In our last blog, we discussed that while embedded Professional Services businesses are being asked to do more, solve more, and grow more, there are impediments to these corporate mandates. Embedded product-attached PS businesses often have diamond-shaped staffing models that primarily employ skilled and tenured SMEs. As a result, the business model can be high-cost, … Continue reading “Embedded PS: How to Transition the Staffing Model for Greater Growth and Impact”
Embedded PS: How to Transition the Staffing Model for Greater Growth and Impact
PS Acquisition Model: Targeting Firms
In the last blog in this series, we outlined a deliberate process to help Professional Services firms make the best business acquisitions based on their strategic, financial, and growth goals. Targeting potential acquisitions is the first step in the process. The objective of this phase is to create broad list of possible targets that fit … Continue reading “PS Acquisition Model: Targeting Firms”
PS Acquisition Model: Process Overview
Our recent blog explored some of the unique dynamics in acquiring Professional Services (PS) firms to expand the portfolio and enable an existing PS business to make a greater impact on the customer and the overall business. While the principles discussed apply to any growth-oriented PS business, they are particularly important for embedded PS businesses … Continue reading “PS Acquisition Model: Process Overview”
The Guide to Moving the Business from Capabilities to Outcomes: Service Chains
Service ChainsSM (a tool set created by McMann & Ransford) were created to carry much of the effort to sell and deliver outcome-based offers to clients. Service ChainsSM place, in one integrated toolkit, all items necessary to: Let’s expand on a few of these ideas to assist in understanding the power of the Service … Continue reading “The Guide to Moving the Business from Capabilities to Outcomes: Service Chains”
Embedded PS: Transitioning the Staffing Model for Greater Growth and Impact
In previous blogs, we have discussed the rising demands of PS businesses embedded in large companies. They are being asked to do more, solve more client problems, and provide material growth. When optimized, PS can drive differentiation and intimacy for the greater business. However, there are two primary challenges that can occur when growing an … Continue reading “Embedded PS: Transitioning the Staffing Model for Greater Growth and Impact”
Getting Strategic Alliances Right – Capitalizing on a Collaborative Advantage
Roughly 70% of all strategic alliances fail.[i] For most companies, the concept of a strategic alliance makes sense and seems simple, so why do they consistently get it wrong? While partnership may sound straightforward, companies often commit four mistakes in selecting and executing alliances: They choose the wrong partners with misaligned strategies, They don’t clearly … Continue reading “Getting Strategic Alliances Right – Capitalizing on a Collaborative Advantage”
Connecting Your Embedded PS Business to Your Strategy: Turning the Primary Revenue Gears to Drive Growth & Value
Many corporations have added Professional Services (PS) to their businesses to drive greater customer intimacy and differentiation. But, how do ensure you’re maximizing the benefits? If you’re looking to unlock greater opportunity provided by your PS business, consider the following questions: What is the role of PS in your overall strategy: For most product-based companies, … Continue reading “Connecting Your Embedded PS Business to Your Strategy: Turning the Primary Revenue Gears to Drive Growth & Value”
Where Does Customer Intimacy Apply in Your Business?
One of the first questions we get is “Where in our business would this apply?” It’s a good question – because in many corporations, multiple customer engagement models co-exist in support of various parts of the portfolio – and will continue to do so. To answer the question, it helps to think about the nature … Continue reading “Where Does Customer Intimacy Apply in Your Business?”
Developing Compelling Service Chain Linkages
Linkages are pre-planned connections from one offering that pulls through the next offering. The connections are made by carefully pre-planned and executed sales activities. Of course in reality, linkages do not begin at the end of one project and end at the beginning of the next. Linkages are positioning activities that take place during the initial sales process and during projects. The positioning may not only be related to the next project in the Service Chain, but also can be made with regard to the entire Service Chain.
Evaluating Ideas: Criteria to Foster Customer Intimacy
When developing Service Chains™ it is important to evaluate their business value and your ability to implement them in the market. At McMann & Ransford, we recommend tracking the following criteria to help foster customer intimacy:
