News flash, MSPs. The future of a more efficient business hangs on the thread of two letters: AI. You’ve heard it, and you know it, so let’s cut through the hype.

If you're like most MSP owners I talk to, you're tired of "revolutionary solutions" that drain your wallet without moving the needle. But hear me out - when you let AI do the heavy lifting on resource-intensive tasks, you free your team to focus on impactful projects. That means opening up more time for client engagement and less time wrestling with routine tasks.

Here's what's actually working right now for MSPs like yours:

First, let's talk about what's killing your margins. It’s those resource-intensive tasks eating up your team's billable hours. While many MSPs still do these things manually, forward-thinking MSPs use AI to automate these tasks. What would happen if you could realistically free up 25 hours per week? I’m talking about actual, billable hours going straight to your bottom line.

The real money sits in your client data. You're probably collecting tons of it, but if you're like most MSPs, you're too busy putting out fires to use it. AI tools such as Datadog or ScienceLogic can be your secret weapons. They can spot a client's impending storage crisis well before you do, or predict which clients are most likely to need upgrades. This isn't theoretical -- it's happening today.

Remember that client who left last year because "things just weren't working out?” AI can help you spot red flags months before they become problems. What would it look like if you could reduce client churn by 40% using these early warning systems?

Drive Revenue with AI Chatbots

Now, let’s talk about scaling your support without burning out your team (or your cash flow). You don't always need to add techs to handle growth. AI-powered support tools such as Moveworks or Hiver can handle the routine stuff while your techs focus on complex issues that justify your premium rates.

AI-powered chatbots can handle first-line support, resolve common questions, and even escalate issues when necessary. This means faster response times with the human-like interface. If you’re concerned that clients will catch on that it’s AI, you should be more worried that they’ll sit with a problem unresolved all week because it slipped through the cracks.

Faster reactions, happier clients, and more product or service upsell opportunities — this is where the money is.

If cybersecurity isn’t a cornerstone service offering, think about it and how you could 1) make more money by offering cybersecurity solutions while 2) using AI tools to reduce resource utilization and spot threats.

Done right, AI is just as much of a tool as it is an extra brain that will help you achieve more while doing less, retain clients while selling new ones, and put a bow on the entire client experience.

If that doesn’t help you make more money as an MSP, ROI-driven marketing with AI will.

Laura Johns, CEO of The Business Growers, will speak at two Channel Partners Conference & Expo Reputation Management strategy sessions March 26 at The Venetian Las Vegas. The sessions are on “Creating a Top-Notch Value Proposition for Tech Advisors” and “How to Establish Omnipresence and Gain IT Customer Confidence."