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SOP templates for an IT services company or MSP

Seven core SOPs for a managed service provider or IT services firm, from prospecting to quarterly business reviews, with the steps written out.

Owner
Owner or service manager
Runs
Set up once, reviewed quarterly
Updated
Download .md

An IT services firm maps neatly onto the customer journey: find prospects, warm them up, close, deploy what you sold, then keep the client through regular reviews. These SOPs follow that order, with an internal security procedure at the end. Replace the [bracketed] values with your own tools and thresholds.

Lead acquisition: prospect a new account

Purpose: Reach the right businesses with a relevant reason to talk.

  1. Build the list from your ideal client profile: [industries, headcount range, location].
  2. Research each account for [5 minutes]: who runs IT today, recent changes, visible issues such as an outdated website or recent growth.
  3. Make first contact using the prospecting script at [link], by phone or email, and lead with a question about their current setup rather than a pitch.
  4. Log every touch in [CRM] the same day.
  5. Book an assessment when there is interest, or set a follow-up date. Stop after [6] touches with no response.

Sales execution: run the IT assessment

Purpose: Understand the prospect’s environment and risks before you propose anything.

  1. Send the pre-assessment questionnaire covering users, devices, locations, software, backups and current support.
  2. Meet or visit to walk through the environment with the decision maker and whoever handles IT today.
  3. Record findings in the assessment template: risks, quick wins and longer-term needs, each ranked.
  4. Present the findings within [5 business days] in plain language, without jargon.
  5. Agree next steps and book the proposal meeting.

Sales execution: propose and close

Purpose: Present a clear proposal that matches the assessment and gets a decision.

  1. Build the proposal from the template: scope, services, service levels, onboarding plan, pricing and term.
  2. Check it with [service manager] so delivery can meet what is promised.
  3. Walk the client through it live rather than only emailing it.
  4. Answer objections and record them in [CRM].
  5. Send the agreement through [e-signature tool] and follow up at [3 and 7 days].

Fulfillment: onboard a new managed client

Purpose: Take over the environment safely and document it from day one.

  1. Hold the internal handoff within 2 business days of signature: sales notes, assessment and promises made.
  2. Collect credentials into [password manager] and confirm admin access to every system in scope.
  3. Deploy your tools: [RMM agent], [backup], [security tools], and verify each device reports in.
  4. Document the environment in [documentation platform]: network, devices, users, vendors and licenses.
  5. Fix critical findings from the assessment in the agreed order.
  6. Introduce the client to the helpdesk: how to raise a ticket, hours, and what to expect.
  7. Hold a 30-day review with the client to confirm onboarding is complete.

Fulfillment: triage a support ticket

Purpose: Get every ticket to the right person at the right priority.

  1. Acknowledge the ticket within the response time in the client’s service agreement.
  2. Set priority using the priority matrix: impact (one user, many users, whole business) against urgency.
  3. Check documentation for the client and any known issue.
  4. Assign to the right technician or queue, with a clear summary.
  5. Update the client at each status change, and escalate to [service manager] before any service level is breached.

Retention: run a quarterly business review (QBR)

Purpose: Show the client the value of the service and agree what comes next.

  1. Prepare the report [1 week] before: ticket trends, projects done, open risks, device and license status.
  2. Draft recommendations tied to their business goals, with rough costs.
  3. Meet the decision maker for [45 to 60 minutes] and review the report.
  4. Agree priorities for the next quarter and record them in [CRM].
  5. Send a summary within 2 business days, and create proposals for any agreed projects.

Company: review staff and technician access

Purpose: Make sure only current staff have access to client systems and your own tools.

  1. Export the user lists from [password manager], [RMM], [PSA] and client admin portals every [quarter].
  2. Compare against the current staff list and each person’s role.
  3. Remove access for anyone who has left or no longer needs it, the same day.
  4. Rotate shared credentials that departed staff could see.
  5. Record the review and changes in [documentation platform] for audit.

Questions about this template

Are these the same as technical runbooks?

No. These are business procedures: how you win, onboard and keep clients. Technical runbooks for specific systems, such as patching or backup restores, sit underneath them and should be linked from the relevant step.

How often should an MSP review its SOPs?

Quarterly works well for most IT firms because tools and client stacks change often. Review any SOP immediately after an incident where it was followed and something still went wrong.

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