3.9
MARKETING A PROFESSIONAL SERVICE GROUP
Inspired by Novations Group and Tom Peters.Professional service groups (e.g., IT, HR, Legal) within many large organizations are often being
deregulated internally. No longer are operating managers obligated to use these internal ser-
vices. Thus, internalservice groups are expected to compete withexternalservice groups for
work within their own organizations. This tool will help you market your internal profession-
al services group within your organization.
Use these steps and questions when developing a marketing plan for your internal profes-
sional services group. Involve others early and often in preparing this marketing plan: first, your
internal service professionals; then, your clients (e.g., operating professionals who use your
group’s internal services, senior managers who sponsor your group’s internal services).
96 SECTION 3 TOOLS FORSTRATEGICTHINKING
Know your
professional
services
group. ➟✔ What are your group’s distinctive skills and competencies?
✔ What are your group’s weaknesses?
✔ For what kind of work does your group have a passion?
✔ For you, the leader of the group:
−What is your vision for your group?
−Are you willing to invest the energy needed to ensure your group succeeds?
✔ What is your group’s competitive advantage over external service groups or competitors?
➟ ✔ What does your group currently spend most of its time on?Know your
organization. ➟✔ What are the external pressures on your organization?
✔ What are your organization’s direction and strategy?
✔ What is your organization likely to need from your group in the future?
➟ ✔ What is the current perception of your group within your organization?Know your
clients.➟
✔ At present, which clients use most of your group’s resources?
✔ Who should be your key clients (those for whom your group would really add value)?
✔ For each of these key clients, what are their strategies, service needs, and constraints?
✔ What are future service needs of these key clients?
✔ What do these key clients currently ask for? What would you like them to ask for?
✔ What services can your group offer that these key clients may not currently be aware of, or
may perceive as too risky? What do you need to know from these key clients to complete
➟ your understanding of their service needs and service constraints?Formulate
your group’s
strategy.
➟Given your analysis of your group, your organization, and your clients:
✔ Which of your current services are essential to your clients’ success?
✔ Which of your groups current services clearly add value to your clients’ businesses?
✔ What services could add value but are not currently offered to your clients?
✔ What services can be contracted out, to make room for higher value-added work?
✔ What activities do you need to say “no” to because they are of low value?
✔ What major changes need to be made in order to implement this strategy?
✔ How will you formulate the strategic change in words your clients can understand?
➟ ✔ How will you coach and support the change within your internal service group?