Why you should buy your bread at the bakery instead of the butcher.

1. deltek.com1
Article
Adjusting to the New Normal
By Hugo Dorph, Executive VP and General Manager, Deltek
Best practices have emerged as the next game-changer in the post-
crisis business era. Those best able to collect business data and take
due action based on real-time facts will have a vital edge in today’s
business world. In 2011 it’s not enough to have a skilled workforce.
Today a professional services company must be run with surgical
precision to stay ahead of the competition.
The playing field has changed. In today’s competitive business
world, the era of high gross margins and vague invoices charging
clients for unverifiable services is long gone. There are no
indications that things will return to normal anytime soon. This is
the new normal.
Time to take the lead
Most professional services companies have already cut their
operations to a minimum. There are no more people to lay off,
no more fat to trim. However, executives in these companies –
including consulting firms, agencies, accounting firms, and law
firms – still have untapped potential for additional optimization.
It’s time for them to take the lead and drive their businesses
forward by implementing the best practices of their respective
industries.
In short, these businesses need to deploy an industry-targeted
business solution to further streamline their operations. An
industry executive I met recently put it well: “Success in our
industry is no longer only about our profession. It’s about
running a business, too.” That change has crept in gradually
over the last decade but was accelerated by the recent
global financial crisis, increased globalization and ever-tighter
regulation.
Professional services companies are facing mounting pressure
on client and project profitability, cash flow efficiency, and
client demand for full transparency into every hour billed.
This requires a new level of control and up-to-the-minute,
fact-based decision-making. This, in turn, drives the need for
advanced technology developed on the basis of the best-
practice processes of your industry. When you know more
about your business, you can do more with your business.
The only global specialist
At Deltek we have the privilege of working with some of the
world’s best professional services businesses. Those with the
most streamlined operations and a firm grasp of their past,
present and future. For more than twenty years we have helped
them run their businesses using the best practices of their
particular industries.
Clients often ask me why they should work with Deltek. My
answer boils down to this: “Because Deltek is the only global
specialist focusing on your industry”. What does that mean? For
our clients, it means they do not need to compromise any of the
two business solution qualities most critical to their success:
1. In-depth knowledge of their industry, which translates into
asking the right questions and only the right questions,
knowing the best-practice processes which can improve
their business.
2. Global delivery capability coupled with an unrivaled depth
of skills and resources to match all of the company’s
requirements – anywhere in the world.

2. deltek.com2
Article
Deltek,Inc. 13880DullesCornerLane,HerndonVA20171 US&Canada800.456.2009 UK+44(0)2075185010AUS+618 81121200
©2011 Deltek, Inc. • All Rights Reserved • All referenced trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Pricing subject to change without notice.
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Deltek (Nasdaq: PROJ) is the leading global provider of enterprise software and information solutions for professional services firms and
government contractors. For decades, we have delivered actionable insight that empowers our customers to unlock their business potential. Over
14,500 organizations and 1.8 million users in approximately 80 countries around the world rely on Deltek to research and identify opportunities, win
new business, optimize resources, streamline operations, and deliver more profitable projects. Deltek – Know more. Do more.®
deltek.com
Proving your value to clients
Large professional services companies urgently need to adjust
to the realities of the new normal. Even if you have the best
people on board, you still need to prove their value to your
clients by accurate billing. Not only do clients pay less money
for the same services, they also demand that you keep track of
every minute they pay for.
If you run a large professional services company and you
don’t have a proper time capture solution, you are either
jeopardizing client relations or wasting precious billable hours.
Clients will not accept overcharging or inaccuracies in the
services they pay for. And if your employees do not register their
time accurately on a daily basis, you will not be able to bill all
services delivered to clients.
Either way, the lack of an accurate time capture solution
will cost your business dearly. The only way to keep your clients
happy and reap the full benefits of your deliverables is to
implement best practices for time capture throughout
the organization.
Industry Focus
It’s all about industry focus. It does not make sense for a large
consulting firm to implement a business solution based on
general business workflows. Professional services companies
are increasingly turning their back on this one-size-fits-all
approach in favor of solutions designed specifically for their
industries.
An unrelenting focus on our target segments – including
consultingfirms,agencies,accountingfirms,andlawfirms–
allows us to deliver outstanding value to a select few. With
professional services clients all over the world, we are acutely
aware that companies in the same industry have a lot in
common even if they are located on opposite sides of the globe.
Our long-standing clients share that belief. And our close
ties with them have enabled us to tap into their best practices
for project management, financial management, resource
planning, CRM, HR, and business intelligence. Our ongoing
challenge is to accumulate the smartest workflows from these
industry-leading businesses to create truly game-changing
business solutions for the professional services world.
The safe choice
Deltekhassuccessfullydeliveredbusinesssolutionstothousands
of professional services companies across the world for nearly
three decades. It’s the only thing we do – it’s what defines us.
We run our business like a professional services company
ourselves. We run it well supported by our own software.
By banking on the collective strength of some of the finest
professional services companies in the world, we are uniquely
positioned to help our clients adjust to the new normal.
And that’s why a growing number of professional services
companies consider Deltek the safe choice when they start
looking for a new business solution.
About the Author
Hugo Dorph is Executive VP and General Manager at Deltek,
Inc. He has worked professionally with project-focused
enterprise applications for over 15 years.