Building service excellence: 6 pillars of Managed Services Framework 

Businesses are under immense pressure to remain competitive in a world driven by rapid advancements in technology. There needs to be more than the traditional break-fix approach to meet the demands of a dynamic, data-driven landscape. Organizations need a trusted managed services provider (MSP) to efficiently oversee and manage their technology environments, ensuring seamless operations and minimal disruptions.

For managed service providers, delivering proactive support is no longer enough. Building and growing a thriving business with satisfied customers demands a comprehensive strategy. Operational excellence becomes the cornerstone, achievable only through a structured, repeatable framework. This is where an Application Managed Services framework, designed around proven standards and strategies, becomes invaluable.

At Confiz, we specialize in providing managed services across key tech domains, including Microsoft Business Applications like Dynamics 365, Data and AI, and Cloud adoption and management. Our AMS framework is built on six core pillars: People, SOPs, Tools, KPIs, Insights, and Strategic Preemption. Together, these pillars create a robust ecosystem that ensures consistency, fosters innovation, and delivers measurable results.

In this blog, we will explore each of these pillars, providing actionable insights to help you build a best-in-class AMS framework. Whether you are a growing MSP or looking to refine your processes, these strategies will equip you to meet your customers’ needs and achieve sustainable success.

Strategic insights: Rethinking the traditional approach to managed services

6 pillars of an effective Application Managed Services Framework for service excellence

To establish a managed services framework that drives service excellence, it’s essential to implement a well-defined process tailored to your MSP business. This approach not only enhances customer satisfaction but also improves profitability. Without an effective framework, achieving scalable and consistent results becomes a challenge.

Drawing from our extensive industry experience, we have identified six core pillars that form the foundation of a service excellence ecosystem. These pillars enable consistent and continuously improving service quality for customers. Below is a visual representation of the AMS framework, illustrating the ecosystem that delivers these outcomes.

Let’s explore each of these pillars in detail to understand their role in delivering exceptional services:

1. People: The heart of service excellence

At the core of any successful AMS framework are the people delivering the service. Their skills, motivation, and engagement determine the quality of support your organization provides. However, retaining talent in a business like AMS can be challenging without a well-thought-out strategy.

Confiz’s People pillar focuses on fostering a high-performing, satisfied team by:

• Skill development: Conducting continuous skills gap assessments and offering tailored training programs to address weaknesses.

• Gamification: Making performance management engaging through leaderboards and rewards for top performers.

• Alignment with business goals: Ensuring personal KPIs are tied to the customer’s objectives, creating a sense of purpose.

• Reward & recognition: Celebrating achievements through public recognition and tangible incentives.

• Career growth opportunities: Providing cross-training, upskilling, and pathways to progress from L1 to L3 roles, encouraging team members to expand their expertise.

• Work satisfaction: Automating repetitive tasks to ensure intellectual stimulation and reduced burnout.

By implementing these strategies, we have achieved an impressive 85% retention rate and an eNPS score of 45, showcasing high levels of team engagement and satisfaction.

Read more: Debunk common myths about application managed services

2. SOPs: Standardizing operational excellence

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) ensure consistency, efficiency, and high-quality service delivery across all team members and shifts. They provide a reliable framework for daily operations, minimizing variability and enabling new hires to quickly adapt.

Key SOPs in the Confiz AMS framework include:

• Onboarding and offboarding: Streamlined processes to integrate or transition team members seamlessly.

• Duty rosters: Ensuring proper coverage with clear shift scheduling.

• Ticket lifecycle management: Defining every stage of a ticket’s journey, from creation to resolution.

• Escalation protocols: Clear steps for managing exceptions and escalating critical issues.

• Performance audits & feedback: Regular evaluations to identify areas of improvement and reward high performance.

• Customer reporting: Multi-level, multi-cadence reports to keep stakeholders informed about performance and system health.

By leveraging proven SOPs, we eliminate service inconsistencies and ensure operational excellence, regardless of team size or complexity.

2. Tools: Enabling productivity and collaboration

The right tools are essential for efficient AMS operations. From managing service requests to facilitating collaboration, tools act as enablers that simplify workflows and enhance productivity.

Confiz equips teams with industry-leading tools, including:

• Ticket management: Tools like ServiceNow, Jira, and Azure DevOps streamline issue tracking and resolution.

• Knowledge management: Platforms like Confluence, SharePoint, and ServiceNow Knowledge Base ensure quick access to critical information.

• Collaboration: Communication platforms like Microsoft Teams and Slack foster seamless team collaboration.

In addition to tool recommendations, we also use pre-configured templates, tool-specific SOPs, and other IT support best practices to help teams use these tools effectively.

4: KPIs: Driving accountability and performance

Key performance metrics are the benchmarks for measuring success in Application Management Services. Confiz’s framework focuses on creating balanced KPIs that address short-term results while safeguarding long-term ecosystem health.

KPIs are generally categorized into three levels:

• Individual KPIs: Assess the effectiveness of individual contributors (e.g., SLA compliance, ticket resolution rates).

• Team KPIs: Encourage collaboration and shared responsibility within shifts and teams.

• Business-aligned KPIs: Align with customer objectives, such as reducing sales order turnaround times or increasing revenue.

These metrics not only drive accountability but also create a culture of continuous improvement.

5: Insights: Data-driven decision making

Actionable insights are critical for optimizing AMS operations. Confiz’s AMS framework leverages real-time dashboards and predictive analytics to deliver insights tailored to different stakeholders.

Key capabilities include:

• Performance dashboards: Visualizing real-time team productivity and system health.

• Predictive analytics: Identifying potential issues before they escalate.

• Introspection analytics: Highlighting gaps in team or system performance for continuous improvement.

These insights empower you to make informed decisions for enhancing service delivery and reducing costs.

6: Strategic Preemption: Proactively preventing issues

The ultimate goal of Application managed services is to minimize disruptions by addressing potential issues before they arise. Strategic preemption focuses on reducing ticket volumes over time, ensuring a smooth and efficient support ecosystem.

Key strategies include:

• Root cause analysis: Identifying and resolving recurring issues to prevent future occurrences.

• Automation: Streamlining repetitive tasks to reduce manual intervention.

• Continuous improvement: Regularly updating processes based on insights and feedback.

This proactive approach not only improves system stability but also enhances user satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Partner with Confiz for Managed Services excellence

Achieving service excellence in managed services demands a holistic framework that brings together people, processes, tools, and proactive strategies. The best managed service providers rely on such proven frameworks to consistently deliver exceptional results.

At Confiz, our managed services framework is built on six foundational pillars designed to ensure consistent performance, boost operational efficiency, and align seamlessly with your business objectives.

Ready to enhance your managed services? Contact us at marketing@confiz.com to discover how our tailored AMS solutions can help drive your organization toward sustained success and service excellence.