Managing Professional Service Delivery

"Preface: The 9 Rules for Success Our goal for this book is to help you understand engagement-tested methods for success at every step in delivering a professional service. Large professional service firms have the resources to develop practice guides for their staff members; however, sole proprietors and small to medium sized firms typically do not. We hope this book guides you - starting with the 9 Rules - through the maze of delivering your professional service. For those of you who are unable to exhibit internal discipline and control (see Rule 2, below), we provide the 9 Rules for Success up front, where you can find them easily. We also indicate in which chapter(s) each of the 9 Rules is discussed, should you wish to explore further. Following are the 9 Rules: 1. Clearly define your market niche (industry or industries, geographical coverage, client size, and list of services) to create a unique and powerful offering to potential clients. [Chapter 2] 2. Develop and implement a system and culture of internal discipline and control, to ensure consistency of service, efficiency of operation, and quality and reliability of deliverables. Then train, mentor, and monitor personnel regarding engagement management policies and procedures. [Chapter 3] 3. Establish and enforce engagement documentation standards, including those for proposals, progress reports, and deliverables. [Chapters 3, 4, 5, 7, and 8] 4. Practice what you preach regarding internal culture, policies, procedures, and standards. [Chapter 3] 5. Prepare complete and definitive service proposals, contracts, and engagement work plans that evaluate and accommodate engagement risks for both the provider and the client, so the client knows what can be expected in terms of scope, work plan, "--

Although the nature of service delivery varies significantly from profession to profession, the way the service is delivered tends to be fairly consistent among professions-or, at least, it should be. A step-by-step guide, Managing Professional Service Delivery-9 Rules for Success describes in detail how to achieve the internal discipline and contr

Although the nature of service delivery varies significantly from profession to profession, the way the service is delivered tends to be fairly consistent among professions—or, at least, it should be. A step-by-step guide, Managing Professional Service Delivery—9 Rules for Success describes in detail how to achieve the internal discipline and control necessary to manage professional service engagements and long-term success in the professional services industry. It details engagement-tested methods for success at every step in delivering a professional service and includes real-life examples from a number of professional service organizations. Here’s What You Get: The steps for how to develop your niche in the marketplace A structure for how to manage professional service delivery, from start to finish Tips on how to set up an environment and develop a culture that will result in superior service delivery—such that the delivery process incorporates rigorous internal discipline and control Discussion of rapid implementation and deployment concepts that can be attained without compromising internal discipline and control Examples of documentation standards for professional service proposals and deliverables (reports) Discussion of application of the 9 Rules for Success in two engagements conducted by the authors The authors draw on their many years of experience in the field of management science to lay out procedures, tools, and techniques that address each step of the life cycle of an engagement—from definition of the services to be delivered, to evaluation of the results with the client. They take a back-to-basics approach that can be used in any size organization, from a sole practitioner to a firm of up to 75 practitioners and support staff as well as larger firms that also may be experiencing sustainability issues with their process improvement initiatives. The book guides you—starting with the 9 Rules—through the maze of obstacles in delivering your professional service.

Professional services firms play a vital role in the social, environmental and economic well-being of any economy. This book considers the key skills and elements required to successfully lead and manage a professional services firm operating in the infrastructure sector. Public- and private-sector clients recognise the role that infrastructure plays in the functionality of our cities and that most urban conurbations have a backlog of infrastructure to deliver to meet the needs of increasing populations, greater urbanisation and emerging economies. Just keeping pace with projected global GDP growth will require an enormous investment in infrastructure and skilful leadership to deliver it. In response to this challenge, professional services firms will need to be well-led and well-managed to be successful and sustainable in the long-term. Such organisations must provide high-value advice, design, knowledge and innovations to get more out of the existing assets and to plan and design new assets with greater integrity and construct them more productively, efficiently and effectively. This book provides practical frameworks for emerging operational managers and future project leaders to prepare them to successfully manage these firms and deliver such projects in the face of new and often disruptive technologies and shifting corporate landscapes. The book is essential reading for aspiring leaders operating in all infrastructure market sectors including energy, water, sewerage, road, rail, ports, airports, education, health, justice, retail, entertainment, property and development sectors.

Professional service firms differ from other business enterprises in two distinct ways: first they provide highly customised services thus cannot apply many of the management principles developed for product-based industries. Second, professional services are highly personalised, involving the skills of individuals. Such firms must therefore compete not only for clients but also for talented professionals. Drawing on more than ten years of research and consulting to these unique and creative companies, David Maister explores issues ranging from marketing and business development to multinational strategies, human resources policies to profit improvement, strategic planning to effective leadership. While these issues can be complex, Maister simplifies them by recognising that 'every professional service firm in the world, regardless of size, specific profession, or country of operation, has the same mission statement: outstanding service to clients, satisfying careers for its people and financial success for its owners.'

This book focuses on complex services, that is, services embodying the knowledge and capabilities of professionals, sought because of the client’s lack of knowledge or skills in specialized fields. This book is also concerned with the many organizations, such as hospitals and banks, that provide services requiring a mixture of professional and other services to produce the results that customers or clients need. Professionals, semi-professionals, and technical workers laboring in all spheres of human endeavor, from law to medicine, accounting to engineering, social work to architecture, who are involved or are interested in taking part in managing their businesses, small or large, will find this book an invaluable tool in achieving success. This third edition comes with an augmented value proposition: as you read and try to understand and experiment with the material, you are invited at various points to view video clips, lasting between 15 and 25 minutes, that will clarify, complement, illustrate, or go further than what you are reading.

The central focus of this book is how organizations deliver service and the operational decisions that managers face in managing resources and delivering service to their customers.

Different types of organizations provide services that require multiple, complex services to produce results. Oftentimes, those complex services morph into a maze of system processes that crisscross, impeding the smooth operation of processes and value creation. So how can you manage multiple services efficiently and effectively? This book outlines the strategy and execution needed to meet your goals. Numerous examples, exercises, and tools are included to help explain and clarify. The revised fourth edition includes a new focus on the impact of artificial intelligence in complex services, as well as links to video clips and podcasts. Professionals, semi-professionals, and technical workers in all areas, from law to medicine, accounting to engineering, social work to architecture, will find this book an invaluable tool in achieving success.