Sending a proposal is the precursor to just about any new client project or service. If you’re like most MSPs, you find admin work like this tedious and annoying. Luckily, quoting software for MSPs can greatly speed the process along, allowing you to get back to things more worthy of your time—like scaling your business.
MSPs use quoting tools to expediate the process of building and distributing quotes to prospects and clients. Specialty quoting software for MSPs, such as Kaseya Quote Manager, ConnectWise CPQ, and QuoteWerks, is designed so MSPs can provide quotes for their unique service offering.
MSP Success surveyed our advisory council on the features and functions that are critical when choosing quoting software for MSPs. Here’s some of their advice.
Why Quoting Software Is Key for MSPs
By adding a quoting tool to their internal operations, MSPs can drastically boost productivity by using prebuilt templates and an integrated delivery system to create and send quotes all in one place. Quoting software also simplifies things on the client’s end. “For us, the ability for somebody to ‘click to sign’ [is crucial]. The money goes right into our system and into our bank. That seamless integration is really important for us,” says Ann Westerheim, founder and president of Ekaru.
“We need [quoting tools], and we need them to be as simple as possible, says Thomas Lohr, Chief Growth Officer of Techworks Consulting. Straightforward quoting tools are more accessible to salespeople, he says, “because in many cases, they’re tech savvy individuals, but they’re not engineers. They don’t necessarily truly understand what they’re selling.”
Which Tool is Best for You?
There are a few factors to consider when deciding which quoting software for MSPs is right for you. Integration with other tools is a key one; you want a quoting tool that meshes seamlessly with your PSA and accounting solution. “Getting from quote, to service delivery, to billing without any manual intervention is an important part,” says Will Slappey, CEO of IT Voice. “Quoting is especially dependent on your other software, in order for you to maximize your efficiency.”
Another key element to look for is ease of use; a clunky, frustrating tool won’t improve productivity as much as one that’s intuitive and straightforward. You don’t want a tool that requires an MBA to use efficiently.
Quoting Tools Other MSPs Use
The majority of the advisory council members surveyed use quoting software in their MSP. ConnectWise CPQ and Kaseya Quoter were most popular. Other common quoting software options MSPs use include Zomentum, PandaDoc, Quoter, Proposify, and QuoteWerks.
However, unlike some types of software where there is a clear “winner,” opinions on quoting software are much more diverse. “This is one [kind of software] where I think everyone can have an opinion,” says Matt Rose, co-founder and CXO at Tech Rage IT. “There’s no clear-cut winner—for various reasons.”
Rose is referring to the fact that the majority of quoting options on the market have some pretty clear pros and cons; MSPs have to simply choose what works best for them from what’s available. For example, while some solutions are easy to use, they may not be as well integrated with PSAs; those are tradeoffs MSPs have to weigh. In the end, the best quoting software for your MSP depends on your existing tool stack and which qualities are most important for your business and team. For more information on tool selection, check out our article on specialty software selection for MSPs.
