All-You-Can-Eat Managed Services Can Make You Sick | EP125

Update: 2025-08-12

Description

In this episode of the All Things MSP Podcast, hosts Justin Esgar and Eric Anthony dive deep into the reality of offering “all you can eat” IT support — and why it’s not always the sweet deal it sounds like.

From lightning strikes frying network gear to untangling bizarre home internet issues, Justin shares real-world stories that expose the risks of unlimited managed service agreements (MSAs) without clear boundaries. Eric and Justin discuss how modern technology creep — from IoT to SaaS sprawl — has changed the support landscape since the early days of MSPs.

Key topics include:

- How home networks and work-from-home setups blur scope lines
- Why defining what you don’t do is as important as defining what you do
- Setting client expectations for emergencies, after-hours support, and “out-of-scope” requests
- Balancing exceptional service with protecting your profitability and team’s sanity

Whether you’re a solo IT provider or running a large MSP, you’ll learn how to avoid the costly pitfalls of poorly defined “all you can eat” contracts and why scope creep is one of the biggest hidden risks in the managed services industry.

If you’ve ever been caught between wanting to help your client and knowing it’s outside your responsibilities — this episode is for you.