Capability-Based PS vs. Outcomes-Based PS
Download our Outcomes-Based PS Whitepaper
The difference between a capability-based Professional Services (PS) business and an outcomes-based PS business is quite stark from the client’s point of view, as well as from the internal perspective – both for the PS business and the broader company. During the last several years, McMann & Ransford have interviewed several hundred technology buyers, including software, hardware, high-tech, and near-tech products. We have also been involved in designing hundreds of “outcomes-based solutions.” This whitepaper distills our learnings about the tools and techniques a PS business can use to become more outcomes-centric and the benefits that this shift will bring to the relationships and responsibilities of the PS business.
What do we mean by “Outcomes-Centric”?
Historically, most PS businesses in complex B2B companies have evolved in support of one or more products, typically as the implementation or optimization arm. Therefore, it is natural that many of the businesses have focused on their superior technical knowledge and understanding of the product itself, deployed to deliver on-time, on-budget installations, upgrades, etc. Unfortunately, this focus all too often has distanced these businesses and their teams from the underlying strategic goals the customer has for deploying the product. Connecting to the client’s strategic objectives and taking responsibility for achieving them with the client is the essence of an outcomes-centric PS business.
