How to Deliver Exceptional Services to Even the Most Unique M365 Tenants
Every MSP needs to drive efficiency through standardization. Creating SOPs that include Microsoft 365 tenant configuration standards is critical to that process. But we all know that there are few truly “standard” clients out there because every business owner strives to create a unique business that brings value to the customer that their competitor doesn’t. This unique twist often means that IT needs to perform some customization beyond the SOP.
That’s a need for customization at the per customer level, but this problem also exists at the industry level too. Unless you’re one of the very few MSPs that only have clients in a single industry offering the same services as each other, you’re going to have to customize your solutions to meet their needs. The needs of an accountant, a manufacturer, and an appraisal firm, all of which I had in my MSP, have similarities but also have many differences. And let’s just throw the word compliance in there too to remind us of just how much individual attention a Microsoft 365 Tenant might require. How can we provide the custom solution that these industries require and yet remain committed to standards and efficiency?
Best Practices
With the coming of AI solutions that will likely be used by national firms to deploy cookie-cutter standards to Microsoft 365 tenants, it’s more important than ever that your MSP be prepared to offer customization. But that doesn’t mean that we have to abandon our standards or best practices.
As the landscape of managed services develops, we must realize the unique challenges and possibilities that are rising with technological advancements, one of which is the increasing automation of tasks through AI tools, which is already a game-changer for scaling solutions efficiently. Yet, without meticulous attention, those automated solutions may overlook the nuanced needs of various industries. It’s like following a recipe; we can agree that the ingredients might be the same, but the flavor (and the end-product) can drastically change depending on how you mix and balance them. From my thorough experience, I can say that this is why MSPs need to ensure their solutions serve a functional purpose and add value tailored to each client’s business.
An SOP that sets a standard for the base configuration of a tenant should be a fixed item, as in you will deploy your tenant setup to every tenant regardless of what industry they are in. But as discussed above, we can’t stop there.
- Raise the Secure Score. Recently I’ve heard that Microsoft doesn’t publish Best Practices, but it simply isn’t true. Secure Score exists across many different areas of Microsoft 365 today and the settings included in these are best practices. While it may be impossible to implement the entirety of the suggested settings with a specific Secure Score, you can and should be working toward that 100% consistently. These are standards that you can apply across clients.
- Record your customizations for a per industry SOP because it’s quite likely that the next client you have in that industry will have the same needs. If they require additional security groups, private Teams channels, secure files sharing locations, then document it and make it part of your “custom standard” for that industry.
While best practices and standardized configurations are key to maintaining consistency, flexibility is equally important to address the unique needs of each client. Balancing these two elements ensures both efficiency and tailored solutions for success.
How to Balance Consistency and Flexibility Effectively
In order to successfully support a diverse range of clients, you as an MSP must blend rigid structures with flexibility. One way to achieve this is to create modular SOPs where core tasks remain consistent, but optional modules address specific needs. Take for instance the following 4 examples:
- If you are a healthcare provider, you may need to be HIPAA-compliant.
- If you are a retail client, you may focus on enhanced customer engagement tools.
- If you own a financial services firm, you may need data encryption and rigorous access control.
- If you own a marketing agency, you may prioritize collaboration tools.
By documenting these nuances, MSPs can replicate success without reinventing the wheel each time. You shouldn’t overcomplicate things; just focus on what you need.
Why Continuous Evaluation Matters
Businesses need to evolve, as customization has become a crucial part of delivering exceptional service. And as businesses needs to evolve, a once-effective solution may need adjustments. Quarterly or semi-annual reviews of tenant configurations can ensure that changes in regulations, business strategy, or technology are reflected in your client’s IT environment.
Leveraging 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs by Hornetsecurity
Beyond our standard tenant setup, secure score best practices and industry customizations, we then have the problem of managing the uniqueness of each individual business that we’re supporting. Fortunately, Hornetsecurity thought of this, and we can manage this problem in 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs.
- 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs offers nearly 100 pre-defined out-of-the-box templates, settings, and policies which can easily be applied to any tenants that require them.
- If a pre-defined template, setting, or policy cannot be found in the 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs library, it can easily be created, saved and then used as needed to a subset of tenants.
The Role of Automation in Enhancing Customization
Automation doesn’t eliminate personalization — it actually enhances it. Therefore, we can say that smart automation tools allow MSPs to streamline repetitive tasks like user provisioning and policy enforcement, freeing up resources to focus on bespoke client needs. In fact, automated alerts can even preemptively detect issues, providing MSPs with insights before problems escalate.
A client in the legal sector, for instance, may benefit from automated email archiving solutions that ensure compliance with document retention policies, while a creative agency might rely on automated workflows for content approvals and feedback. Customization doesn’t have to mean manual—it can mean smart application of tools tailored to client outcomes. And this is how a professional MSP service stands out completely!
Conclusion
The key to successfully managing custom settings in Microsoft 365 tenants lies in balancing standardization with customization. By implementing a robust SOP for base configurations, striving towards a high Secure Score, and documenting industry-specific requirements, you can ensure consistency and security across your clients. However, the true game-changer is leveraging tools like 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs by Hornetsecurity.
By utilizing 365 Multi-Tenant Manager for MSPs, your MSP can confidently provide bespoke solutions tailored to the diverse needs of your clients while maintaining high levels of security and operational excellence. This dual approach not only enhances client satisfaction but also positions your MSP as a leader in delivering customized, secure, and efficient Microsoft 365 solutions.
