Dave PaolicelliBusiness transformation exec/consultant
Bio

I help organizations transform their operations, strategic position, and culture. I specialize in enabling transformation through technology and also have done a considerable amount of traditional business transformation work (identifying and selecting strategies, aligning processes with mission/vision/goals, positioning for innovation, etc.) over the past 20+ years. I founded Vivakos in 2001, an open source systems integrator, which was acquired in 2009.

www.linkedin.com/in/paolicelli


Recent Answers


Trying to match up your needs with available cloud apps is a common challenge, especially if you have hardened requirements that may be very unique or tailored to your organization. In that case, barring a 1:1 fit around each discrete app, you'd want to include configuration flexibility (to include solid APIs and/or integration add-ons) in your assessment of potential tools.

You'll definitely need to go through the grunt work of establishing a set of selection criteria and evaluate your potential solutions against that criteria, as well as factoring in the tradeoffs associated with loosening "requirements".

This can be a pretty complex exercise, so you may need outside assistance. But, I'd start by determining what your true critical requirements are and examining whether you can find any 1:1 fits for requirement categories. It sounds like flexibility in app configuration and the ability to develop modular extensions to the app would be important selection criteria (in order to accommodate tailoring options). For capabilities where you find no (or a very weak) fit, you'd want to be able to integrate with apps that you build on a solid, compatible platform-as-a-service offering.


I like to use the term “packaged” services, but I think it’s essentially the same thing you’re referring to when you say “productized” services. I think Mark’s suggestion of H&R Block is a great example.

A good packaged professional services offering has these characteristics:
1. Addresses a specific business challenge or set of related challenges that is experienced by many (or enough)
2. Service delivery follows a more prescriptive approach
3. Accomplishable within a known, finite timeframe
4. Can be offered at a fixed price
5. Has defined outcomes/work products for the buyer

The process of packaging a service is, roughly:
1. Identify a set of capabilities or services you deliver (or can) that are in relatively high-demand and target a common challenge
2. Define a standard, repeatable process for addressing the chosen business challenge along with the specific work products (interim and delivered)
3. Decompose this process based on the main payoff events to the customer to define one or more packaged service offerings
4. Identify prospect characteristics and specific candidates/targets
5. Market the service offering and test your pricing model
6. Deliver, learn, and improve

There’s obviously a lot more behind each line item and it isn't necessarily linear. This is a favorite topic of mine. So, reach out via Clarity if you’d like to discuss!


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