Avoid the PS trap in transformation

Throughout my career I have witnessed many implementations of new technology platforms and the impact they have on the organisations deploying them. Businesses leverage transformational tech to help drive them forward in new and exciting ways. Many of the benefits are derived from the automation of repetitive processes and the removal of haphazard manual tasks. This in turn has an uplifting and motivational effect on staff that boosts morale and productivity.

The transformation trap

Transformation, whether you’re an MSP, Telco or enterprise is usually centered around a new or replacement technology or technologies. At POPX, we believe platforms like ServiceNow are the perfect digital transformation enablers for Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and the foundation on which to take OSS to the next level. However, I have also seen throughout much of my career the inherent problems and inefficiencies in acquiring these platforms with a Professional Services (PS) led approach.

Buyer beware

For companies looking to invest in transformation, it's important to go into any such initiative with your eyes wide open and focus on the details. It's very easy to get caught out and here are some of the key factors to be mindful of:

• Expensive resources. The hourly and day rates for competent ServiceNow resources can be eye-watering and, whilst there will also be lower cost alternatives in the partner network, all too often the phrase you get what you pay for is true. In the long term you can end up with an inferior implementation that proves the savings were a fallacy. Unfortunately, we are starting to see many customers reimplementing - taking a fresh start - this is testament to the cloud software providers that customers are willing to give them a second chance but highlights the many challenges in getting a PS implementation right the first time.
• PS is temporary by nature. The PS resources are by their very nature with you on a temporary basis. As a former ServiceNow PS Architect, I can share many stories of fantastic features we built based on some very impressive coding and configuration. However, the resources we had at our disposal were seasoned professionals with years of experience at their trade. Once the PS engagement was over, we moved onto the next customer and the customer’s own resources were left to maintain and extend what we had built. Usually this happened with only a few months of learning and shadowing from the PS team and the customer’s resources would usually have been newbies to the technology, having probably become career experts in the displaced technology such as Remedy. This pattern is all too common, although there are a handful of exceptions.
• Correct and accurate scoping is almost impossible. No matter how good the PS pre-sales work is (and I’ve worked with some exceptional pre-sales people) it simply cannot foresee all of the permutations and skeletons in the cupboard that lie ahead when the implantation gets underway. So there must be some degree of flexibility available to the customer and implementation team to jointly manoeuvre during the programme. But the two options for frameworks actually exacerbate the problem. If a client elects to go “Fixed Price” (usually at a 30% premium) then the scope is fixed upfront and tightly controlled by the PS team, as they are committed to delivering only the defined scope. When the inevitable unforeseen comes up, tough decisions have to be made that usually result in a loss of end value. In a more traditional time and materials contract, there is greater flexibility to use the prescribed hours as the joint team sees fit. Unfortunately, all too often these hours aren’t enough for a myriad of unexpected integrations, issues or further enhancements that come up. This inevitably leads to the project sponsor having to go cap in hand to secure more budget and some very uncomfortable conversations.

The birth of an idea!

I wholeheartedly enjoyed my time as a consultant for hire, parachuting into companies and helping them drive the adoption of new technology. But I was constantly frustrated by the barriers that were inherent in us achieving full success and the constant need to remind a customer of the constraints of their contract.

POPX was born out of this frustration and a desire to offer a different approach, one that has been designed from scratch to offer a business model free from all the systemic problems of PS delivery.

At POPX, we offer a fully managed service wrapped around the cloud platforms that drive digital transformation. Acting as a true partner with every one of our clients, we ensure they achieve their desired outcomes by offering a fixed fee that includes all the integrations, enhancements and of course fixes that they need to be successful.

Avoid the PS trap during transformation by working with a partner that will deliver 'everything' you need, no matter what lurks beneath.