Challenges

Because they’re frequently on the road visiting clients, they lacked the ability to provide 24x7x365 help desk support, especially for their customers with non-standard business hours. Even when they weren’t on the road, the service desk became too much, inhibiting their ability to focus on higher-level initiatives. They considered hiring someone but, in Connecticut, that’d cost them between $45,000-$65,000 plus benefits and training time/expenses. Additionally, they knew they’d need more than one person. This left them at a crossroads: do they start building out an internal support team, requiring hundreds of thousands of dollars for salaries, service management, 24x7 coverage, etc., or do they start looking elsewhere? A couple of years ago, they found their answer while scrolling on the MSP Subreddit.

Discovering Helpt

They were scrolling through the Subreddit, reading reviews of remote help desk support companies. The consensus? They work…but that’s it. No added value, no real connection–just call centers answering phones. Then, they came across David Sohn’s interaction with the chat. That immediately stood out. Not only was Helpt offering the service Cage Data had been considering, but they were also an active part of the MSP community. Unlike vendors chasing investor interests, Helpt actually meets MSPs’ needs. After messaging back and forth for a bit on Reddit, a partnership was soon formed. And it wasn’t just transactional–it was built on shared values. 

“A rising tide lifts all ships, and I want to work with vendors who believe that too. As MSPs, we’re in a customer service industry, and that means our vendors’ customer service matters just as much as ours. Seeing David in the same spaces as my fellow MSPs, and witnessing my customers get to know the Helpt team personally, showed me that they aren’t just another provider—they share our values, they support the frontline of their clients, and that’s what makes the difference.”

– Dave Long, CTO

Solution

By the end of 2023, conversations with the Helpt team began and a partnership was formed. As a HelptFul client, the Helpt technicians are fully integrated into Cage Data’s existing systems, ticketing platform, remote tools, and workflows. When asked how the transition went, Dave said,

“We told our clients what we were doing before we even began onboarding. We explained that Helpt would be fully embedded into our team and would meet all our SOPs. The majority of our clients don’t mind at all, in fact, most have even forgotten the technicians aren’t technically Cage Data employees!”

Benefits

Transforming Support Through Better Documentation

Early on, gaps in record-keeping led to more escalations than necessary. Cage Data learned quickly that by refining their own documentation habits and maintaining ongoing communication, in addition to Helpt’s structured documentation process, the partnership could be even stronger. Cage Data began taking proactive steps, including:

• Writing KB articles, especially when escalations are required

• Documenting customers’ nuances and complexities

• Setting up the customer feedback loop

• Setting up the Cage Data x Helpt Slack

With Helpt’s structured approach to capturing and refining knowledge, valuable insights from Cage Data don’t just stay within individual conversations–they become part of a growing, accessible knowledge base, which has:

• Reduced redundant escalations

• Sped up resolution times

• Improved personalized support

• Ensured continuous improvement–ultimately enhancing the customer experience

Results: Increased Capacity

With Helpt as their support desk sidekick, Cage Data has been able to:

1. Devote time to larger projects, such as:

   • Onboarding 10 new clients, including those that have never had IT teams

   • Walking through major transitions with current clients, such as shifting from computers to tablets

2. Place more emphasis on Sales initiatives including

   • land-and-expand opportunities with current clients

3. Enhance client relations through:

   • Strategic time spent with clients’ executive teams

   • Increased training exercises for clients’ entire teams 

Partnering with Helpt has expanded their capacity, allowing them to take a growth-focused approach to the future. Cage Data's transition to a managed service model has been in progress for a few years and remains ongoing. With Helpt handling all incoming help desk support calls, they have time to devote to meeting customers' rising expectations that have come with this transition. Additionally, they are considering hiring an escalation point person to work hand-in-hand with the Helpt technicians. For Cage Data, the momentum is onward and upward!

Conclusion

Cage Data's partnership with Helpt has been transformative, allowing them to offload help desk tasks, prioritize Sales initiatives, and expand their team's overall capacity. With Helpt seamlessly integrated into their workflows, Cage Data has improved response times, thereby improving client relations. The collaboration has empowered them to focus on time-intensive projects, onboard new clients, and upgrade their business model—all while ensuring that day-to-day support is handled efficiently. As they transition to a managed service model and explore new opportunities for growth, Helpt remains a trusted partner in their journey forward.

Through Helptful, Cage Data experiences a fully embedded technical team who provides 24x7 solutions with a human touch, enhancing efficiency, boosting satisfaction, and easing staffing burdens.