How AI Chatbots Revolutionize MSP Service Desks

We got a nice surprise at XChange in early March. A brand new partner of ours was on the opening keynote panel, The Impact of AI on the Channel, where IPED Consulting shared their latest survey findings and discussed where solution providers were in their journey to commercializing on the AI trend, how they were approaching it, and what investments they have made or were considering.

Luis Alvarez, President and CEO of Alvarez Technology Group and recent addition to the Thread family, shared that his answer to how he was leveraging AI was simple. "Thread! I highly recommend everyone visit their booth too!"

I caught up with Luis later at the conference to thank him for the kind words and ask him a few follow-up questions. 

How did you know Thread was right for your business?

When I look at technologies that I want to implement my company, there are two criteria, very simple, very definitive. Either it's gonna make me money or save me money. If neither one of those is going to happen, I just not going implement it.

So, when I looked at Thread, I thought, “This is a thing that's gonna save me money because it's gonna help me grow and scale without necessarily having to a hire headcount, right?” Because I can now bring on new clients, make my life simpler, and not hire a bunch of people to make it all happen. So, I'm very excited.

Why is chat such an important support channel for MSPs?

As much as possible, if I have an issue right now, I want to solve it. But if I can't solve it, I have to call and wait for you to get back to me, I may not even make that call. If I have to email and wait for you to get back to me, I may not even email, because I just I don't have enough time to deal with this. But if I can initiate a conversation in real time and say, this is what's happening to me, and get a response, I'm more likely to engage.

That engagement becomes a way for us to deliver value to our clients, because otherwise, there's a gap between “Ugh, I have to call or email because it's a critical thing” versus “I just I want some help, and it not that big of a deal even if I happen to be working on a Sunday afternoon, and I get this instant response from, a chatbot. I'm I know I'm not talking to a human being, but at least I'm getting a response and I can interact and see if I can resolve the problem. If I can't, then it's gonna be escalated someplace. And people are used to that. They're they're good with that.

It's going to be a game changer for MSPs.

But doesn’t everyone hate having to talk to a chatbot?

Not at all. I mean, think about the last time you went to the airport and you checked in. Did you go to a kiosk or did you go to human being? If there's no kiosk, you think, “Ugh, I have to go up to the counter and talk to a human being. And that person is going to type behind the counter for half an hour doing, I don't know what, to check me in.” Whereas if I can check myself in it's going take five minutes at most. I'll scan my license, tag my bag, and drop them off.

We all want self service. We all want the ability to get things done right away.

If MSPs create barriers to resolution, even seemingly “normal” service channels such as having to make a phone call or schedule a live triage screenshare, it means that clients will frustrated. The faster they get resolution, the happier they are. Even if that resolution is just “Okay, we've trouble shot this problem, we've checked this and that, now we’ll escalate to something else. Someone will call me next week. Cool, I've done something today. I've done something right now.”

Why are status updates such a big deal?

You have to let customers know something is happening. That their request is in process.

Before, they’d get an email confirming their request was received. They got a ticket number and a range of time that someone would respond. But the thing about email is that it requires them to actually read the email. Which most people quite frankly don't.

How many times does a client call and say, “Hey, what's going on with my issue?” And you say, “Well, we emailed you a ticket.” And they say, “Yeah, I didn't get it.” And you know they got it. They just didn't read it. They might have deleted it, they might have just ignored it. Regardless, they don’t know what’s happening and felt the need to follow up. That’s terrible service.

Customers want to feel heard. They want to know someone is doing something.

We couldn't agree more, Luis. Thank you again for sharing your experience and helping other MSPs learn more about how AI can make their businesses stronger, more profitable, and deliver better service.