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Professional Services? Use this framework to get ready for AI

By   ·  2 minute read

Don’t Fall for the Hype: Map Your Tech Stack Before You Chase AI

AI promises a revolution in how we work, compete, and serve clients. But if you’re a professional services firm and you don’t understand your tech stack, you’re building that AI dream on quicksand.

Too many firms want AI wins but haven’t mapped where their core systems sit, how data flows, or what actually delivers value. The result? Confusion, wasted spend, and vendors selling you magic beans.

Here is a cheat sheet to help you avoid the pain.

Step 1: Map Your Tech Stack Using the “Find, Win, Deliver, Learn” Framework

This framework is built for the way professional services firms operate:

  • FIND – How you generate leads, manage brand, target clients.

  • WIN – How you pitch, estimate, onboard and convert.

  • DELIVER – How you execute projects, collaborate, bill, and track progress.

  • LEARN – How you improve, gather insights, retain IP, and train your team.

For each of these areas, answer three brutally simple questions:

  1. What systems do we use? (e.g., CRM, proposal tools, PM platforms, finance systems)

  2. How connected are they? (Manual handoffs? Broken integrations?)

  3. Where is the pain or friction? (Rekeying data? Poor visibility? Bottlenecks?)

This is your AI readiness map. It highlights the operational arteries of your firm and shows where AI can actually move the needle.

Step 2: Identify AI Quick Wins — Grounded in Reality

Now that you’ve got a map, you can stop guessing. Here’s what AI can actually do when grounded in your value chain:

FIND

  • AI Search Assistants: Help BD teams surface old bids, past proposals, and relevant case studies instantly using internal RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).

  • Client Profiling: Use LLMs to scan industry news, company websites, and CRMs to generate concise, insightful client briefs.

WIN

  • Proposal Acceleration: Auto-draft responses using previous bids, case studies, and pricing benchmarks.

  • AI Deal Scoring: Rank inbound leads or opportunities based on past success data.

DELIVER

  • Meeting Intelligence: Auto-summarise project meetings, generate action items, and track delivery risks.

  • Code Co-Pilots & Technical Assistants: Help engineers, architects, or analysts navigate standards, specs, or past project IP.

LEARN

  • Knowledge Bases with AI Assistants: Staff can ask natural language questions and get answers sourced from your own documentation, policies, or training materials.

  • Post-Mortem Analysis: AI reviews project data, compares to plan, and identifies root causes for delays or margin erosion.

Common Pitfall: Ignoring the Stack

Too often, firms skip straight to AI pilots — but ignore the brittle, disconnected reality of their systems. If your CRM and project system don’t talk, what good is an AI that “optimises client delivery”?

You must start with the stack. This is exactly what we do in our Tech Strategy Review; we don’t chase shiny toys; we ground your roadmap in real architecture, workflows, and business outcomes.

Final Thought

You don’t need to “do AI” to check a box. You need to compete better using the right tools, in the right places, with clear ROI.

Mapping your tech stack across Find, Win, Deliver, Learn is the essential first move. Then, and only then, should you explore AI to amplify what already matters.

If you want help, we’ve done this with firms across AEC, finance, and high-value advisory. We don’t sell AI.  We build the map and show you where it works.

Get in touch. Let’s make sure you’re ready for AI.