How We Do It

Custom Research

Service Performance Insight offers customer research projects that provide in-depth analysis and recommendations to clients. While the scope of each project is targeted to the client goals, SPI Research uses a consistent methodology to assure accuracy, thoroughness and timeliness of research delivery. SPI Research provides both single and multi-client research designed to show the uses, benefits and pitfalls of using technology to run the services business. This research is also critical for organizations that are considering the acquisition of technology or want to invest in a particular vendor.

Business Assessment and Transformation

Service Performance Insight uses our proven “PS Maturity Model” to quickly diagnose and assess areas for improvement. We then work collaboratively with client executive teams to develop unique roadmaps for improvement.

	Phase 1	Phase 2	Phase 3	Phase 4	Phase 5
Vision, Strategy & Culture	Initial strategy is to support product sales and provide reference customers while providing workarounds to complete immature product.	PS has become a profit center but is subordinate to product sales. Strategy is to drive customer adoption and references profitably.	PS is an important revenue & margin source but channel conflict still exists. Services differentiate products.	Service leads products. PS is a vital part of the company. Solution selling is a way of life. PS is included in all strategy decisions.	PS is critical to the company. Service strategy is clear. Complimentary goals % measurements in place for all functions.
Finance & Operations	The PSO has been created but is not yet profitable. Rudimentary time & expense capture.	5 to 20% margin. PS becoming a profit center but still immature finance & operations processes.	20 to 30% margin. PS is a complete P&L. Standard methods for resource mgmt., time, expense & billing.	PS generates > 20% of overall company revenue and contributes > 30% margin. Well developed finance & operations processes & controls.	> 40% margin. Continuous improvement & enhancement. High profit. Global with disciplined processes, controls & optimization.
Human Capital Alignment	Hire as needed. Generalist skills. Chameleons, Jack of All Trades. Individual heroics.	Begin forecasting workload. Start developing job & skill descriptions & compensation plans.	Resource management, skill mgmt, career mgmt, employee satisfaction surveys. Training plans. Attrition >20%	Business process & vertical skills in addition to technical & project skills. Career ladder. Training investment. Low attrition.	Continually staff & train to meet future needs. Highly skilled, motivated workforce. Outsource commodity skills or peaks.
Service Execution	No scheduling. Reactive. Ad hoc. Heroic.	Skeleton methodology in place. Initiating project mgmt. & technical skills.	Collaborative portal, begin looking at Earned Value Analysis. Project dashboard & quality measurements.	Integrated project & resource management. Using portfolio management.	Integrated solutions drives performance. Continual checks & balances to assure superior utilization & bill rates.
Client Relationships	Opportunistic. No defined solution sets. Focus on new customers & references.	Start to use marketing to drive leads. Multiples sales models. Start measuring customer sat.	Marketing, inside sales, solutions sales with defined solutions sets. Deal, pricing and contact reviews.	Business process & vertical solutions in addition to horizontal applications. Centers of excellence. Top client & partner programs.	Executive relationships. Thought leadership. Brand building & awareness. High customer satisfaction. Integrated sales & marketing. High quality references.

Services for Services-Driven Organization (SDOs) The principal of Service Performance Insight has worked with scores of organizations as they selected and deployed PSA, EPM and PPM solutions. This real world experience directly equips SPI Research to provide guidance in the selection and deployment of technologies designed to maximize operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Consulting

SPI Research provides both strategic and tactical services that support the planning, selection, deployment and evaluation of information technologies. Our expertise in understanding solutions for services-driven enterprises helps you make informed decisions that not only provide immediate benefits, but also provide you with a long-term vision and strategy for your organization.

Solution Selection

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting a services automation solution, and cost is only one of them. The principal of SPI Research can assist with the arduous tasks surrounding solution selection and deployment.

Needs Analysis: Evaluating the business and functional needs of an organization and then working to determine the type of solution that best fits that need.

Request for Proposal: Selecting the right solution starts with identifying specific needs. SPI Research helps create RFPs that provide an assured basis for quickly and accurately narrowing the field of applicable choices.

Solution Evaluation: Typically, organizations bring in two to four solutions for final evaluation and testing. SPI Research works with organizations to assure that the solution is tested against established organizational requirements.
Deployment Strategy: Solution deployment takes time and money, and can temporarily reduce the ability to perform at peak capacity. To assure minimal disruption to operations, SPI Research works with organization to efficiency deploy solutions, train its personnel and create an atmosphere that will ensure success for years to come.

Business Value Realization

The deployment of an enterprise solution does not mean that the work is done. Often when technology deployments are viewed as being unsuccessful, the truth is that the technology was deployed correctly. The problem is too frequently that the organization just did not understand the solution capabilities and constraints enough to use it to its fullest capacity. SPI Research offers a service to assure a deployment that is not only successful, but that fully exploits a solution’s full benefit potential.

Services for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)

Service Performance Insight offers Solution Lifecycle Management services designed to improve the execution side of the ISV business — the ability to develop, market, sell, and support solutions. These services provide a continual feedback mechanism so that lessons learned in the field translate into improvements going forward.

Solution Development

SPI Research starts with a “deep dive” into the product set to ascertain competence to meet or exceed the demands of a changing marketplace. SPI’s principal has reviewed more than 100 solutions over the past decade and understands how to make solutions successful in the marketplace.

Marketing Strategy

Service Performance Insight offers clients a number of consulting services organized to focus marketing and sales activities. These services include:

Go-to-market Strategy: Service Performance Insight will help craft, as well as analyze and provide feedback on marketing and sales strategies with an eye to improved market penetration.

Market Messaging Alignment: Service Performance Insight works with client organizations to improve market effectiveness. Over the past decade, the principal of SPI Research has regularly assisted companies to securely and effectively position their offerings in the marketplace.

Customized Research: Service Performance Insight conducts customized quantitative and qualitative research associated to critical trends in the services market. This research can include: customized surveys, return-on-investment (ROI) analysis, total cost of ownership (TCO) studies and customer research.

Sales Enablement

Service Performance Insight offers individual products and services designed to clearly articulate and amplify its clients’ products and services. These products and services include:

White Papers: Articles that help organizations reach their buying audience with a clear map of business issues and the technologies that address those issues. These documents are usually five – fifteen pages in length.

Presentations / Webinars: Presentations delivered at industry conferences or tailored to the specific needs of organization as well as Webinars delivered remotely are a specialty of SPI Research.

SPInote (Vendor Brief): 2-sided document highlighting an organization, its products and services as well as a succinct market positioning.

Case Studies: Analysis of customer benefits that result from the deployment of a solution with special attention to methodology and best practices.

Workshops: Focused training designed to equip a client’s team and/or customers for clear-cut actions developed on a custom basis.

Solution Deployment

Service Performance Insight will act as a consulting overseer to work with end-using organizations during the deployment phase to assure successful implementation. The deployment phase can be difficult and SPI Research can provide the independent view that increases the likelihood of producing a referenceable customer.

Benefit Realization

Following solution deployment, it is imperative that both the supplier and the customer quantify the benefits to prove the value of the investment. SPI Research will work with your organizations to identify and quantify solution benefits and further work to assure that the benefits continue for years to come.

SPI Retainer

A retainer agreement offers continual advisory services to key client stakeholders throughout the year. The objective is to proactively work with client organizations toward established goals. The standard retainer service includes:

Quarterly briefings: In-person or over the phone discussions about company progress, market developments, competitive positioning, and review of upcoming initiatives.

Media access: As clients release new products and services, or have a significant sales success, SPI Research provides feedback and analysis to the appropriate media outlets.
Ad hoc phone consultation or email inquiry

As part of the standard retainer services, organizations receive: a 20% discount on other products and services, a monthly newsletter, breaking news updates, and online access to a password-protected set of in-depth research. Any combination of SPI Research services can be wrapped into a customized retainer relationship.

Services for the Investment Community

SPI Research provides timely research and analysis for the investment community to make informed decisions. Service Performance Insight principal R. David Hofferberth, P.E. has provided venture capitalists, brokerage houses and commercial banks with the information necessary to make informed technology investment decisions

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