The summer slowdown is a reality most MSPs face as soon as schools let out for break. Business owners and employees take vacations during the summer, and holiday closures become more frequent. However, the summer slump doesn’t mean your business has to lose momentum.
We asked MSPs how they turn the summer slowdown into an advantage—here are five ways to make the most of it:
1. Recognize when the slowdown hits your business
Not all summer slowdowns happen at the same time for every MSP. The slowdown season can range from the first few weeks of May to the last few weeks of August in the US. This timing can vary depending on where your MSP is located and the needs of your local community.
“Like many businesses in a coastal community, we do tend to feel a seasonal slowdown during July and August. Summer is a major travel and family season in our area.” – Barrett Earney, Founder and CEO of Earney IT
2. Plan ahead and stay proactive
MSPs that make the most out of slow summers are the ones that plan ahead. They prepare for employee vacations, out-of-office clients, and shifts in day-to-day priorities.
“[Our] business doesn’t ‘slow down’ necessarily, and this is by design. We don’t have one specific vertical focus, which helps us maintain stability during the summer months. For example, our legal opportunities may slow down a bit, but education may increase.” – Emily Jones, Principal and Practice Leader at Warren Averett Technology Group
“Our own employees often use the summer to take their own vacations, but we also use the time to take on and complete proactive projects that we may not always have time for during the year. That keeps networks running smoothly and reduces problems down the road.” – Kristin Shoe, Director of Marketing at SIP Oasis
“Preparation is important for us. We intentionally communicate major meetings, internal events, and initiatives, planning them months in advance so vacations and PTO don’t interfere.” – Earney
3. Turn downtime into development time
Smart MSPs use the slower summer months for employee training and development, giving their teams time to upskill without competing with the demands of busier times of year.
“Summer is a nice opportunity to take a breath and tackle projects that might have been put off earlier… As busy as our technical staff is during the year, we like to use the summer for research and learning. The techs are very interested in subjects like those, and they really enjoy the time to increase their knowledge.” – Shoe
“Any downtime we have is used to increase our team’s skillset through education.” – Jones
4. Build and nurture client relationships
Another advantage of this time of year is the opportunity to invest extra time and care into client relationships. Take time to check in with customers, get to know them better, or discuss their business goals. It’s not about selling, but about building trust and rapport.
“Strong relationships always matter. But, during the summer, it can sometimes take more persistence and communication to connect with people. We are fortunate to be deeply embedded in our local community, and we know many of our clients personally.” – Earney
“Asking about vacations or family trips is a great conversation to have with clients. Our interest in our clients goes far beyond just their IT network and use. We care about their business goals but also want to get to know them personally. Lots of meaningful conversations have sprung up from the simple question of, ‘Oh, where are you headed on vacation?’” – Shoe
“Building strong client relationships helps us all year long by creating a platform for honest conversations that allow us to help them improve the outcomes of their business. Because of our great relationships, we’ve had clients contact us while they are on vacation because of something that came to their mind they wanted to talk about.” – Jones
5. Consider how you can build better relationships throughout the year
Summer is a great time to review your business and customer relationship strategies. How are your customer relationships right now? What can you do to improve them? A slower season gives you time to refine how you interact with your client base and your community, both as a company and business leader.
“Trust and familiarity help keep communication flowing even during slower seasons. For us, it starts with delivering an exceptional customer experience consistently. Communication, responsiveness, and genuinely knowing your clients beyond just technology are all extremely important. Being active in the local community also plays a major role because it allows relationships to develop naturally and authentically over time.” – Earney
“Family, Organization/Occupation, Recreation, Dreams (FORD). We keep that in mind when we’re meeting with clients, and we love to find that hidden shared interest or unique hobby a client has.” – Shoe
“The basics of our strategy are to listen, understand, ask great questions, and communicate clearly with the purpose of building trust and treating the relationship as long-term, not transactional.” – Jones
Don’t let the quieter pace of summer go to waste this year. Use the slower pace to train employees, tackle overdue projects, and strengthen client relationships that will help your business grow all year long. A little intentional planning now can set your business up for a stronger second half of the year.
Another way to help keep your momentum going, even during slower times of the year, is to take a little time to clean up. Check out our article on Spring clean your business the Marie Kondo way to learn how.