u/TheDongles

This is probably more suited for MSPs, but I think relates to really anything business related. Software wise anyway. Think VoIP, backup, CRM, etc.. I kept this kind of vague since I think the guy I talk to lurks the forum.

I was talking to an MSP partner that was telling us about a new software that their CTO previously worked on/helped create that they’re starting to resell, and really talked it up. Now I know this org already sells a different software for this need, tho not as robust. I asked if they were going to implement it at their org since it seems so great and he was like ah no we actually just switched to another 3rd party solution, but they’re going to absorb that new tool and replace the more basic one they’ve been selling.

This is so funny to me, and maybe there is rationale that I just don’t get, but I have seen this in different places too. If your company sells, supports, or creates a software, what is the rationale to not using in your own org? Wouldn’t there be some kind of cost savings potentially as well as you knowing the product well for those that you’re supporting or selling to?

The only thing I could think of is if there’s an outage it doesn’t bring you and your customers down, but I’m not sure if that’s always matters depending on the tool. Like email services? Sure makes sense. Some sort of saas app though? Idk if that matters as much?

Hi all,

I’m a sysadmin with 2 full time helpdesk guys, org of 220 in 5 locations. I started in regular business office 10 years ago doing sales. 7 years ago I transitioned to IT and became our first IT person, previously we didn’t even have an MSP, just a contract guy that came when we called him.

Fast forward to now, I asked my boss how I can level up/grow with the company. I’ve taken on a lot since I started. Currently managing pretty much everything in house. Only thing we don’t manage is our website, and I kind of like it that way.

So after kind of shrugging his shoulders for a year he is now bent on getting me to do more certs. He gave me a list:
- Comptia security +
- CompTIA network +
- CompTIA Cloud +
- Microsoft AI something (I can’t remember this one, he mentioned it off the cuff after he sent me the list)
- Finally a course for me to go find to maintain our website so they can cut the web dev. He didn’t know what course to recommend because he didn’t know much about it but pointed to coursera.

Now only thing I’ve done in certs over the years where the A+, AZ-900/104, and Google cloud security when I got started. Since then I figured I would learn the stuff but I didn’t want to pay for the certs because what’s the point? Unless I’m looking for another job I didn’t see the reason, and I like my org quite a bit. Not the wisest I know, but they wouldn’t pay for it, so I just didn’t do them.

I told him I had already studied for the security + a couple years ago, and could probably study the differences in materials and get through it easily, and recommended we switch to the CCNA since we are fully Cisco at all locations. But he seemed to not be interested in that info.

From what I can tell his push for certs is driven by is some internal push for managers to have career ladders for all departments and I guess he wants to show some sort of progress? Idk he is the CFO so he really isn’t privy to any of the work I do.

Anyway, after my recommendations I asked what happens when I complete these? Since they are only paying for half the certs… there has to be a carrot at the end of the stick.

He very excitedly said a $2,000 pay increase. Now I’m not greedy by any means, I’ve been paid under market for years and I’ve accepted that because of the work life balance. But is this not kinda stupid? I’ve had no complaints in my performance, I am constantly engaged with leadership on initiatives that they do not care about, so is there something I’m missing here? Like I feel like there is some weird motive here I can’t figure out, or it’s just poorly funded incentives that I’m supposed to be giddy over. Like I’m pretty sure the exams are almost as
Much as the pay increase? I haven’t done anything to try to steer the ship just yet, but how do I approach that the incentive is either too low or not aligned with what the ask is here? From what I can tell other than the time to study and what not, the only benefit I see them getting is cutting the web dev, which is a little more than the pay bump they offered, I think like 4k a year.

Edit:
Glad to see there’s some consensus on this being kind of a shit show. A little more context:
I LOVE the web dev company we work with. They are just great. Awesome to work with, great turnaround times, 0 issues. But god forbid you pay someone to do something they are good at.

Noted before but they’re only paying half of the exams, no study materials and it’s based on completion, so I’d get reimbursed 50% after completion. I believe this may be because they did not ask for any sort of training agreement? But also grand scheme of things this is kind of small potatoes for a training agreement right?

This guy is honestly the worst part of my job. For 6 months he had me meet weekly with him which was just an awful way to start the week. Eventually I was like hey I’ve just got too much going on to be doing this can we do this less frequently? Rinse and repeat now we meet quarterly. Dude is the type of guy to trip
Over a dollar to pick up a penny. But I’m stuck with him so long as I work here.

I have looked on and off the last year, and the market near me is abysmal. I almost jumped ship to an MSP last year that wanted to sell us services and I wanted to be like hey…. I sign y’all up here and you take me, deal? But we laughed it off as a joke.