When discussing the TruMethods Framework (particularly proactive operations) with partners, many conversations center around standards and best practices. These are core to our business and define what an ideal client environment looks like, acting as a foundation for our Technology Success practice (Technology Alignment and vCIO).
It’s always important to rethink our current practices and processes to figure out how to continue down the path to more efficiency and effectiveness. If standards are not written down and maintained in a single location, they can become ‘tribal knowledge’ and end up subjective or forgotten. They could even disappear if an employee decides to take on a new opportunity.
Once defined, every MSPs’ core technology standards and best practices should be considered and reconsidered regularly, with process and discipline around keeping them updated. The process around keeping the standards and best practices updated should also change as time progresses.
Building a Standards Committee is key. This is essentially the process around maintaining standards and taking multiple perspectives into account. Think about who is accountable for ensuring that standards committee meetings happen, whether the right people are involved, and the meaningful action items that should be assigned and completed before the next meeting rolls around. Then, ask some questions: Who should accountable? Who shuld be involved? What is the best agenda for this meeting? Are we committing to completing action items in a timely manner? How frequently should this meeting recur? Where will we build and maintain this library? We should all aim to get the best results possible from the efforts to keep standards and best practices alive in our organizations.
Does your company have a Standards Committee in place already?
If not, what types of questions do you have about this process? If so, what changes have you made or will you make to get more value from this effort?
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