PSA tools can transform any value chain from productive to highly profitable—but they are especially effective for managed service providers.
These comprehensive, “closed-loop” professional systems automate manual processes and enhance customer experiences while providing a birds-eye view of operations.
Our team of automation experts at Liongard created this guide to explain the ins and outs of PSA platforms. Here, you’ll find detailed analyses of the best PSA software, answers to frequently asked questions, and an in-depth look at how your business can benefit from automation tools.
What Is PSA Technology?
Also known as “professional services automation software” technology,” PSA technology encompasses various information technology systems. These systems help MSP organizations:
- Automate ticketing processes
- Avoid missing billable hours
- Standardize operations leading to improved service delivery
Simply put, PSA software eliminates the need for multiple operational solutions, such as time-tracking software or platforms for managing projects. Investing in a PSA tool can help your organization reduce overhead while improving overall performance and reducing routine tasks.
Most importantly, PSA software helps manage customer relationships by creating cohesive processes and consolidating organizational data in an intuitive hub. There, the software’s built-in project management features can help facilitate team collaboration by:
- Delivering the project scope
- Allocating resources to various team members
- Tracking project teams
- Logging project history
- Overseeing invoicing and billing
- Streamlining workflows
- Optimizing utilization rates
- Developing operational processes
With PSA software handling the manual processes that often slow down progress, you and your team can focus on what you do best: exceeding customer expectations and achieving optimum business performance.
Who Needs PSA Software?
Both large and small businesses can benefit from PSA software. With the right integrated system, managed service organizations can leverage real-time visibility and in-depth reporting features that analyze:
- Project financials
- Resource utilization
- Profit margins
- And more
Unlike in-house departments, professional services automation tools combine effortless scalability with advanced project management features that will help boost your team’s productivity.
Critical Aspects of PSA Software
PSA software will allow your MSP to automate countless manual processes while creating a secure, closed-loop professional system. Instead of navigating between multiple collaboration, customer relationship management, and time-tracking tools, you can choose a comprehensive program that will facilitate a synergistic, compliant, and consistent environment.
While every platform differs, most professional services automation tools include the following functions.
Customer Relationship Management
Incorporating a PSA platform into your company’s workflow will improve the communication between customer-facing departments and back-of-house support. From sales to client services to project delivery teams, your staff can work closely within the platform, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and a hands-on, cohesive client experience.
Further, PSA platforms keep detailed records on client history, interactions, staff notes, and service agreements. As a result, you can have a knowledgeable interaction with customers at any stage of the customer life-cycle.
Contract Management
IT professional services automation tools will help your business manage contracts more effectively in two key ways. First, PSAs provide in-depth visibility into the details of the contract, the quoting and negotiation process, and forecasting and analysis procedures.
Secondly, PSA platforms allow project agreements to flow from initiation to agreement to completion without the risk of human error. Your platform will initiate the onboarding process and see the project through, ensuring that your company will receive payment and deal with client concerns in an efficient and organized manner.
Time Sheets, Task Completion, and Automated Billing
Many MSP businesses utilize multiple platforms to manage time tracking, task management, and billing services. PSA platforms eliminate the need for one-point solutions through the use of integrated project management tools. The software will track employee performance and task progress before automatically billing customers.
Accounting Integration
Many advanced PSA platforms integrate with other monitoring and management services, such as accounting programs. As a result, you can create a comprehensive overview of your company’s financial status without ever leaving your PSA software.
Help Desk Interfacing and Automatic Ticketing
More than likely, your company uses some form of CRM software to manage customer support tickets. Most PSA platforms will integrate with your virtual helpdesk while also managing automatic ticket creation, updates, and request resolution. Some may also include chat-based customer support tools that allow your team to communicate in real-time, any time.
In addition, you can manage your support team and track metrics like call volume, client satisfaction scores, and more, using professional services automation tools.
Task Tracking and Project Management
PSA platforms provide services organizations with countless project management functions, including automated project setup and tracking. The platforms typically facilitate improved collaboration, boost productivity, and allow you to monitor your team’s performance while guaranteeing that your clients receive their service deliverables on time and within budget.
Reporting and Auditing Functions
Finally, PSA platforms help improve expense management and security with a variety of reporting and auditing functions. The software keeps your company in compliance with regulatory requirements while also providing thorough tracking and usage auditing.
Assessing Your PSA Software Needs
Service-providing organizations vary widely based on their industry, location, and size. While most service-based businesses can benefit from PSA software, you should carefully consider your automation needs to find the right platform for your organization.
For example, small, local businesses may prefer free software that features a billing system, document management, time-tracking tools, and customer insights. Global organizations often require a more powerful PSA solution that can reduce overhead, minimize day-to-day administrative tasks, oversee project budgets, and handle expansive strategic initiatives.
PSA software should automate the daily processes necessary to keep your business moving forward regardless of your organisation’s size. These tasks will likely include:
- Tracking projects
- Logging resource utilization
- Identifying resource optimization opportunities
- Providing remote reporting and monitoring
- Auditing data or processes to ensure industry compliance
- Creating a comprehensive overview of staff performance and client satisfaction
After identifying the daily tasks that you would like to automate, you can begin comparing PSA platforms based on three critical factors, as follows.
Price
Many small businesses use free PSA platforms, especially if they only have a few team members. Free PSA software typically includes enough essential features to keep a local service-providing organization running smoothly. However, larger or rapidly scaling companies may need to explore more comprehensive PSA solutions that improve how you manage client relationships and operational performance.
Integration
How easily can you integrate a PSA platform into your workflow? Many companies don’t have the resources – or time – to overhaul their technological framework. Rather than starting over, you can compare platforms and find one that integrates with your current setup.
In addition, your software should grow with your business. Taking the time to find PSA software that provides you with the ability to grow will save time, money, and hassle in the long run.
Usability
You may have your eye on the most advanced PSA platform in the world. However, if you and your team can’t master the program, you may find yourself dealing with even more frustration, stress, and chaos. Instead, opt for a user-friendly platform that integrates with your current systems and provides the essential features you need to grow.
How Professional Services Automation Software Transforms Value Chains
Professional services automation software can elevate, enhance, and optimize your organization’s value chain in three key ways—through efficient project management, improved resource control, and optimized business performance.
Efficient Project Management
Managing projects can quickly become complicated, no matter how big or small your company is. Project managers have to create, define, structure, and oversee tasks while also managing financial and human resources.
PSA platforms reduce the time-consuming processes that go into managing projects. Typically, they feature automatic project launches, easy setups, and planning tools that can help your staff outline the service process. Further, you can take advantage of the real-time tracking, visibility, and progress alerts that you need to keep your customers happy and your team working efficiently.
Improved Resource Management
PSA platforms make it easy to plan, allocate, and manage the resources your team needs to complete new and ongoing projects. Additionally, many platforms offer forecasting tools to help you prepare for the future while handling sales opportunities, staff productivity, and customer expectations today.
Enhanced Business Intelligence
PSA solutions allow you to achieve the visibility, organization, and analysis you need to manage your company’s resources, standardize processes, map out organizational strategies, and provide services more effectively than before.
As a result, you can access critical information regarding your team, expenses, and projects in a single platform, helping you to make strategic decisions that drive your company into the next stage of growth.
PSA Tools FAQs
What is PSA in technology?
PSA in technology means “professional services automation.” The software helps streamline organizational processes through automated tracking, project management, and more.
What is the best PSA solution?
The best PSA solution varies based on a variety of factors, including organizational goals, the size of your team, and your expectations for your new platform. Liongard integrates with PSA tools to giving your team access to ticket status mapping, service board integration and billing support for more efficient issue resolution..
What is a PSA MSP?
A PSA works as the organizational hub for managed service providers (MSPs). The platform integrates with various remote monitoring and management (RMM) and MSP platforms to organize data, improve operations, and enhance client relationships.
What Tools Can Integrate With Liongard?
Learn more about Syncro and ConnectWise Manage
Finding the Best PSA Software for Your Business
At Liongard, we believe that efficiency, profitability, and automation go hand-in-hand. Our team of MSP experts will work with your company to reduce routine processes, eliminate the risk of human error, and help your business expand while keeping your team – and your customers – satisfied.
If you’re ready to scale your business through our integrations with adaptive PSA tools, our team at Liongard can help. To get started, schedule a free demo today.