The Art of Professional Services: A Guide to Integrating Services into Product Companies

"You need sound business strategies, methods, and practices to successfully manage and grow a professional services organization in a product-centric company--and they are different from those of your product business."

Many high-tech companies would like to expand their offerings to include consulting services and product-service solutions.The Art of Professional Services presents the strategies and tactics for building a thriving professional services business.

Reviews
The Art of Professional Services is an invaluable roadmap for anyone involved in building a professional services organization in a product-centric company. Having worked with Mary Ann Whiteman during the start-up phase of Sun Microsystems' professional services organization, I can personally attest to her expert knowledge of the business.
-- Alfred Chuang, Founder, Chairman, and CEO, BEA Systems, Inc. (acquired by Oracle)

Finally--a book with good practical insight and advice on how to productize, market, sell, and deliver professional services. It is a must read for new professional services managers and anyone who interfaces with the PS organization.
-- Tracy Adduci-Laird, Senior Director, Product Management, Symantec Services Group, Symantec Corporation

Professional services is a complex business--particularly when it is part of a product company. Whiteman's book points out the common pitfalls when building a PS organization and provides proven strategies for business success. It is destined to become a classic for anyone transitioning from a product-related role to a professional services role.
-- Theresa Villatore-Silva, Group Marketing Manager, Sun Microsystems, Inc.

The challenges, strategies, and tactics revealed in The Art of Professional Services can be applied to consulting organizations in high-tech companies around the world. I applaud the book's highly systematic presentation, readability, and practical content.
-- Christine Clacey, Professional Services Resource Manager, Microsoft Corporation UK

From the Inside Flap
Product companies manufacture products, market products, and sell products with a business model and processes all designed to optimize a product business. When a product company decides to build a professional services business, it needs new strategies and new ways to mobilize talent, manage quality, and foster productivity. Product methods simply do not work.

The Art of Professional Services is the essential guide to understanding the unique nature of a professional services business within a high-tech product company. Drawing on her in-depth involvement in building and managing professional services organizations in high-tech companies, Mary Ann Whiteman guides you through all dimensions of the PS business--packaging, marketing, selling, and delivering services. In addition, she describes the best approaches to aligning with the corporate strategy, managing partner relationships, and other essential activities. While pointing out the differences between professional services and product businesses, Whiteman provides valuable counsel on how to capitalize on the marriage of the two and avoid the potential pitfalls common to a services organization in a product-centric company.

Product professionals making the transition to professional services will learn the fundamentals of the business. Seasoned PS managers can gain new insights and best practices to refine their services strategies and operational practices. Sales representatives, marketing managers, and other professionals throughout the company who know the product business come to appreciate and understand how to support the unique professional services business.