Overcoming The Top 4 Barriers to PSA Adoption
Professional Services Automation (PSA) has helped companies around the world tackle the challenges of project and resource management. But there are still plenty of companies that haven’t taken advantage of the possibilities in front of them.
A recent research report from Forrester, “How Professional Services Firms Can Optimize Resource Management And Planning,” found that companies today are both accelerating their processes and being hampered by new challenges.
One of the major challenges is that the lack of crucial software solutions is contributing to inefficiencies and the ability to remain competitive in a crowded market. Specifically, many organizations still haven’t taken on a PSA solution.
Why? Despite the benefits of PSA being clear, many companies still face major barriers to adoption. Understanding what these barriers are and if they are being experienced in your organization is crucial for long term success.
Facing Your Challenges
Forrester’s research shows that companies are planning to heavily invest in resource management tools, but are finding it hard to fully adopt them to realize the business benefits. One of the major barriers preventing adoption is that many PSA tools are inflexible and not purpose-built to serve the unique needs of professional services organizations. Additionally, many companies face internal barriers that prevent the realization of the PSA tool’s full potential.
The top 4 barriers to PSA adoption found by Forrester research are:
1. Change Management
A total of 52% of respondents in Forrester’s research stated that change management associated with updating ongoing processes or workflows was a barrier to PSA adoption, making it the number 1 challenge in the process.
Undergoing major behind the scenes changes at a company can be intimidating, and it isn’t easy without the right support. However, many PSA solutions don’t offer change management support, leaving it up to managers to guide their teams through the process on their own. Simply knowing that this might be the case can prevent organizations from adopting a much better PSA solution, and improve efficiency across the organization.
2. Lack of Budget
A total of 49% of respondents chose lack of budget as preventing their adoption of a professional services automation tool.
Being able to allocate an adequate budget for a new PSA solution will be a barrier to adoption for many organizations that can’t justify the ROI for the software. It’s crucial for businesses to understand the full impact on the bottom line that can be made from an effective PSA solution. By automating time-consuming processes and optimizing the schedules of all resources, more time can be spent on profitable work for healthier margins and stronger financial performance.
3. Time and Effort to Select
A total of 41% of respondents noted that the time and effort required to select a vendor was a barrier to PSA adoption.
The search for a purpose-built PSA tool will always take time. It is a decision that can make or break an organization. For many, simply thinking about the amount of time and effort needed for the search alone is enough to stall the search. But for businesses who are serious about finding a great PSA solution, ensuring that key stakeholders are involved in the process of evaluating a PSA tool early will cut down on lost time, conflicting preferences, and a lack of knowledge that could prevent timely selection.
4. Time and Effort to Implement
A total of 34% of respondents selected the time and effort required to implement a new tool as a barrier to their adoption of a PSA tool.
Much like the amount of work it may take to find the right tool, the amount of time needed for implementation can be a major turnoff for businesses in the PSA search. Successful software implementations and the training needed to use them will always take time when done right. Companies should consider the amount of time that will be saved in the future by a PSA tool and the overall positive impact on business processes. With thorough evaluation and the right tool, the time and effort put into implementing a solution will be well worth the outcome.
In addition to these barriers, a total of 34% of survey respondents said that a lack of awareness that this technology existed was the reason they hadn’t adopted a PSA tool. Together, these insights show that most often, it isn’t the tools themselves that prevent adoption, it is the perception of them.
What Does Your Professional Services Firm Need to Succeed?
What is getting in the way of your PSA success? Read the Forrester research report “How Professional Services Firms Can Optimize Resource Management and Planning” and find the understanding you need to succeed.