#34 - Don’t Be That Guy - The Utilization Lies We Tell Ourselves (Ryan Alter)

Josh Peterson and Ryan Alters dive deep into one of MSPs’ longest-standing challenges — billable utilization — and the misconceptions that keep teams from mastering it. This episode breaks down how to calculate it correctly, why it matters more than ever in 2025, and how dispatchers, not just techs, drive the results. ✅ Enjoyed this episode? Like, subscribe, and share your biggest takeaway below. https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog Josh Peterson and Ryan Alter tackle one of the biggest myths in MSP operations — billable utilization. After 20 years in consulting, Josh reveals why the same time-entry problems still plague MSPs, how to calculate utilization the right way, and why dispatchers, not techs, really own the number. 💡 In this episode: 👉 The real utilization formula (billable ÷ paid hours) 👉 Why 75 % is the true benchmark for MSPs 👉 How dispatcher scheduling drives utilization 👉 Using small bonuses to fix time-entry habits 👉 Why simple Excel tracking beats overbuilt dashboards Get clear on what utilization means, how it drives profitability, and how to stop believing the lies MSPs tell themselves. 🔗 Resources & Links • Ryan Alter - Silverstream: https://www.silverstreamav.com • Bering McKinley MSP Consulting: https://beringmckinley.com • BMK Vision Podcast: https://beringmckinley.com/bering-mckinley-podcast-blog ⏱️ Chapters 00:00 – Intro & welcome 02:00 – The utilization problem 05:30 – The real formula 09:30 – Why 75 % matters 13:00 – Who owns utilization 17:30 – Bonuses & behavior 20:30 – Flaws in the metric 27:00 – Managed services shift 33:00 – Fixing bad data 36:00 – Tools vs simplicity 43:00 – Key takeaways & wrap-up 🔍 Keywords msp utilization, billable hours, utilization formula, connectwise metrics, msp profitability, msp dispatcher, time entry management, managed service provider, msp kpis #️⃣ Hashtags #beringmckinley #bmkvisionpodcast #dontbethatguy #mspbusiness #utilizationrate #connectwise #mspsuccess #itconsulting #mspcoach #timeentry #servicedelivery #mspgrowth #businessmetrics #mspleadership #mspoperations #bmkvision