The Professional Services Pursuit

Welcome to another episode of the Professional Services Pursuit! This week Brent sits down with Jacob Parks, the president of Profitable Ideas Exchange (PIE) and co-author of the renowned book Never Say Sell: How the World’s Best Consulting and Professional Services Firms Expand Client Relationships. They discuss the importance of trust-building, effective cross-selling strategies, and how firms can leverage AI and other technologies to stay ahead in the ever-evolving landscape of consulting and professional services. Other topics covered in this conversation include:Practical tips and strategies to build trust and expanding client relationships How to effectively cross-sell servicesThe importance of being at the center of solving your clients problemsWhat the biggest consulting firms do differentlyThe role of AI in Professional Services - how technology is transforming business developmentHow AI is impacting consulting businesses and their ability to land, expand, be stickier, and sell value to their clientsFind out more about Profitable Ideas Exchange by checking out their website and be sure to pick up a copy of Jacob’s book, at your local book retailer or here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, Brent talks to Matthew Kasindorf, SVP of Business Intelligence and Insights at the 4A's. Matt brings a wealth of knowledge from his agency experience in account management, business development, and his current role at 4A's. They discuss the crucial topic of agency transformation, delving into the obstacles many agencies face, the significance of evolving in the current economic landscape, and the role of AI in the industry's future.Additional topics covered in the conversation include:The cost of inaction for agencies in today's rapidly changing environmentThe transition from billable hours to alternative compensation models such as fixed fees and value-based pricingPractical applications of AI in the agency settingThe critical importance of operational rigor and technology in fostering agency growth and sustainabilityEthical considerations and consumer trust in AI-generated contentTo access more information and resources visit the 4A’s website. To learn more about the two research reports mentioned during the podcast click the links below:Decoding Compensation Models & Implementing the Right ModelPreserving Agency Value in the Era of GenAI Transformation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the Professional Services Pursuit is a recording from a recent TSIA webinar hosted by John Ragsdale, Distinguished Researcher, Vice President, Technology Ecosystems at TSIA. In it we discuss the hidden costs associated with technical debt—the cumulative consequences of using outdated or overly customized technology— and how it blocks predictable value delivery across the professional services lifecycle. Other topics discussed include:Understanding technical debtThe cost of outdated technology and the impact it has on employee and customer experienceHow to identify technical debt within your organizationStrategies for prioritizing and addressing these challengesHow to leverage AI and other emerging technologies to enhance forecasting, resource management, and decision-making processes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Professional Services Pursuit podcast, Banoo is joined by Doug Baxter, founder of Consultant Academy. The conversation explores the critical importance of talent development and systematic training within IT services companies, the pitfalls of current industry practices, and the powerful role of strategic methodologies in enhancing service delivery and achieving business growth. Other topics covered  include: Compelling industry data from the SPI Maturity BenchmarkCommon mistakes made by IT consulting firmsActionable strategies for building a more robust and resilient consulting practiceThe evolving landscape of professional servicesThe role of AI and automation in refining service delivery and client relationships Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ken Ringdahl, Chief Technology Officer at Kantata, joins Banoo on the podcast to discuss AI and its impact on professional services. They dive deep into the benefits and key opportunities that GenAI is creating for PS firms through operational efficiency, how to get started using a phased approach, and how to ultimately use AI to enhance customer and employee experiences. Other topics include:The Gartner GenAI hype cycle and how AI can benefit PS organizationsThe primary focus areas for development and planning in PSThe impact on employee and talent experienceThe risk associated with not adopting an AI forward strategyThe importance of clean data sources to maximize AI effectivenessHow Kantata is utilizing AI to help our customers to be more efficient Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode Brent is joined by Matt O’Dette, Vice President of Operations and Talent Management at Cramer. They discuss how Cramer puts their people and values first in everything they do in order to build a culture that encourages collaboration, creativity, trust and financial responsibility. They also discuss how they have built and fostered that culture over time and the steps and tools they used to get there. Other topics include:The importance of transparent leadership Finding balance between doing the right thing for your employees, clients and businessEmpowering teams to make decisions autonomouslyUtilizing “healthy conflict” and post mortems to collectively understand successes and failuresHow they use data and technology to enhance their culture of transparency and collaborationWhy it's critical to never lose sight of the people doing the work, listen to their needs and make sure they understand what success looks like Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of The Professional Services Pursuit, Banoo talks to Eisha Armstrong, Executive Chairman & Co-Founder of Vecteris. They dive into Eisha's book, her insights on the rapidly changing professional services industry, including the pivotal role of AI and the importance of integrating technology with strategic planning for success.This episode also explores:AI automation statistics in the professional services industryThe challenges faced by professional services firms and four ways AI can mitigate these issuesCritical aspects of workforce transformation and other considerations for effective change managementThe top seven mistakes in productizing servicesAn exclusive book giveaway for our audience!The first 10 listeners to submit their information through this form will be sent a complimentary copy of Eisha's book, Productize, a hands-on guide for transforming professional services into scalable products.Download your complimentary digital copy of Productize: The Ultimate Guide to Turning Professional Services into Scalable Products!Discover more about Vecteris here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discussing the shift towards value pricing and the importance of changing belief systems in businesses. Exploring hybrid revenue models, top-down program development, and the impact on client engagement. Insights on challenges in business transformation and enhancing business value through strategic separation of capabilities. Highlighting successful client-firm partnerships and the necessity of evolving towards more efficient, transparent engagements.

On this episode of The Professional Services Pursuit, Banoo talks with Greg Daines. Greg is the CEO of ChurnRX, the premier retention analysis and coaching platform that helps organizations to diagnose and solve churn within their customer base. They discuss data-backed customer retention strategies and the secret sauce to identifying and measuring the right results. Other topics in this episode includeThe lack of correlation between customer satisfaction and retentionThe importance of getting results and measuring themThe 3 laws of customer retentionGreg’s take on value-based commercial models and how to rethink that approach Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of the Professional Services Pursuit podcast features Tom Rodenhauser, Managing Partner of Kennedy Research Reports LLC. Tom offers expert insights on the trends shaping the consulting industry, with a particular focus on the move towards productization and the challenges and opportunities it presents.Topics in this episode include:The shift away from traditional time-based billing models The changing demographics of the workforce and how it's impacting consultingCultural and organizational changes needed to transition to a product-based modelThe 4 mega trends impacting consulting services Examples of firms that are successfully adapting to the evolving landscapeTips for consultants and firms looking to embrace the move towards productizationLearn more about Kennedy Research Reports and read some their great content at https://www.kennedyresearchreports.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.