Professional Services Automation System: Worst Mistakes

Professional Services Automation (PSA) software is designed to help streamline operations within your IT business. It is your central repository for information and acts as the key operating system of your business spanning all departments.

Invest in the right PSA and it will facilitate your business growth in a sustainable and scalable way. Choose the wrong product and you could end up frustrated with the results. With the right PSA tool, you can gain unprecedented visibility into your business activities and continuously evaluate performance and accordingly make improvements and scale.

Here are some of the professional services automation mistakes you might want to avoid:

1. Not evaluating needs

Some businesses make the mistake of investing in the same software as their competitors, without assessing and evaluating their needs. Since no two businesses are alike, the needs of every organization vary. The key is to look for software products that offer the features required by your business and consult with vendors accordingly. When evaluating vendors, you’ll find that some PSA solutions are a better fit for specific industries or small businesses.

It is critical to determine which business processes will be automated before you look for PSA software. This will help eliminate any vendors whose software does not offer the needed solutions.

2. Not getting a tool that can be customized & integrated

Most businesses do not consider the integration or consolidation aspect of the software before making the purchase. As a result, they end up purchasing a tool that is just another application for users. This only means application overload.

However, if you research and evaluate different PSA tools, you will find that some are a part of a larger suite. This means fewer applications for users to manage, which would save time and money. So look for a tool that can be either customized or integrated with other applications to suit your company’s requirements.

Whether you choose a web-based or mobile platform, you’ll want to ensure that the solution easily integrates into your existing infrastructure, database, architecture, and back-end office systems. A fully integrated system, with front and back offices, will become your one-stop repository of information and data that will help you make informed decisions to mitigate risk and maximize value.

3. Choosing a tool that is not scalable

As a growing business, your PSA needs are likely to change over time. If you invest in a fixed PSA solution, instead of a flexible one, you can’t update it to include new features or additional users after implementation.

This means the software would be of little use in the future when you actually need to update it to match your growing business needs. Some businesses consider their present business status and PSA requirements, ignoring their future growth. As a result, their PSA solutions are of no use later.

When you are wondering how to choose professional services automation, invest in a flexible and scalable tool that grows with your business and offers more options to include features and users. Such a system should be easy to modify and update as and when required.

4. Not having an active community of users

Some PSA tools do not provide an active community of users. This means you remain unaware of the latest features as they are rolled out by the vendor.

In fact, an online community of users is one of the greatest features of a PSA tool. The energy and enthusiasm with which users actively keep the community updated with new releases and feedback is priceless. This means an active community can keep you updated on any issue or workflow conundrum facing the tool.

When time is highly prized, participation in communities and forums can prove to be of immense benefit. From the experience shared by others, you can see if you’re on the right track or need to connect with the vendor for a quick fix.

5. The tool cannot be rolled out in a staged approach

When you invest in a new tool, your prime purpose is to encourage adoption of the solution by users, since change can be difficult, especially when end users are overwhelmed with commitments.  Imagine a situation when end users are not able to adopt the new PSA solution due to the complexities of the system.

A complex solution can make things harder for users. While training is important, try to look for a solution that can be rolled out in a staged approach to make things easier for the team.

With the ability to roll out a single module of the PSA every time, it would make the whole process easier for users, who can focus on getting each process before moving on to the next one. A staged approach may not be the best option for rollout, but it is nevertheless worth trying to have good data.

Looking for a new tool to track projects? Wondering how to avoid professional services automation system mistakes? Worry not! At ITQlick, our experts have all the answers to your queries and can help you find the best PSA solution for your business.

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