A professional WordPress management tool is usually required once you’re looking after more than 5 – 10 websites.
Managing multiple WordPress sites is a time consuming process and software is going to help you enormously.
So here’s what we’ll cover today:
The right software
The key, of course, is finding the right software.
A good WordPress management tool will have a set of technical features that allow you to perform those essential WordPress tasks on all your clients’ websites in one go.
You’re likely to need other plugins or apps though to deliver the entire service.
A great WordPress management tool on the other hand, will have those same technical features, as well as extra ones that allow for things like:
- Client communication
- Team collaboration
- Extensive white-labelling
- Payment collection
- In depth personalisation
With this tool, you can deliver the entire service to your client, without needing any other products.
Therefore, the right feature set is absolutely vital when you’re choosing your WordPress management tool.
3 essential features for a WordPress management tool:
#1 Support ticket system
In website maintenance, like any other industry, quality and reliable communication with your client is vital in retaining them.
If you nail this, your client will be happier and in turn your client lifetime value will be higher.
Happy days.
A support ticket system is a vital element of your WordPress management tool as it allows you to communicate directly with your clients and ensure they receive the level of service they deserve.
Remember, most clients don’t understand what website maintenance is.
Some of them might have a vague understanding of its importance.
Most won’t.
I’m talking about the technical aspects of maintenance here: security, speed, updates, spam etc.
They just don’t understand it.
And why should they?
They’re finance people, construction companies or restaurant owners.
Telling them that Yoast SEO needs updating is a complete waste of both your time.
However, what they all understand, without fail, is that you can help them with making changes to their website.
They will ask you to do this and expect a quick, empathetic response.
Using a support ticket system that’s built into your WordPress management tool, instead of something like email, will allow you and your team to get client support queries answered and resolved faster.
It will also enhance your reputation in the eyes of your client.
It will demonstrate to them that you’re organised and that you clearly care about the experience they receive as they’re able to see a full record of every interaction with you and your team at the click of a button or two.
Finally, it will make everything far easier to manage as your client base grows and your team does with it.
Put simply, for me, a support ticket system is a non-negotiable element of your WordPress management tool.
#2 Bulk WP updates
Performing updates to WP core, plugins and themes is one of the most time consuming aspects of website maintenance.
That’s why your WordPress management tool must have a feature that allows you to perform multiple updates in one go.
This will save you hours and hours of time each month.
Ideally it should give you options such as:
- Updating by client – this will allow you to perform all available updates for the same client in one go
- Update by plugin – this will allow you to perform all available updates for this plugin across all of the sites it’s active on, in one go
- Updating by WP core version – this will allow you to perform all available updates of this version of WP across all of the sites it’s active on, in one go
- Update by theme – this will allow you to perform all available updates for this theme across all of the sites it’s active on, in one go
It’s these little extra features that make the difference between a good WordPress management tool and a great one.
#3 One click access
For me, this is one of the biggest time saving elements of a WordPress management tool.
As web developers, we’re well aware of the pain of logging in and out of multiple websites as we’re performing maintenance tasks.
It’s time consuming.
You forget usernames and passwords.
You forget where you’ve stored usernames and passwords (please tell me you’re not using spreadsheets).
Your colleague has changed the password for a site and not updated the place where you keep a record of them all.
You name it, it’s a frustrating process.
Even with a password manager like 1Password or LastPass, you are still reliant on your team keeping the information up to date.
Not only that, but that’s yet another SaaS product and another cost to your business.
With a one click access feature built into your WordPress management tool, you don’t need other password apps.
At the click of a button, you’ll be logged into the WordPress dashboard of your client’s website.
No need to remember usernames.
No need to remember passwords.
Loads of time saved.
Your WordPress management tool must have one click access.
Conclusion
The most important element to your WordPress maintenance service is client communication.
If you don’t do this well, all the technical features of your WordPress management tool aren’t going to save you from losing your client.
I don’t care how many there are.
That’s why a support ticket system is top of the list of essential features.
Following this, are those elements that save you and your team the most time.
Having the ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time and logging in to clients’ websites without usernames and passwords will save you hours each month.
The more time you save, the more profitable your accounts will be.
And who doesn’t want that?
Do you use a WordPress management tool? I’d love to know what you think of my suggestions in this article. Just leave a comment below.