Recently we talked about a critical tension facing PS leaders: On one hand, you’re being asked to grow, but on the other, your growth still depends on someone else selling more product. To move beyond this dependency, many teams are rethinking what they offer, how it’s sold, and which business problems it owns. Central to this is the question: Where does your team sit on the Solution Value Curve today—and where must you be to hit next-year’s goals?
The Solution Value Curve
We’ve modernized the classic services maturity model to reflect the realities of today’s market.
We call this progression the Solution Value Curve (see Figure 1). Each step up widens your strategic aperture and builds a moat against commoditization. including:
- The impact of AI
- The nature of the customer problem being solved
- How each tier is sold
- And how PS drives value at each level
The further you move up, the more value you create and the harder it is for competitors (or AI) to replace you.
| Tier | Service Type | What You Do | How It’s Sold | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundational Services | Enablement, training, configuration | Pulled through with product | 🔺 High |
| 2 | Optimization & Adoption Services | Workflow improvement, integration, change enablement | Scoped post-sale, light consultative motion | 🧠 Medium |
| 3 | Managed Solutions | Owns process or function, measured by outcome | Proactively sold with SLAs – PS involved | 🧠 Medium |
| 4 | Strategic Solutions | Solves a business problem, tied to exec-level priorities | Advisory-led, outcome-first – PS driven | 🔒 Low |
How to Advance PS Position on the Solution Value Curve
Let’s talk practically. Moving from one tier to the next means changing not just your services, but also how you think, sell, and operate.
1 → 2: From Foundational to Optimization
- What to add: Deeper understanding of how clients use your product in their workflow and industry
- What to stop: Selling services only as hours-based
- What to change: Create fixed-scope, value-based packages around optimization themes (e.g., “Start-up Assistance”)
2 → 3: From Optimization to Managed Solutions
- What to add: Ownership and knowledge of a metric (e.g., analytics, speed to value, uptime)
- What to stop: Prioritizing technical expertise or efficiency over client outcomes
- What to change: Introduce SLAs & recurring agreements, open-mindedness to all of the problems surrounding the product, and a role that bridges delivery + long-term client success
3 → 4: From Managed to Strategic Solutions
- What to add: Strategic framing — define the problem, not just the process
- What to stop: Letting product define the limits of what you solve
- What to change: Involve exec buyers, align to business KPIs, reposition PS as an enabler of transformation
Case Study: How One PS Org Moved beyond Optimization Services
The Context
A mid-sized SaaS organization specializing in digital engagement and powering digital events and webinars for enterprise marketers. Historically, the PS team jumped in post-sale to customize the platform, support training and adoption, and share best practices.
The Challenge
Product bookings slowed. Leadership looked towards PS to grow in spite of slowing product revenue, yet the portfolio was limited to training bundles and “event tune-ups.”
The Move Up
| Step | What Changed | Why It Mattered |
|---|---|---|
| Productized “Managed Event Success” | PS took end-to-end ownership of high-stakes events – agenda design, speaker coaching, audience engagement tactics, and post-event analytics. | Shifted from hours to outcomes. |
| Quarterly “Engagement Health Reviews” | Introduced a cadence to review attendee behavior, conversion metrics, and content performance, then prescribe next-quarter plays. | Embedded PS in the client’s revenue engine. |
| Outcome-based SLAs | Guaranteed registration targets, live-to-on-demand view ratios, and lead-quality thresholds. | Moved risk off the client’s plate – priced for value, not effort. |
| Dedicated “Event Strategist” Role | Hybrid of consultant + CS manager to own the metric, the relationship, and the outcome. | Embedded PS within the client organization – leading to stickiness and product expansion. |
Assessing Your Place on the Solution Value Curve
Every organization is somewhere on this pyramid, enhanced PS is required to move up the curve, and every move up takes intention.
The reality is, if you don’t move up, someone (or something) will move in.
- AI is coming for Tier 1
- Buyers expect more than training at Tier 2
- And only the PS orgs that operate at Tiers 3 and 4 will have the ability to create demand.
Where are you today, and more importantly, where do you want (or need) to be in 12–24 months?
Start by assessing what your market needs, where you have permission to lead, and what changes are required to move up a tier.
Need help climbing the curve? Let’s talk about how we can help you modernize your service portfolio and transform how PS creates value.
Anthony Paluska is a partner at McMann & Ransford, where he helps embedded Professional Services teams evolve into advisory-led growth engines. He advises PS leaders on portfolio transformation, service monetization, and go-to-market clarity.
He is also co-host of The Consultant’s Way, a podcast focused on highlighting industry leaders and expertise to help PS teams grow with intention.
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