Automation Hero Stories: 3 MSPs’ quick wins with Rewst
Every hero’s journey starts with a problem. For MSPs, that problem is inefficiency—too many repetitive tasks, insufficient time, and processes that don’t scale. But heroes don’t wait for the perfect moment; they take action.
What does an automation hero do? They find quick wins—ways to eliminate inefficiencies and free up resources without overhauling everything at once. Some MSPs in this story deployed prebuilt automations, others customized workflows to fit their stack, but all saw immediate efficiency gains.
Their success proves automation isn’t just for big teams with dedicated, full-time engineers. It’s a practical, scalable solution for any MSP ready to streamline operations and free up time where it matters most.
1. Geekbox IT Balances prebuilt automations with a part-time approach
Geekbox IT made the call to step up as an automation hero, turning the decision to improve into action with measurable results.
Instead of making a massive investment upfront, the MSP chose to scale proportionately.
They made small changes that saved time and did not disrupt daily work. Geekbox IT used ready-made automations and a part-time automation strategy to cut down on manual tasks. This approach helped them respond faster and provide a more reliable service while keeping a small team.
Prebuilt automations for the quick win
Geekbox IT’s automation journey started with targeted, prebuilt automations that eliminated repetitive, manual tasks. CJ Stewart, a system automation technician, works in a hybrid role, balancing ticket work and automation building. He starts his day clearing the ticket queue, then shifts into builder mode, devoting 2 to 3 hours each afternoon to designing and refining workflows. This steady routine allowed Geekbox IT to make continuous automation progress without disrupting daily operations.
His first implementation was Rewst’s Duo Bypass Alert prebuilt automation, which detects when a user is in bypass mode and triggers an alert or creates a ticket. This workflow improved two-factor authentication (2FA) compliance. It also freed IT staff from checking Duo logs by hand. This reduced security risks and allowed technicians to focus on more complex issues.
CJ also deployed prebuilt user onboarding automation, streamlining user account creation, license assignments, and security group configurations across Microsoft 365, Duo, and other SaaS platforms. The automation significantly reduced onboarding time and setup errors while ensuring new employees received the correct access from day one with minimal oversight.
To improve response times, CJ and the Geekbox IT team set up real-time ticket alerts for rotating on-call technicians. They replaced delayed email notifications with instant SMS and Microsoft Teams alerts. Real-time ticket alerts led to faster response times, fewer missed tickets, and improved overall service levels, enhancing technician efficiency and client satisfaction.
Automation: The part-time hustle that paid off
Many MSPs hesitate to automate, thinking it requires a full-time engineer from the start. What does an automation hero do? They take a more innovative approach, using their existing resources to make automation work for them. Geekbox IT showed that MSPs can succeed without full-time engineers by integrating automation into existing roles rather than hiring a dedicated specialist.
This approach worked because it allowed them to:
Scale automation gradually – They focused on incremental improvements that added up over time.
Use available time effectively – They saw quick gains without impacting workload by automating repetitive tasks first.
Make automation a team effort – Instead of relying on one person, they encouraged collaboration and shared ownership.
By leveraging prebuilt automations, optimizing workflows, and thinking like an automation hero in daily operations, Geekbox IT built a scalable, cost-effective strategy. Their approach shows that MSPs can achieve meaningful efficiency gains without requiring a full-time automation engineer.
Want to hear more about Geekbox IT’s success story? Watch this on-demand webinar.
2. Marcus Networking customizes prebuilt automation and stays ahead of issues
For Eric Marcus, CEO of Marcus Networking, automation wasn’t just about efficiency. He saw it as a way to strengthen security, eliminate bottlenecks, and give his team more time to focus on high-value work. Instead of settling for reactive solutions, Eric led his team to customize automations that streamlined operations and helped them stay ahead of potential issues.
Adapting prebuilt automations for quick wins
Marcus Networking initially turned to Rewst’s prebuilt automations to streamline essential IT functions. Rather than deploying them as-is, Eric customized these solutions to fit their internal processes. They also leveraged out-of-the-box integrations to connect their existing tech stack and extend automation across multiple platforms.
One of their most significant improvements came from enhancing their onboarding workflow. Eric’s team implemented Rewst’s prebuilt user onboarding automation but added a crucial approval step. Instead of immediately provisioning new accounts, the workflow sends the submitted user data to a supervisor for verification before account creation. This small yet critical modification ensured greater accuracy, prevented unauthorized access, and reduced the risk of misconfigurations that could cause operational or security issues.
Marcus Networking tackled a long-standing billing challenge by implementing billing reconciliation automation. Previously, they manually managed reconciliation, which was time-consuming and prone to errors. With Rewst’s workflow canvas and API-driven integrations, Eric and his team built a solution that automated approvals, eliminated manual data gathering, and provided real-time discrepancy detection. This shift made billing more accurate, cut administrative overhead, and gave them a clearer reconciliation process.
Proactivity: The automation hero’s secret to staying ahead
Eric and his team focused on preventing problems before they started rather than reacting to problems. He saw an ongoing issue with mailbox storage limits and implemented an automation that triggers an Autotask ticket when a mailbox nears capacity. Instead of waiting for users to report full mailboxes, his team could resolve issues before they disrupted workflow. This reduced downtime, minimized service disruptions, and improved client satisfaction.
Security was another major focus. Eric’s team automated Microsoft 365 outbound rule monitoring to immediately flag or disable unauthorized forwarding rules. This proactive measure reduced security risks, eliminated manual oversight, and ensured compliance without adding extra workload.
These quick wins required minimal setup but delivered significant benefits:
- Reduced downtime by proactively resolving storage capacity issues
- Stronger security through automated monitoring and enforcement
- More efficient workflows with fewer manual tasks for technicians
By leveraging prebuilt automations, strategic customization, and proactive problem-solving, Marcus Networking scaled automation in a practical and secure way. This proactive approach sets the business up for long-term success.
Read more on how Marcus Networking became an automation hero.
3. Network IT Easy scales smart and builds a culture of innovation
Dustin Lepi, Network IT Easy’s automation hero, worked with his team to manage automation at scale, standardizing its onboarding, offboarding, and security reporting workflows across over 100 clients. By leveraging prebuilt automation and modifying it for their needs, they created a repeatable, scalable automation strategy that reduced errors, saved time, and made processes more consistent.
Automating MSP client management for a quick win
One of Network IT Easy’s most significant wins was automating user onboarding and offboarding. Manually managing account provisioning and de-provisioning across 100+ clients led to inconsistencies and security risks. To solve this, they deployed Rewst’s prebuilt onboarding and offboarding automations, modifying them to fit their workflow.
During onboarding, new users receive consistent setups, appropriate license assignments, and correct security group configurations. Meanwhile, offboarding ensures that deactivated accounts no longer pose a security risk. This change saved dozens of hours per week, contributing to 75–80 hours of reclaimed time across various processes while eliminating manual errors.
Security automation was another major win. Previously, technicians manually tracked multi-factor authentication (MFA) compliance across multiple clients, causing delays and security gaps. Network IT Easy modified Rewst’s prebuilt MFA report automation to automatically collect and visualize MFA status in PowerBI, allowing leadership and security teams to monitor adoption in real time. This improved visibility and freed technicians from manually generating and distributing reports.
Building an automation-first culture
Dustin and his team didn’t stop at deploying automations. He built a system to scale automation adoption across Network IT Easy, ensuring continuous improvement and engagement from the team. Dustin developed an automation intake form that allowed technicians to submit workflow ideas and quantify time savings. Technicians estimated how long a task took manually and how often it occurred, helping leadership prioritize the highest-impact automations.
This simple yet powerful approach transformed the team’s mindset, shifting from passive automation adoption to a culture of continuous improvement. More technicians actively contributed automation ideas, leading to additional workflow optimizations. As a result, they saved over 300 hours per month, standardized processes across 100+ clients, and improved documentation to ensure proper logging of automated workflows.
By combining prebuilt automations with technician-driven innovation, Network IT Easy streamlined operations and set the foundation for continued automation growth. Their success proves that scaling automation is possible and an effective strategy for MSPs to enhance efficiency, strengthen security, and simplify operations.
Ready to scale with automation? Read Network IT Easy’s case study
Ready to become an automation hero?
Not every automation hero starts with a grand plan. Some begin by solving one problem, then another until those small wins build to a larger movement. Geekbox IT, Marcus Networking, and Network IT Easy each took different approaches, but their stories prove the same truth: automation doesn’t have to be complex to be valuable.
Automation heroes are everywhere. Check out one of our Workflow Wizards for proof. Their success comes from recognizing a problem and taking the initiative to solve it with automation.
It’s worth asking again—what does an automation hero do? They take action. Instead of waiting for the perfect moment, they deploy practical solutions that reduce manual work. Their success isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about building a foundation for long-term scalability and innovation.
Ready to take the next step toward becoming an automation hero?
Whether you’re looking to integrate automation into an existing role or hire a dedicated expert, our Automation Engineer Job Description Template can help you structure the right fit for your team. Download it now and start scaling smarter.
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