10 key takeaways from the GlueXperience panel at DattoCon Europe 2025

At DattoCon Europe 2025 in Dublin, the GlueXperience pre-day panel, The Glue & Grow Cross-Over, brought together three powerhouse MSP leaders, Martin Waedt, Owner and Managing Director at Waedt IT Services GmbH; Tony Houlihan, Chief Technology Officer at TwentyFour IT Services; and Ollie Blaize-Ricketts, General Manager at EPX Technical Services, for a candid discussion on scaling smart, staying profitable and building resilient processes. Led by host Jack Cooke, our panelists’ insights were grounded in real-world lessons learned from using IT Glue, Autotask PSA, RMM tools and automation to fuel their growth.

Here are 10 standout takeaways every MSP should know:

1. Standardize client onboarding, then scale with confidence

Waedt shared how onboarding used to take months and often felt chaotic. By standardizing their intake process using Autotask and IT Glue, onboarding became quick, consistent and professional. “Sometimes we don’t even realize when a new client starts. It’s that seamless,” he said.

2. Automation saves time, resources and sanity

Houlihan revealed that his team saves 214 hours per month through automation, equivalent to gaining a full-time engineer. With the right configurations and daily sweeps, their systems run lean without sacrificing service quality.

3. AI doesn’t work without accurate PSA and documentation data

Blaize-Ricketts stressed that AI is only as effective as the data behind it. Without accurate timesheets and well-maintained documentation, it’s hard to get meaningful results. But once your PSA data is clean and consistent, AI can become a powerful asset for identifying issues, spotting trends and making smarter decisions.

4. Documentation is a culture shift, not a checkbox

Waedt admitted his team wasn’t naturally good at documentation, but tools like IT Glue’s SOP Generator helped bridge the gap. “Even rough documentation is better than none,” he said. Over time, they refined it into a core business asset.

5. Onboarding new engineers doesn’t have to be a bottleneck

Houlihan shared how bringing new engineers up to speed used to mean days of shadowing and constant handholding. But with clear, accessible documentation in place, that process now runs much faster. New hires can follow structured onboarding steps and get productive on their own. “No babysitting required.”

6. Share passwords securely and seamlessly with MyGlue

Blaize-Ricketts explained how MyGlue allows secure password sharing between internal teams and clients, reducing risk and improving productivity. “It’s simple, secure and just makes sense,” he said.

7. Always be audit-ready with historical documentation

Waedt spoke about passing client audits with confidence thanks to historical device activity logs in IT Glue. “We always knew what was going on with which device, which helped us a lot during a couple of audits. We also could easily describe what happened.”

8. Good documentation drives better M&A outcomes

Houlihan highlighted how structured documentation isn’t just operational, it’s strategic. “No one wants to buy a business they can’t understand,” he said. Clear systems and records make your business more valuable and easier to integrate.

9. Outsourcing success starts with documentation

While Waedt prefers to keep everything in-house, Houlihan shared how their outsourced service desk feels like a true part of the team thanks to clear, consistent documentation and onboarding. For Houlihan, it’s not about where people are, but how well they’re set up to succeed.

10. The power trio: PSA, RMM and documentation must work in sync

Waedt concluded with a message that resonated throughout the panel: “You can replace everything else, but PSA, RMM and IT documentation must work together perfectly.” That integration is what powers scalability, efficiency and excellent service.

Conclusion: Build the foundation, then grow

The panel went beyond features and functions. What really stood out were the practical ways these MSPs use their tools to run more efficiently, onboard faster and scale with confidence. At the center of it all was a common theme:

When your PSA, RMM and IT documentation work together, you create a foundation for scalable, profitable growth.

If you want to take your MSP to the next level, start by tightening up your processes and putting the right systems in place. Documentation is where it all comes together, and IT Glue makes that possible.

Curious what it could look like in your business? See how IT Glue helps MSPs grow with confidence.