The Power Of Client Experience: Lessons From Top Business Leaders

Margeaux PhippsMSP Marketing

At our upcoming Boot Camp event, we’re bringing together some of the best minds in business to help MSPs and IT services firms grow, scale and dominate their markets. As part of our lead-up, we’re looking back at some of the most powerful lessons shared in past sessions. One of the most impactful discussions focused on client experience—why it’s more important than price and how businesses that master it make price irrelevant.

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Here are some key takeaways from that conversation.

Build A World-Class Customer Experience By Focusing On Culture

One of the most thought-provoking points made in this discussion was about what’s more important when building a world-class customer service organization: hiring the right people or training and instilling the right culture?

While hiring matters, the consensus was clear—culture and training take precedence. It’s not about hiring great employees and hoping they succeed. Instead, it’s about embedding the right values into your team so that every employee delivers a top-tier experience, no matter who the client interacts with.

As Walt Disney famously said, “Don’t put your people in Disney. Put Disney in your people.”

This philosophy applies to MSPs and IT service providers just as much as it does to theme parks. It’s about making customer experience part of your DNA. Your service should be so consistent that clients know what to expect—without playing “employee roulette” and hoping they get the right technician.

How To Make Price Irrelevant: Compete On Experience, Not Cost

One of the biggest obstacles MSPs face when selling services is price objections. “I can get this cheaper somewhere else.” Sound familiar?

The best response isn’t to lower your prices or offer discounts. Competing on price is a race to the bottom. Instead, compete on experience, expertise and value.

The discussion highlighted a great example from the salon industry. In one instance, a salon charged $150 for a haircut, while the average price in their market was $30. A competitor even posted a sign advertising $10 haircuts—and instead of panicking, they embraced the challenge with a bold sign of their own: “We fix $10 haircuts.”

The same principle applies to IT services. A bargain MSP isn’t really a bargain if they’re unreliable, reactive and lacking expertise. The more you emphasize quality, peace of mind and proactive service, the more your clients will see the real value behind your pricing.

The Starbucks Pricing Myth: What You’re Really Selling

Another key takeaway revolved around Starbucks and the psychology of pricing.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Starbucks faced a unique problem: their own employees felt guilty about charging $4.50 for a cup of coffee. To them, it seemed absurd to pay that much for something that could be bought much cheaper elsewhere.

Starbucks had to shift their mindset. They weren’t selling just coffee—they were selling the experience: the third place between home and work, the convenience, the atmosphere and the customization.

MSPs and IT providers can take the same lesson to heart. You’re not just selling IT services. You’re selling security, efficiency, peace of mind and business continuity. The cost of not using a premium MSP—downtime, security breaches and poor support—is far greater than the price of your services.

The Cheaper You Go, The More It Will Cost You

A crucial point made in this discussion was the hidden cost of cheap solutions. The cheaper you go, the more it will cost you.

A business that chooses a budget MSP to save a few bucks ends up paying more in downtime, security risks and inefficiencies. Your job is to help prospects see the true cost of choosing a subpar provider.

A great way to do this is by sharing real-life stories of businesses that switched to you after a bad experience with a cheap competitor. Show them the pain they avoided by investing in quality IT services.

Key Takeaways: Why Experience Is The Ultimate Differentiator

  1. Culture Trumps Hiring – The best organizations don’t just find great people; they instill a winning client experience culture.
  2. Price Is Only An Obstacle When You Lack Value – If your clients see the experience and expertise you deliver, price stops being a deciding factor.
  3. You’re Selling More Than IT Services – Just like Starbucks isn’t selling coffee, you’re not just selling IT—you’re selling security, efficiency and business success.
  4. Cheap MSPs Cost More In The Long Run – Show prospects how choosing a bargain provider can lead to bigger problems and higher costs.
  5. The Right Clients Will Pay A Premium – If your service justifies the price, your best clients won’t just pay it—they’ll see it as a bargain.

Want proven strategies to attract more high-quality prospects and grow your MSP? Join us at our 2025 Sales And Marketing Boot Camp—the ultimate event for MSPs ready to scale. You’ll gain actionable insights, tools and a step-by-step plan to dominate your market.