicated team of consultants, we’ll look at your implementations to identify and streamline the gaps within your current processes

FocusPlanit serves the entire United States and is the industry’s premier team of highly qualified ConnectWise, QuickBooks, Wise-Sync, GoZynta, CharTec, ConnectBooster experts who have dedicated years of their professional life implementing and optimizing these solutions. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

End Of Year Message

December 22, 2022/in Blog, News

To Our Clients and Partnerships (both new and old),

As the end of the year draws near, we want to thank all of you for an amazing year. The success of FocusPlanit is based on the relationships we have built over the years, and we really wouldn’t be where we are without you. Over this past year, we have added staff, partnerships, and new clients. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with, you and for you. Our passion for helping our clients use business systems to the fullest remains strong.

This year has been filled with a multitude of both challenges and victories. Every year is different but this one has been filled with more change than normal. The business world is evolving quickly, and consulting is changing along with it. It has been reassuring to see how our colleagues have risen to meet every roadblock, while always looking out for all our Clients.

No matter the economic climate, we have persevered as a team and come out stronger. Often, we find our greatest successes in the most surprising places. We are sure it has been the same for you.

As the end of the year approaches, we are so excited for what 2023 has in store for us – enthusiasm and anticipation are building around new opportunities nationwide. Stay tuned for more details in the new year.

Working together this past year has been a pleasure and we’re proud to have you all with us. Best wishes and happiness to you and your families over the holiday season. We look forward to a successful 2023 working together!

From the entire team at FocusPlanit.

FocusPlanit serves the entire United States and is the industry’s premier team of highly qualified ConnectWise, QuickBooks, Wise-Sync, GoZynta, CharTec, ConnectBooster experts who have dedicated years of their professional life implementing and optimizing these solutions. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.

Outsourcing: The Answer to Staffing Shortages

October 25, 2022/in Blog, Office Management

With staffing shortages becoming a very real issue for businesses, outsourcing is an easy answer. Outsourcing can be an unfamiliar concept for businesses and does raise questions – will outsourcing cause issues and loss of confidence for my customers? Will outsourcing mean I lose control and consistency? Many companies are concerned about compromising service and product quality for the sake of cost-saving when they decide to outsource business tasks.

At FocusPlanit we understand these concerns – that’s why our goal is to not only reduce costs, but also to improve the quality of the customer experience. FocusPlanit is a concentrated team of professional, seasoned experts focused on helping you create and maintain a successful business. We are on a mission to help business owners build highly functioning and sustainable operations leveraging existing systems.

What Benefits Can Outsourcing Offer Your Business?

Outsourcing back office operations can help businesses strategically use their systems to meet their business goals by:

Controlling Costs
Decreasing Downtime
Provide Enhanced Security
Reduce Risk
Offer Compliance Expertise
Support Remote Workers
Guide Strategic Growth
Provide Peace of Mind

Outsourcing Saves Time and Money

The number one reason for outsourcing is to save time and money. Often, a business chooses to take non-core activities out to free up stretched resources. As a result, you can focus on what you do best.

Additionally, you don’t just benefit from the expertise outsourced solutions provide, but you also benefit from top-quality technology and infrastructure to pave the growth path. For small companies, it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy the latest technology at a manageable cost.

FocusPlanit serves the entire United States and is the industry’s premier team of highly qualified ConnectWise, QuickBooks, Wise-Sync, GoZynta, CharTec, ConnectBooster experts who have dedicated years of their professional life implementing and optimizing these solutions. Contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation.