Pia launches in the UK a revolutionary true automation solution to streamline processes for MSPs

Sydney, Australia. January 23, 2023 —  Pia, an Australian-based startup delivering a true automation platform to automate IT service desk tickets, is thrilled to announce that they are launching into the UK market. 

Pia aiDesk is the first “cognitive digital employee” that integrates with existing IT service management tools to simplify processes, free up resources, and improve operational efficiencies for managed services providers (MSPs).  

“Getting the service desk right has always been a pain point for MSPs,” said Christian Pacheco, founder, and CEO of Pia. “An AI-first approach to improving operational efficiency through process optimization, Pia reduces the time technicians spend on Level 1 and Level 2 support tickets. With Pia, MSPs can reduce their workloads, resolve tickets faster, and improve ticket closure rates.” 

Founded and led by Christian Pacheco, a multi-award-winning entrepreneur and owner of Virtual IT Group, one of the top MSPs in Australia, Pia solved a significant problem he was having as an MSP owner. Before developing the solution, his help desk technicians frequently spent time on daily repetitive tasks (e.g., changing calendar permissions, deleting mail contacts, setting up remote desktop access, and diagnosing remote desktop issues) instead of focusing on high-value activities. This kept his business costs high (labor in particular), negatively affected employee morale (leading to high turnover), and hampered consistent service delivery (preventing quality outcomes for his clients).  

Recognizing a need for an automated ticket resolution solution in the market for MSPs, Pacheco began developing Pia into the product it is today. Instead of waiting for someone else to build a solution, Pacheco and his team created their own automations, focusing first on clients with labor-intensive processes. For instance, there was a lot of governance around creating new users for his client in the construction industry. By automating the process, Pacheco and his team reduced a four-hour task to about six minutes, seeing results almost immediately.  

Pia today has more than 100 automations and integrations for MSPs. The platform has 60 automation packages, including automations for the following service desk tasks: changing user details, resetting network passwords, granting mailbox permissions, troubleshooting network drives, terminating users, deploying SonicWall VPN, modifying distributing group settings, and many more. 

The solution integrates seamlessly into most professional automation services (PSA) tools, including ConnectWise PSA, Kaseya BMS, Autotask, ServiceNow, and HaloPSA. Pia also has integrations with key vendors and products, including Microsoft 365 and Teams, Rhipe, Citrix, RingCentral, Mimecast, IT Glue, Open VPN, and Titan.  

Pia is committed to building and maintaining its security-first culture for its employees, customers, and vendors. The company’s security program aligns with the criteria set forth by the following frameworks: SOC 2, ISO27001, and GDPR. Additionally, Pia undergoes independent third-party assessments to test its security and compliance controls; performs an independent third-party penetration at least annually to ensure that the security posture of our services is uncompromised; and requires employees to go through security awareness training covering industry standard practices and information security topics, such as phishing and password management. Other components of Pia’s security commitments include cloud security, access security, and vendor and risk management.  

“Pia is going to boost the confidence in how MSPs do business significantly by shifting the conversation from solving IT challenges to providing business solutions,” Pacheco said. “When MSPs can deliver the end-to-end service they promised to their customers, that is massive. Instead of having discussions about customer support, MSPs will be able to focus their efforts on helping customers grow their businesses by boosting productivity, improving business performance, and solving complex business challenges.” 

About Pia 

Pia is a true automation platform that integrates with existing IT service management tools to simplify processes, free up resources, and improve operational efficiencies for managed services providers (MSPs). The intelligent automation platform analyzes, routes, and actions repetitive tasks with ease, such as user creation, password or virtual private network (VPN) resets, domain name system (DNS) flushing, and active administration changes. Pia combines hyperautomation technologies, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, natural language processing, robotic process automation, and the Pia Chatbot. The solution enables MSPs to reduce business costs, improve service time for clients, increase employee satisfaction, and deliver consistent service. Pia is also ISO 27001, GDPR, and SOC 2 accredited. 

Meet the team supporting our UK expansion: 

Matt Takhar – EVP Strategy & Growth – Pia 

Matt will be joining as the EVP, Performance & Growth. His team includes global corporate strategy and development, vendor partnerships, training, and market performance and analysis. Matt will also help drive the international partner community. He joins as the current CEO of Inbay and former Global Product Director at Datto (formerly AutoTask). Matt brings extensive experience in service delivery, solutions, and software development.  

Ben Jenkins – Pia Evangelist – Pia 

Ben Jenkins will take on the role of Pia Evangelist, where he will be the Global lead for training, learning, and development, Pia’s demo environment, and partner escalations. Ben will also be the Global Lead for the Pia Partner Community and Advisory Committee. Ben joins from Threatlocker, where he has held a global role for the past two years alongside the company founders and executive team. 

Paul Fuge – Sales Director UK – Pia 

Paul has worked in Tech sales for over a decade. During this time, Paul worked in Account Management and New Business roles before transitioning into Sales and Marketing management. Paul has also successfully created, coached, and managed sales teams embracing people of varying backgrounds and disciplines.  Sydney