Category: Industry Perspectives
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Services is the New Product
Architecting an Enterprise AI Engine for Forward Deployed Engineers For a decade, Silicon Valley’s favorite dogma was simple: services don’t scale. SaaS vendors chased “zero-touch deployment,” selling multi-tenant platforms and seat licenses, then leaving customers to figure out the integration themselves. But by mid-2026, this hands-off model has hit a wall. In the world of…
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The Expertise Engine: Turning Daily Workflows into a Compounding Asset
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella just published a seminal piece on the future of the firm in an AI-driven economy. In it, he issues a stark warning to the enterprise: If you are simply relying on external, generalist AI models to run your business, you are walking into a trap. You are actively ceding your company’s…
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The Agentic Game of Telephone (and the Shadow Threat to Enterprise AI)
In the professional services world, we are obsessed with execution. We deal with unpredictable projects, shifting scopes, and volatile client data every single day. Yet despite the chaos, the mandate from leadership never changes: always deliver amazing. Lately, enterprises have turned to agentic AI to help hit that standard. We deploy an agent to retrieve…
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Go-Live isn’t the Finish Line Anymore
For embedded PS teams inside technology companies, the definition of success has fundamentally shifted. Getting a customer live used to be the deliverable. In an outcomes-based world, it’s just the beginning. Start with the image most PS leaders know well: the post-go-live handoff. The implementation is complete. Hypercare starts. Then, somewhere around 30 days out,…
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The $31 Billion Brain Drain: Why Your Firm’s Best Knowledge is Already Walking Out the Door
The Crisis: When Tacit Knowledge Becomes Institutional Amnesia In the professional services sector, our most valuable asset is not billable hours; it’s the accumulated wisdom of our senior experts. Yet, decades of this hard-won knowledge — the intuition of which stakeholder to call, the exact risk mitigation strategy for a tricky SOW, the “feel” for…
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Expertise Engine: Unleashing the Digital Brain
For decades, service delivery has been plagued by a paradox: our firms generate immense intellectual capital, yet execution is constantly throttled by human cognitive limits. We are trapped in a reactive loop, using legacy PSA tools that merely record history, not drive it. The challenge is structural: These aren’t isolated pain points. They are symptoms…
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Your Delivery Team Has Already Changed. Does Your Business Know It?
Managing the Hybrid Workforce in Professional Services There’s a question I’m hearing from services leaders almost every week right now: how do I manage a delivery team when part of that team isn’t human? It’s the right question, but most firms are still building the answer. And the gap between where the industry is and…
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Why Generic AI is the Enemy of Amazing Delivery
As the professional services sector is turbocharged by a $3 trillion shift in spend, the gap is widening between those using general intelligence and those leveraging a purpose-built system to defeat the ultimate industry villain: Unpredictable Projects. The Villain: Why Projects Drift into Chaos We’ve all seen unpredictable projects play out in professional services. It…
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AI Is Coming for SaaS. Just Not the Way You Think.
A B2B SaaS CEO’s Perspective on the SaaSpocalypse The question every SaaS CEO is getting right now from their customers is: “Why buy your software if I can just try to build it myself with AI?” The question every SaaS CEO is getting from their Board or investors is: “What are you doing to futureproof…
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Why AI Is Finally Forcing the Conversation Services Has Been Avoiding for Years
Let me be direct: professional services has been talking about value-based and outcomes-based pricing for as long as I can remember. The conversation is not new. Skeptics will rightly say that we’ve been talking about this for nearly 15 years, and no one’s really mastered it. They’re not wrong. So why am I telling you…
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What’s the Business Value of Professional Services Automation Software? A New Study Quantifies the Impact
What would it mean for your organization if on-time project delivery increased by 33%? Or if the number of projects running over budget decreased by 61%? For many professional services leaders, improvements like these would fundamentally change how their organizations operate — from how projects are planned and staffed to how teams collaborate and deliver…
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Why ASC 606 Matters to Professional Services Organizations
Does your professional services organization know exactly where it’s making its money, or just where it thinks it is? Revenue recognition is the mechanism that closes that gap, defining precisely when and how revenue is earned throughout the accrual accounting process. For professional services organizations, that distinction is everything. Revenue is rarely earned all at…
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Looking Ahead: 7 Trends & Predictions for Professional Services in 2026
The calendar may say 2026, but the shift in the professional services industry has been happening for some time. Across consulting, agencies, and technology services firms, leaders are feeling the pressure from every direction. Clients are more outcome-driven. Talent is harder to scale. Delivery models are evolving faster than org charts can keep up. And…
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The Future Is Semantic, Not Agentic: Why Knowledge Graphs Will Win the Race
The AI world is currently obsessed with “Agentic AI.” We hear constant buzz about autonomous agents that can open tickets, schedule meetings, and send emails. They promise to act. But in the $20 trillion professional services industry, action without deep context is chaos. The true transformation isn’t about how many tickets an AI can open;…
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When Expertise Becomes Infrastructure: The Era of the Enterprise Expertise Graph
In the relentless pursuit of efficiency and innovation, enterprises have spent years collecting data – in data warehouses, CRMs, project management tools, and countless documents. Yet, a fundamental challenge persists: understanding how expertise truly moves, compounds, and drives success within the organization. The next evolution of enterprise intelligence isn’t just about collecting more data; it’s…
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Benchmarking as a Way of Life: Measuring Services Like It’s 2030
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from nearly three decades in professional services, it’s that our industry has a fascinating relationship with measurement. We love metrics. We live by them. But sometimes, we forget to ask if they’re still measuring what actually matters. That’s the conversation I’ll be diving into at the Leaders in Consulting…
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The Productivity Multiplier: More Projects, Zero Added Headcount
When professional services firms talk about efficiency, they often point to automation or incremental gains. The organizations IDC studied for The Business Value of Kantata were aiming higher. They wanted to change how work happens. What they found wasn’t just a better way to manage projects, but a model that helped them deliver more value…
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The 3 Pillars of AI Maturity
AI has already rewritten the rules for professional services. The firms moving fastest aren’t simply experimenting with it — they’re reshaping their entire operating models around it. The real differentiator now is AI maturity: the ability to weave artificial intelligence into the core of how a business thinks, plans, and delivers. AI maturity goes beyond…
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The Capacity Equation Is Changing: Are You Ready?
I’ve spent the last several weeks neck-deep in research for Kantata’s upcoming State of the Professional Services Industry 2025 research, and one finding in particular is sticking out to me as I develop the report. 89% of professional services leaders say their future growth will depend more on scaling AI than on scaling headcount. For…
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Rewriting the Playbook for Professional Services: A Look Back at Converge 2025
Last week at our annual industry event, Kantata Converge 2025, we marked a massive turning point for the industry. I opened the conference by sharing a simple, but powerful truth: Until now, the services industry has largely existed without dramatic change — but — the introduction of new technology is now completely re-writing the playbook…
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Beyond the LLM: AI Built for the DNA of Professional Services
Picture your best, most seasoned consultant. The one who has been with your firm for years, who has seen every client scenario, navigated every project risk, and can anticipate challenges before they surface. The person who acts with instinctive confidence, because experience has taught them what works and what doesn’t. Now imagine if every consultant…
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Why Kantata Is Building a New Expertise Engine for Professional Services
Yesterday, Kantata’s CEO Michael Speranza wrote about the crossroads the professional services industry is facing. The old ways of scaling services have run their course. In the age of AI agents, headcount can’t be the growth engine anymore. Clients won’t settle for “hours delivered” when what they need are outcomes that move their business forward.…
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Professional Services at a Crossroads: Why the Time for Change Is Now
Tomorrow at Converge, Kantata will unveil a bold new vision for professional services. But before we look forward, I want to talk about where we stand today — and why the services industry finds itself at a true crossroads. For decades, professional services has been powered by human effort and managed by tools that do…
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The Collision of Compliance & Innovation: How AI is Changing the Game for IT Leaders in PS Firms
AI is fueling a new wave of growth across industries, and professional services (PS) firms are no exception. From code generation to workflow automation, artificial intelligence is transforming how work gets done. But as innovation accelerates, so do concerns around compliance, governance, and data security. For IT leaders, this creates a high-stakes balancing act that…
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Professional Services in 2025: Five Focus Areas for Future-Ready Firms
This is an excerpt of Kantata’s introduction to SPI’s 2025 Professional Services Maturity Benchmark report. Click here to download the full report for free. The professional services industry is shifting—fast. New economic realities, rapid technological advances, and rising client expectations mean one thing: what worked yesterday won’t work tomorrow. The 2025 SPI Professional Services…
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The CFO as Chief Value Officer: Unlocking Growth and Overcoming Barriers in Professional Services
Earlier this month, Kantata hosted a CFO Forum Networking Breakfast that I had the privilege of moderating. Our goal was to bring together Chief Financial Officers in professional services organizations and give them the opportunity to share perspectives on how the role of the CFO is changing and what the most important challenges and opportunities…
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12 ERP Alternatives Every Professional Services Business Should Know
TL;DR ERPs were built for general business operations, not the project-based complexity of professional services — and the workarounds that gap creates are costly. PSA platforms, cloud financial management systems, workforce management solutions, and CRMs each address what ERPs fall short on, and knowing which category fits your firm’s biggest operational gap is the starting…
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Why Leading PS Firms Are Choosing Kantata Over OpenAir
If you’re a NetSuite OpenAir user, you’re probably tired of waiting for promised features that never come, dealing with inflexible systems and having to make constant modifications to support your professional services needs. But there’s no need to keep suffering through the same everyday frustrations that define your OpenAir experience. It’s time to check out…
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The New State of Professional Services Is Here — Where Does Your Company Fit?
The following is an excerpt from Kantata’s new State of the Professional Services Industry 2024, written by Kantata CEO Michael Speranza. Click here to read the full report. The last few years have been defined by a backdrop of economic uncertainty that necessitated response to a rapidly evolving business environment. Firms rose to the challenge…
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Unpacking the State of Professional Services With John Ragsdale
Kantata has just unveiled its highly anticipated State of Professional Services Report, offering fresh, insightful perspectives on the current state and future trajectory of the industry, all derived from candid feedback from global companies. What do these revelations indicate about the market? How does your business stack up against your top competitors? Navigating these insights…
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82% of Professional Services Firms Willing to Embrace Tech Overhaul Amid Complex Industry Challenges
Nearly Half of Organizations Set to Implement Specialized Solutions, Signaling a Major Shift Toward Purpose-Built Tools IRVINE, Calif., and LONDON – November 14, 2024—Kantata, a leading global supplier of purpose-built technology for professional services, announced its new State of the Professional Services Industry study today. The study unveils a complex landscape in which professional services…
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Kantata Converge Unveils the Future of Professional Services Software
Kantata Converge 2024 has officially wrapped up, leaving behind a treasure trove of groundbreaking features and transformative updates to the leading software solution in professional services. Yeah, we know, it sounds fancy, but this was a conference we wanted our customers to remember. Held from October 15 through 17, Converge 2024 brought together Kantata users…
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Kantata’s 2024 Catalyst Awards: Spotlighting The Best in Professional Services
The realm of professional services thrives on the dedication, creativity, and results-driven mindset of its people. At Kantata, we take immense pride in highlighting the exceptional strides made by individuals who have pushed boundaries, driven change, and made a lasting impact on their clients and the industry with the prestigious Kantata Catalyst Awards. This year,…
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Why 2024 is the Year for Agency Transformation
By Brent Trimble, Vice President of Value Engineering This article was originally published in the SoDA Report on Agency Transformation which was developed in partnership with Kantata. In the fast-paced world of marketing and agency services, embracing change is non-negotiable. Transforming your agency’s business processes might seem daunting due to the sheer effort and planning it requires,…
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Navigating the Professional Services Landscape: Top Business Trends to Watch
By Ken Ringdahl, CTO This article was originally published on Forbes on June 12, 2024. The professional services industry is experiencing unprecedented disruption. The combined impact of recession fears and rapidly evolving technology is transforming the market and separating leaders from the rest of the pack. Recent research from S&P Global Market Research, commissioned by Kantata, highlighted…
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Two Birds, One Stone: Optimizing Capacity Planning and Revenue Forecasting Through a Holistic Approach
In the intricate ecosystem of professional services, where every project demands a unique blend of talent, the significance of accurate forecasting cannot be overstated. Imagine a firm with a 20-person resource pool endeavoring to staff two projects with seven open roles. That doesn’t sound that daunting at first glance, right? But the permutations for resourcing…
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The Top 5 Project Management Challenges the Professional Services Industry is Facing in 2024
In the realm of professional services, project management has always posed a challenge, no matter how experienced managers and their teams are. There are so many factors to consider – project managers need to consider how any decision they make will impact the project budget, the timeline, the scope, the satisfaction of the client, and…
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Benchmarking for Success: Performance Measurement in Professional Services
In the fast-paced world of professional services, staying ahead of the competition requires not just hard work and talent but a strategic approach to performance measurement. Understanding how your organization measures up against industry standards and the highest performers in your sector is crucial. Benchmarking, particularly against well-established professional services KPIs, offers a clear, data-driven…
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How Technology Solutions Empower Professional Service Organizations
By Ken Ringdahl, CTO at Kantata This article was originally published on Forbes on January 24, 2024. In the dynamic and competitive world of professional services, organizations require more than just talented workforces and insightful managers to thrive. Furthermore, while AI and LLMs offer a lot of promise, they require careful evaluation based on specific…
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Introducing the 2024 SPI Professional Services Maturity Benchmark
From Ken Ringdahl, Chief Technology Officer, Kantata This is an excerpt of Kantata’s introduction to SPI’s 2024 Professional Services Maturity Benchmark report. Click here to download the full report for free. As we enter a new year, we are excited to share insights from the 2024 edition of the annual Service Performance Insight (SPI) Professional…
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Financial Data as a Planning Tool: 4 Tips for Nonprofits
By Jon Osterburg, Chief Operating Officer, Jitasa Between managing your programs, ensuring IRS compliance, and improving donor relations, your nonprofit’s financial data is crucial for optimizing many essential processes. But what if you could use your financial data to manage more than day-to-day operations? To achieve sustainable growth, your nonprofit needs to create a strategic…
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Navigating Talent-Centric Challenges in Professional Services Organizations
Professional services is an innately people-centric discipline. Talent is the key driver of success in the industry. Your people and their skills are the lifeblood of your professional services organization. As such, managing and retaining the best and brightest talent poses one of the greatest challenges for leaders today. This is reflected in the 2023…
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Kantata Hosts Webinar On Optimizing Business Performance Through Talent Engagement
Join Industry Experts Dave Hofferberth and Charles Gustine for Key Insights from SPI’s 2023 Professional Services Talent Benchmark IRVINE, Calif., and LONDON – November 30, 2023 – Kantata, the leading global supplier of purpose-built technology for professional services, is hosting a webinar on December 7, 2023, at 11 am ET. In this webinar, Dave Hofferberth,…
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The State of the European Professional Services Market: Today’s Biggest Resource Management Challenges & Opportunities
by Lucy Butterton, VP of Product Management at Kantata, and David Anheier, Associate Partner at entero AG Resource management is a challenging endeavour for any professional services leader, but operating in a dynamic European market adds another layer of complexity. In Europe, the art and science of maintaining the precise balance of team members needed…
