Research
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Tutorial
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Differentiation: How Are Professional Service Firms
Using it to Compete?
January 2000
Research Question: Branding. Merging,
acquiring or going public. Developing new services.
These and other initiatives are evidence of how professional
service firms are meeting the challenges of a changing
marketplace. What other differentiation strategies
and tactics are firms using to establish, maintain
or extend a competitive advantage?
Summary: A nationwide survey of
more than 420 professional service firms looks at
the extent to which companies use differentiation
approaches are deemed most successful. Respondents
include firms from accounting; law; consulting (healthcare,
human resources, management, information technology
and a variety of consulting specialties); general
contracting; and architecture & engineering. The
study results point to the growing importance of differentiation
as a means for firms to identify a sustainable uniqueness
that can’t be easily duplicated.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Key Findings
Finding I – 81% of respondents said their companies
pursue differentiation approaches.
Finding II – As widespread as differentiation
has become, professional services firms are generally
unsophisticated in their approaches to applying it.
Finding III – Some of the most commonly implemented
differentiation approaches are reported to be unsuccessful,
while rarely-used strategies are reported to be successful.
Finding IV – Differentiation approaches that
are more difficult to implement, and are therefore
often avoided, are ultimately more likely to succeed.
Finding V – The rise of differentiation is an
indication of the evolving nature of professional
services into a more competitive environment where
the buyers of professional services are more knowledgeable
and have more choices.
Professional Service Industry Comparisons
Summary and Interpretation
Appendix
Format: Fifty-eight pages of charts,
graphs, bullet points and commentary summarize the
findings and conclusions of this study on professional
service firm differentiation. Presented as a PowerPoint
presentation on CD-ROM.
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