5 Common MSP challenges (and how to solve them)
The IT reseller and Managed Service Provider (MSP) industry is evolving at lightning speed. New opportunities arise constantly, along with new challenges. Many IT businesses struggle with inefficiencies—manual processes, disconnected tools, and operational roadblocks that hinder growth and profitability.
With the right tools and smarter workflows, these challenges are completely manageable. Let’s explore the five biggest pain points MSPs and resellers are facing today—and how automation, integrations, and streamlined operations with ZaveIT can help overcome them.
1. Manual processes are eating up time
Challenge:
Many continue to rely on spreadsheets, emails, and manual input for tasks such as product procurement, order processing, and customer onboarding.These inefficient workflows not only consume time but also elevate the risk of errors.
The solution:
Automating routine processes such as order management, service provisioning, and invoicing can save numerous hours of work. With ZaveIT, IT businesses can remove manual bottlenecks, ensuring that everything from ordering to delivery proceeds seamlessly.
Pro Tip: Seek a solution that integrates with your distributors, CRM, and financial systems to reduce repetitive tasks.
2. Keeping up with product availability and pricing
Challenge:
Resellers frequently struggle to maintain their product catalogs.Pricing fluctuations, stock changes, and distributor availability complicate the presentation of accurate information to customers options.
The solution:
A centralized system that syncs pricing and stock availability from multiple distributors is a game-changer.Instead of manually updating spreadsheets or checking supplier portals, MSPs can rely on automated feeds to ensure customers always see the most accurate information.
Pro Tip: A unified catalog allows you to bundle services and products effortlessly, enhancing the buying experience for customers while simultaneously boosting your revenue.
3. Customers expect a better buying experience
Challenge:
B2B customers now expect the same seamless shopping experience they enjoy in B2C. If your sales process involves back-and-forth emails and manual quotes, you risk losing business to competitors that offer instant self-service options.
The opportunity:
A self-service customer portal is more than just a place tomake purchases—it’s an always-available digital hub where customers can:
- Browse and order hardware, software, and services instantly
- Upgrade or modify their subscriptions with a few clicks
- Track their agreements, contracts, and renewal dates in real time
- Receive updates and promotions on new offerings and bundles
- Reduce support dependency by accessing their own order and service history
The solution:
With ZaveIT’s self-service portal, MSPs empower their customers to take control of their IT needs while creating new revenue streams. Instead of relying on sales teams to manually process requests, the portal automates purchases, renewals, and upsells—ensuring customers always have access to the latest products and services without friction.
Pro Tip: A well-designed customer portal strengthens loyalty by keeping customers informed, engaged, and in control—while helping MSPs increase sales effortlessly.
4. Scaling without increasing overhead
Challenge:
Growth is exciting—but scaling an MSP business often requires hiring additional staff to manage increasing workloads, which consumes margins.
The solution:
Instead of hiring more people, leverage the platform to scale efficiently. A smart MSP platform enables you to serve more customers with the same team by streamlining processes, reducing manual admin work, and cutting unnecessary costs.
Pro Tip: Focus on solutions that reduce administrative work while improving efficiency so your team can focus on strategy and customer success instead of paperwork.
5. Fragmented systems slow everything down
Challenge:
Many MSPs juggle multiple tools—one for billing, another for procurement, another for CRM, and the list goes on.The problem? These disconnected systems don’t talk to each other, creating inefficiencies, errors, and wasted time switching between platforms.
The solution:
A unified platform consolidates ordering, service management, customer interactions, and billing into a single system. Seamless integrations between ERP, CRM, and distributor networks create a streamlined workflow that eliminates duplication and reduces errors.
Pro Tip: The right platform will connect critical systems, ensuring smooth data flow and reducing time spent switching between tools.
Conclusion: The future is automated & integrated
IT businesses that embrace automation, real-time integrations, and self-service capabilities aren’t just solving their biggest challenges—they’re future-proofing their business for long-term success.
At ZaveIT, we assist IT Businesses in eliminating inefficiencies, automating service and product delivery, and providing a seamless buying experience for their customers.
