An approach that helps Professional Services Organizations (PSO) add value, make a difference, keep customers happy, and generate revenue.

1. How to Retain Customers
and
Generate Additional Revenue
Improving Technology Professional Services
Adding more value to the company
With a Proven, Unique Approach – read on
August 2017

2. Professional Services
Professional Services is proven to be a competitive
differentiator, along with retaining / improving customer
relations and generating additional revenue!
Although there is still some debate about the value of
professional services, the continuing success far outweigh
any questions.
Embedded professional services are the services provided
by a company that has a product.
Independent professional services are usually stand-alone
companies that provide services or expertise

3. Author Background
Ray Arpin has over 30 years of experience in professional services, from
individual contributor, project manager, manager, director, and vice president in
such companies as General Dynamics, Electronic Data Systems (EDS), META
Group, OpenAir/Netsuite, PowerSteering/Upland, and others companies.
Some of his clients include – AT&T, Air Products, Amgen, Continental Tire,
Disney, Documentum, Ecolab, EMC, General Electric, General Motors,
Goodyear, Ingersoll-Rand, JD Power, LA Power and Water, Lord Corporation,
McGraw-Hill, Merck Pharmaceuticals, northAmerican Van Lines, PepsiCo, Poly
One, Roche Diagnostics, Sandoz Pharmaceutical, Staples, State of Maryland
and New York, Texas A&M, US Air Force, DoD, Navy, and Westinghouse.
Contact Information: Email: Ray@RayArpin.com Phone: 617-435-1159
Website: www.RayArpin.com

4. Retaining Customers/Clients
• The Professional Services Organization (PSO) primary
objective is to make sure that clients are satisfied from the
beginning, through initial implementation, and ongoing use of
the software.
• Another objective is to expand the use of the software
throughout the client organization with additional users or
functionality.
• Therefore, the PSO should be involved in setting the
expectations of new clients during the sales cycle, making
sure that the software can meet the client expectations and
the client understands what will ultimately be delivered by the
PSO.
• A sub-objective is to exceed the client’s expectations to
ensure retention of the client and have a client referral.
NOTE: This presentation is not to cover every aspect of a world-class PSO.

5. Some Ideas for Retention
• Regular contact to discuss satisfaction
• Monthly with new clients
• Quarterly with existing clients, especially key stakeholders
and the executive sponsor
• Identify, and resolve, any issues that the client may have
with the software. Determine if billable or no fee.
• Annual face to face with strategic clients
• Discuss potential additional users, functionality, training
• Review use by client staff (semi-annual)
• Discuss with client administrators of the software
• Conduct periodic reviews with client key users
Be realistic. You cannot retain every client.
But, you can determine why you really lost one, and improve!

6. Proven Approach – Rapid Assessment
• One proven approach that I have used is to conduct a
rapid assessment of how a client is using your software.
• 100% of the time, this approach has worked in helping
clients take recommendations and improve their use of
the software.
• 60% of clients were willing to pay for the rapid
assessment. The others were considered strategic
clients and not charged.
• Over 85% of those clients purchased additional PSO
services to implement the recommendations.

7. Rapid Assessment Objectives
• Start by understanding the client business
• Goals, objectives, processes, and issues
• Current client use of the software; and potential uses
• The assessment is to:
• Identify opportunities for improving the use and value of the
software to the client – to achieve their goals and objectives
• Identify the software configuration and support gaps based
on the client use
• Provide best practices and prioritized recommendations for
the client to implement in the near term and longer
• Complete the assessment within four weeks with
minimal investment from the software company or client.
These should be relatively easy for a good PSO.

8. Rapid Assessment Process
• Establish an online survey that clients can quickly complete –
Executive Sponsor, key stakeholders and users, client
systems/applications administrators – within one week
• Evaluate the survey; summarize the survey results; identify
issues, gaps, and opportunities with software use
• Conduct client onsite meetings (one day) to further clarify any
issues, gaps, and potential opportunities for use of the software
• Analyze, summarize, and synthesize the findings; review with
Executive Sponsor to validate and get ‘buy in’
• Develop summary recommendations with rationale and a
detailed near term plan for first phase implementation; along with
critical success factors and metrics
• Present finding, recommendations, rationale, and next steps to
Executive Sponsor and key stakeholders

9. Rapid Assessment Deliverables
• Survey Results Summary
• Findings Summary
• Recommendations and prioritization
• Near term Implementation Plan
• Usually 2-6 months, based on PSO abilities
• Supporting documentation
One more suggestion:
Have a PSO contract available for the client to sign to start the plan.

10. For More Information or Help
Contact:
Ray Arpin
Phone: 617-435-1159
Email: Ray@RayArpin.com
If you use this approach, please let me know how it worked, and
where it can be improved. Or, if you have any questions, please feel
free to contact me. Thank you.