Case Study: Professional Services Automation

Case Studies

 

Professional Services Automation

The Challenge:

  • Global software provider

  • Migrating to a solutions strategy

  • Taking services from an installation support role to a full-service consulting organization

  • Systems and support infrastructure limited its growth and its quality and profitability of services

  • Asked McMann & Ransford (M&R) to assist in developing a strategy to quickly improve their systems and support

The Situation:

  • Services organization had already double in size during first year of new strategy

  • Plans were to accelerate their growth over the next 5 years, both organically and through acquisitions

  • Management team did not have a professional services background and had already made several false starts in addressing the problem

  • Company’s financial organization was focused on the software business and also had no services background

  • Management knew revenues were being lost due to poor time and expense capture and slow billing processes

  • Staff utilization and gross margins were deteriorating even though they had initial successes selling their new service offerings

The Results:

  • M&R assessed company’s current systems and process using its Eight Pillars Framework

  • M&R also reviewed the company’s internal IT environment and financial systems that a solution would need to be support

  • M&R identified and prioritized the system and process needs of professional services and developed a migration strategy that would provide high impact results quickly and result in an integrated solution for all needs

  • Based on M&R’s experience with Professional Services Automation (PSA) offerings, it was clear that a PSA solution was appropriate

  • M&R selected the top three PSA offerings for the company based on its research and assisted the company in evaluating and selecting the best solution

  • Within three months of the selection the company had implemented the high priority applications, time and expense reporting, billing, and operational reporting, and saw immediate improvements to their bottom line

  • M&R continued in a coaching role throughout the implementation phases.