By Jason Marks, CEO of RiverShift
As the CEO of RiverShift, my experience has provided deep insights into the challenges faced by businesses as they develop and operationalize their Managed Services. This dynamic field offers substantial opportunities for growth, yet navigating the complexities involved requires a strategic approach. Our goal at RiverShift is to help our clients overcome these hurdles and unlock the full potential of their Managed Services offerings.
A solid foundation for Managed Services begins with precise ROI modeling and strategic investment planning. It’s essential for businesses to understand the balance between costs and expected gains, ensuring that investments align with long-term growth objectives and the scalability of services. Success in Managed Services necessitates thorough market analysis to identify target demographics, understand client needs, and assess competitive offerings. Effective branding and smart packaging are critical. These elements differentiate our clients’ services, making them appealing and accessible to their potential customers.
Clear and concise messaging is crucial in the complex world of Managed Services. It is our role to help clients demystify their service offerings, clearly communicating the direct benefits to their customers, which fosters trust and facilitates the decision-making process. Clients often struggle with the decision to manage IT services in-house or to outsource. Our approach is to provide them with the insights needed to understand that attracting and retaining high-level talent for managing technology effectively can be challenging. We advocate for outsourcing when it offers access to superior expertise and technologies that drive better business outcomes.
Leading with Managed Services can be a quicker path to profitability. We assist our clients in designing overarching sales strategies that encompass all facets of Managed Services, with tailored approaches for each offering. Whether it’s best to lead with Managed Services or to adopt a ‘land and expand’ approach from resell, depends on the client’s specific context and needs. Standardizing service delivery processes is crucial for repeatability and quality assurance across client engagements. We guide our clients in designing services that not only meet but exceed a 50% Gross Profit margin through cost-efficient service design and added value to their customers.
We assist clients in planning and continuously evaluating their service offerings to minimize risks. This includes refining service scopes and ensuring clear contractual terms to prevent scope creep. Developing effective sales collateral and enabling sales teams are also critical components that we focus on to help our clients succeed. Aligning compensation plans with business objectives incentivizes sales teams effectively. Additionally, we support our clients in developing skills matrices for both Professional Services and Managed Services, ensuring their teams are well-equipped to deliver top-notch services.
Developing and operationalizing Managed Services is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. At RiverShift, we are committed to helping our clients refine their offerings and enhance their market presence through strategic consulting and partnership. By focusing on operational excellence, risk reduction, and strategic alignment, we help our clients not only meet but exceed their financial and service quality goals.
Our continued innovation and support aim to not just meet industry standards but to redefine them, ensuring our clients offer unparalleled value and maintain a competitive edge in the technology services industry.
