How to build a winning professional
services organization.
Companies worldwide are discovering outstanding
growth opportunities in professional services-but building professional services
organizations at "product-centric" firms can be extremely challenging. Now,
three leading experts present a comprehensive guide to creating professional services
organizations, managing them to maturity, and delivering both quality services and
superior margins.
Building Professional Services
introduces a complete, practical framework for delivering the full spectrum of
professional services—from support and education services to managed, consulting, and
productized services.
- Managing the professional services business
at every stage of its lifecycle
- Focusing on the key factors that drive
success: revenue, references, and repeatability
- Responding to the unique challenges faced by
professional services in product-based companies
- Aligning services with the rest of the
organization
- Establishing effective metrics and business
review processes
- The four phases of building a successful
professional services organization
- Frameworks for organization, project
delivery, solutions development, and operational infrastructure
- Customer engagement models and workflows
Table of Contents
Introduction.
Why Product Companies Jump In.
The Sirens' Song of Services.
The Product-Services Wheel.
Good Reasons to Offer New Services.
1. Mapping the Voyage.
Parameters for Success. Primary Audience. Chapter
Structure. Secondary Audiences. Chapter Overview Table.
2. Setting the Parameters.
Are You Sure? Four Qualifying Questions. Mission.
Format. Audience. Overarching Objective. Mission and the SAR Factor. Business Model.
Objectives. Guiding Principles.
3. Levers for Profitability.
Revenue. Revenue Types. Revenue Mix. Revenue
Growth Rate. References. Product References. Capabilities References. Solution References.
Industry References. Repeatability. Tale of Two Business Units.
4. Organizational Overview.
Professional Services Functional Map. Selling.
Delivering. Productizing. Promoting. Operations. Professional Services O-Map. General PS
Interfaces. O-Map Interfaces.
5. Selling.
Supply and Demand in Professional Services.
Warning! Function Overview. Critical Success Factors. Services Sales Charter. Identify and
Close. Identify. Qualify. Propose. Negotiate. Forecast. Roles and Responsibilities. Key
Interfaces for Sales. Compensation for Sales. Key Variables. Key Metrics for Sales.
Organizational Structure and Sizing. Target Revenue. Rep Quotas. Geography versus Industry
Based. Sample Organizational Structure. Sample Budget. Issues to Watch.
6. Delivering.
Function Overview. Critical Success Factors.
Services Delivery Charter. Estimate. Execute. Requirements Review. Plan. Design and
Develop. Implement. Sign-Off. Review. Follow-On. Educate. Roles and Responsibilities. Key
Interfaces for Delivery. Compensation for the Delivery Function. Key Metrics.
Organizational Structure and Sizing. Revenue Mix. Billable Utilization Rate. Billable
Rate. Sample Organizational Structure. Sample Budget. Issues to Watch.
7. Productizing.
Function Overview. Critical Success Factors.
Services Engineering Charter. Capture. Project Review. Solution Review. IP Capture.
Improve. Solution Development. Sample Architecture. Sample Project Plan. Sample Proposal.
Engagement Framework and Engagement Activity Forms. Resource Profiles. Partner Profiles.
Source Code. Training Materials. Demonstrations. Leverage. Solution Rollout. Sales
Support. Solution Evaluation. Roles and Responsibilities. Key Interfaces for Services
Engineering. Compensation for Services Engineering Staff. Key Metrics for Services
Engineering. Organizational Structure and Sizing. Target Mix. Number of Solutions. Sample
Organizational Structure. Sample Budget. Issues to Watch.
8. Promoting.
Function Overview. Critical Success Factors. Services Marketing Charter. Differentiate.
The Solution Review. Solution Rollout. Campaign Development. Validate. Demos.
Benchmarking. Evangelize. Sales Training. Channel Management. Lighthouse Accounts. Roles
and Responsibilities. Key Interfaces for the Services Marketing Function. Compensation for
Services Marketing. Key Metrics for Services Marketing. Organizational Structure and
Sizing. Unique Regions. Number of Solutions. Sample Organizational Structure. Sample
Budget. Issues to Watch.
9. Operational Infrastructure.
The Framework. Critical Success Factors. Operational Process. Legal Support. PS
Automation. Operational Reports. Funnel Reports. Bookings Reports. Billings Reports.
Backlog Reports. Web Sites. Electronic Newsletters. Internal Distribution Lists. Financial
Reporting. Executive Dashboard. Metrics Reporting. Project Processes. Partner Management.
Resource Management. Solutions Assurance Review. Project Accounting. Project Reports.
Knowledge Management. Staff Processes. Commission Payments. Proposal Generation.
Professional Development. Project Management Certification. General Training. PS Specific
Training. Staff Reports. Time Reporting. Roles and Responsibilities. Key Interfaces for
Operations. Compensation for Operations. Organizational Structure and Sizing.
10. Putting It All Together.
Organizational Parameters. Organizational Interfaces. Interfaces within Professional
Services. Interfaces with the Larger Company. External Interfaces. Interfaces by Function.
Technical Staff versus Sales and Marketing Staff. Field Staff versus Corporate Staff.
Organizational Structure. Roles and Responsibilities. Processes and Metrics. Compensation.
Business Model and Budget. Summary.
11. Customer Engagement Workflow.
Workflow Overview. Step 1: Request. Step 2: Qualify. Step 3: Bid. Step 4: Negotiate.
Step 5: Develop. Step 6: Implement. Step 7: Sign-Off. Step 8: Review. Summary.
12. Four Phases of Building PS.
Overview of Phases. Phase I-Implementation Services. Value Proposition. Profitability
Triangle Focus. Critical Skills. Required Operational Infrastructure. Target Mix. Revenue
Growth Rate. Target Gross Margin. Target Operating Profit. Phase II-Integration Services.
Value Proposition. Profitability Triangle Focus. Critical Skills. Required Operational
Infrastructure. Target Mix. Revenue Growth Rate. Target Gross Margin. Target Operating
Profit. Phase III-Consulting Services. Value Proposition. Profitability Triangle Focus.
Critical Skills. Required Operational Infrastructure. Target Mix. Revenue Growth Rate.
Target Gross Margin. Target Operating Profit. Phase IV-Productized Services. Value
Proposition. Profitability Triangle Focus. Critical Skills. Required Operational
Infrastructure. Target Mix. Revenue Growth Rate. Target Gross Margin. Target Operating
Profit. Maturity Time Line. Services Phases Graph. Skipping a Phase. Stalling in a Phase.
Services Market Landscape. Hewlett Packard: More Than Just an Integrator? Compaq: Buying
Its Way Around the Wheel. Sun: Not Sure They Want In. EMC: Knows the Way to Go. Management
Positioning.
13. Unique Issues.
Alignment. Vertical Alignment: Aligning Service
Solutions and Capabilities. Horizontal Alignment: Aligning Service Departments. Aligning
Skills. Overlap. Partner Conflict. Product Infrastructure versus Service Infrastructure.
Internal Education and Promotion. Global Differences. Closing Comments.
14. Summary of Key Concepts.
The SAR Factor. Four Qualifying Questions. Ten Parameters for Running a Business. Key
Levers of a Professional Services Business. Organization Structure, Metrics, and
Compensation. Business Model and Objectives. Maturity Time Line. Unique Issues. Sirens'
Song.
Appendix A. Evaluating Your Service Vendors.
Tier I-Solutions and Capabilities. Tier II-Ability to Execute. Tier III-Strategic Fit.
Appendix B. Key Financial Models.
Appendix C. PS Business Review.
Timing. Attendees. Agenda. Sample Review Packages.
Appendix D. Sample Project Review.
Project Review Executive Summary. 1.0 Project
Overview. 2.0 Project Team. 3.0 Project Statistics. 3.1 Phase I: Detailed Design. 3.2
Phase II: Interpretation. 3.3 Project Statistics Interpretation. 4.0 Repeatable
Components. 5.0 Conclusions.
Appendix E. Solution Portfolio
Management.
Solution Portfolio Graph. Solution Revenue.
Solution Maturity. Solution Margin. Portfolio Ownership. Services Marketing. Services
Engineering.
Appendix F. Customer Request and
Qualification Form.
Request and Qualification Form. Customer
Qualification Information.
Glossary.
Glossary of Terms.
Selected Bibliography.
Index.
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