The Lean MSP: What Do The 8 Wastes Look Like In An MSP?

If you’re serious about cutting waste in your MSP, you need to be familiar with each of the 8 wastes in lean philosophy. By understanding the areas where lean philosophy can have the most impact, your team to get some quick wins and start to think lean. This is critical – lean is part philosophy, part system and part organizational culture. You have to believe in it at a core level. Learn all the Japanese terms, adopt the philosophy, and come to hold a deep-rooted loathing for waste in all its forms.

Muda #1 – Waiting

The first waste is waiting. For MSPs, this is a big one. It’s the gap between when a client calls with a problem and the time the ticket is resolved. Think about this wasteful process. A ticket comes in, and your Tier 1 grabs it. But the Tier 1 needs some information and doesn’t know where to find it. Turns out you’re the only one who has the answer. It doesn’t matter how long it takes the tech to get the answer from you – all of that time is wasted time. And while that time is wasting, the tech isn’t doing anything productive, and the client isn’t getting what they want, either.