When to leverage a PSO team?
A Professional Services Organization (PSO) inside a software company is the team that helps customers successfully implement, configure, and get value from the software—usually in a paid, project-based way. Think of it as a strategy and technology consulting organization within the company... an implementation Geek Squad.
If the product is the what, PSO is the how.
They exist inside or alongside the Customer Team, but they are very distinct - not to be confused with Support or Customer Success.
CS & Support are relationship-based & ongoing. It behaves like a subscription.
PSO is project-based & time-bound. It behaves like a project.
In simple terms:
- Sales -- Sells the product
- PSO -- Implements the product (scaled)
- CS -- Drives the adoption, expansion, retention
- Support -- Fixes issues
Why do companies create Professional Services teams?
- If the products are complex
- Digital or DIY onboarding causes too much churn
- The PSO charges for its services
- An adoption team isn't enough; customers need lots of dedicated hand-holding.
A day in the life of a PSO team
In the journey:
Sales → PSO → Customer Success → Support
PSO is the bridge between purchase and long-term value.
They make sure the customer starts off strong so CS doesn’t inherit a mess.
Roles commonly seen in the PSO org:
- Services Consultant or Customer Advisor
- Implementation Consultant
- Solutions Architect (services-focused)
- Technical Consultant
- Engagement or Project Manager
- Practice Lead / PSO Director
Depending on the company, PSO might handle some or all of the following:
1. Implementation & onboarding
- Setting up the software after a customer buys it
- Configuring it to match the customer’s workflows
- Managing go-live timelines and milestones
- Best practices implementation.
A good example here is the company Gainsight which uses a methodology they call Accelerate. It reduces T-t-V by focusing the best practices they've learned from over 1,200 clients over the years.
2. Customization & integration
- Building custom features or workflows
- Integrating with other systems (CRM, ERP, data warehouses, etc.)
- Writing scripts, configs, or light code (varies by product)
3. Technical consulting
- Advising on best practices
- Helping customers design solutions using the product
- Translating business requirements into technical setups
4. Data migration
- Moving data from legacy systems into the new platform
- Cleaning, mapping, and validating data
5. Training & enablement
- Running workshops or training sessions
- Creating tailored documentation
- Teaching admins and power users