How a Global Consulting Firm Increased Project Profitability by 37% with ArionERP
The complete story of transforming chaotic project management and manual billing into a
streamlined, automated, and highly profitable operation.
Discover the blueprint for eliminating revenue leakage and scaling your professional services
firm with confidence.
Success Stories in Professional Services
Explore how we've helped diverse professional services firms overcome their biggest operational challenges and achieve remarkable growth.
Client: Stratagem Consulting (Global Management Consulting)
Stratagem Consulting is a 150-employee firm specializing in market entry strategy for Fortune 500 companies. They operate with a complex mix of fixed-fee, retainer, and time-and-materials projects across multiple continents and currencies.
The Problem
Their operations were crippled by a patchwork of disconnected systems: Salesforce for CRM, spreadsheets for resource planning, and a legacy accounting system for invoicing. This led to significant revenue leakage, delayed billing cycles, and an inability to accurately forecast revenue or resource needs. Project managers were flying blind, with no real-time data on project health or budget burn.
Key Challenges
- Revenue Leakage: An estimated 8-10% of billable hours were lost due to manual tracking errors and delays.
- Lack of Visibility: Leadership had no single source of truth for project status, profitability, or resource availability.
- Inefficient Billing: The finance team spent over 50 hours per month manually consolidating data to create complex invoices.
- Poor Utilization: High-value consultants were often benched or misallocated due to a lack of foresight into project pipelines.
Our Solution: A Unified PSA Platform
ArionERP implemented its integrated Professional Services Automation (PSA) module, creating a single, unified system to manage the entire project lifecycle from opportunity to invoice.
- Integrated Project Management: All project data, from tasks and milestones to budgets and expenses, was centralized in ArionERP.
- Automated Time & Expense Tracking: Consultants could easily log time and expenses against specific projects and tasks, which automatically fed into the billing engine.
- Flexible Billing Engine: We configured automated billing rules for their complex contract types, including multi-currency invoicing and milestone-based payments.
- Real-time Analytics & Dashboards: Custom dashboards were created for leadership, providing instant visibility into key metrics like project profitability, resource utilization, and revenue forecasting.
Client: Pixel Perfect Digital (Creative Marketing Agency)
Pixel Perfect is a 75-person creative agency managing dozens of clients with a mix of monthly retainers for SEO/PPC, fixed-fee projects for web design, and hourly billing for creative services. Managing pass-through costs like media spend was a major headache.
The Problem
The agency struggled to track profitability on a per-client and per-project basis. Their accounting software couldn't handle the nuances of retainer management and pass-through cost reconciliation. This resulted in under-billing for out-of-scope work and a constant struggle to prove value to clients.
Key Challenges
- Complex Retainer Management: Difficulty tracking hours against monthly retainers and managing overages.
- Pass-Through Cost Tracking: Inability to easily assign and bill for ad spend and other third-party costs.
- Scope Creep: Work was frequently performed without being properly documented or billed, eroding margins.
- Lack of Client Visibility: Clients were often confused by invoices that didn't clearly break down services and costs.
Our Solution: Streamlined Agency Operations
ArionERP provided a tailored solution that automated their unique financial and project workflows, giving them a clear view of their business health.
- Contract & Retainer Management: We set up recurring invoice templates for retainers, with automated tracking of included hours and services.
- Expense & Purchase Order Integration: Media spend and other costs were captured via purchase orders and automatically linked to client projects for accurate billing.
- Change Order Workflow: A simple change order process was implemented within ArionERP, ensuring all out-of-scope work was approved and billed.
- Client Portal: A secure portal was launched, allowing clients to view project progress, approve timesheets, and access detailed invoices, increasing transparency and trust.
Client: CodeCrafters Inc. (IT Services & Implementation)
CodeCrafters is a 200-consultant IT services firm specializing in complex software implementations. Their success hinges on having the right person with the right skills available at the right time.
The Problem
Their resource management was done on a massive, convoluted spreadsheet. It was always out of date and couldn't account for skills, certifications, or consultant preferences. This led to panicked staffing decisions, project delays, and burnout among their top talent.
Key Challenges
- No Skills-Based Planning: Inability to search for consultants based on specific skills or certifications.
- Reactive Staffing: Projects were staffed based on who was available "now" rather than who was best for the job.
- Inaccurate Forecasting: Impossible to predict future hiring needs based on the sales pipeline.
- Talent Burnout: Top performers were consistently over-allocated, leading to high turnover.
Our Solution: Intelligent Resource Management
We focused on implementing ArionERP's advanced resource management and project accounting features to provide a 360-degree view of both their talent pool and project pipeline.
- Centralized Resource Pool: Each consultant had a profile in ArionERP detailing their skills, certifications, cost rate, and availability.
- Pipeline-Driven Forecasting: The system integrated with their CRM, allowing management to forecast resource needs based on the probability of deals closing.
- "What-If" Scenario Planning: Project managers could model different staffing scenarios to see the impact on budget and timeline before committing resources.
- Utilization Dashboards: Real-time dashboards provided clear views of billable vs. non-billable hours, overall team utilization, and individual workloads, allowing for proactive adjustments.
Why ArionERP for Professional Services?
We're more than a software vendor; we're a partner dedicated to the unique needs of service-based businesses. Here’s how we deliver unmatched value.
Purpose-Built for Services
Our PSA module isn't an afterthought. It's a core component designed from the ground up to handle the complexities of project-based work, from intricate billing to resource allocation.
Flexible Billing Engine
Effortlessly manage Time & Materials, Fixed-Price, Retainers, and milestone-based contracts in a single system. Automate invoicing and eliminate manual errors.
Unified Project & Financial View
Stop switching between systems. Get a single source of truth that connects project delivery with financial performance for real-time profitability analysis.
Intelligent Resource Management
Move from reactive staffing to strategic allocation. Match the right skills to the right projects, forecast needs, and maximize the utilization of your most valuable asset: your people.
Deep Industry Expertise
Our team understands the professional services landscape. We provide expert guidance during implementation to ensure the system is configured to your specific business processes.
A Platform That Scales With You
Whether you're a 20-person agency or a 500-consultant firm, ArionERP has the power and flexibility to grow with your business without requiring costly re-platforming.
Real-Time, Actionable Insights
Go beyond historical reporting. Our dashboards provide the forward-looking analytics you need to make proactive decisions about projects, staffing, and finances.
AI-Enhanced for the Future
Leverage AI for predictive forecasting, anomaly detection in project budgets, and intelligent resource suggestions, giving you a competitive edge.
Dedicated Partnership & Support
We succeed when you succeed. Our commitment extends beyond go-live with dedicated support and a partnership focused on your long-term operational excellence.
Core Features of Our Professional Services Automation Suite
A comprehensive toolkit to manage every aspect of your service delivery lifecycle, from initial quote to final payment.
Project & Task Management
Define project scope, create WBS, assign tasks, and track progress against milestones and budgets in a collaborative environment.
- Gantt charts and Kanban boards
- Dependency tracking
- Budget vs. actuals monitoring
Time & Expense Tracking
Capture every billable moment and reimbursable expense with intuitive timesheets and expense reports, accessible on any device.
- Multiple timers and weekly views
- Automated approval workflows
- Receipt scanning and attachment
Advanced Resource Management
Gain complete visibility into your talent pool. Forecast demand, optimize assignments, and ensure the right people are on the right projects.
- Skills and certification matrix
- Utilization rate tracking
- Capacity planning dashboards
Contract & Retainer Billing
Automate complex billing arrangements. Manage recurring retainers, usage-based fees, and project overages with precision.
- Automated recurring invoice generation
- Milestone and percentage-complete billing
- Pre-paid and post-paid retainer handling
Project Accounting & Profitability
Connect project execution directly to your financials. Understand true project costs and margins with real-time data.
- Work in Progress (WIP) recognition
- Revenue forecasting and recognition
- Drill-down from P&L to individual timesheets
CRM & Opportunity Management
Manage your sales pipeline from lead to project kickoff within the same system, ensuring a seamless handover to the delivery team.
- Quote and proposal generation
- Sales pipeline forecasting
- Convert won opportunities into projects
Our Proven Implementation Process
We guide you every step of the way to ensure a smooth, successful transition to ArionERP with minimal disruption to your business.
1. Discovery & Planning
We work with your key stakeholders to deeply understand your current processes, pain points, and strategic goals. Together, we define the project scope and create a detailed implementation roadmap.
2. Configuration & Customization
Our experts configure ArionERP to match your unique workflows. We set up your billing rules, project templates, approval chains, and custom fields to ensure the system works for you, not the other way around.
3. Data Migration
We securely migrate your critical data—including clients, projects, and historical financial information—from your old systems into ArionERP, ensuring data integrity and a clean start.
4. Training & User Acceptance
We conduct role-based training sessions to empower your team. During User Acceptance Testing (UAT), your staff validates the system to ensure it meets all business requirements before launch.
5. Go-Live & Support
We are by your side during the official launch to provide immediate support and address any issues. Our commitment continues post-launch with ongoing support and optimization guidance.
Meet Our Professional Services Experts
Our team combines deep ERP knowledge with real-world experience in the professional services industry.
Abhishek P.
Founder & CFO, Enterprise Architecture Expert
Amit A.
Founder & COO, Enterprise Technology Solutions
Girish S.
Delivery Manager, Microsoft Certified Solutions Architect
Kendra F.
Senior Manager, Enterprise Technology Solutions
What Our Clients Say
We're proud to be a trusted partner in our clients' success. Here's what they have to say about their experience with ArionERP.
"The level of detail in project profitability reporting is phenomenal. We've identified and fixed margin leaks we never knew we had. ArionERP paid for itself within the first six months."
"The client portal has been a huge win for transparency and trust. Our clients love being able to see progress and approve expenses in real-time. It has streamlined our communication significantly."
"I can't overstate the value of their resource forecasting. We've gone from constant staffing chaos to confidently planning our hiring three to six months in advance. It's transformed our HR and operations."
"The implementation team was fantastic. They understood our unique legal billing requirements and configured the system perfectly. A truly professional and knowledgeable team."
"We consolidated four different software subscriptions into ArionERP. The cost savings are significant, but the real value is having all our data in one place. Our decision-making is faster and smarter."
"As a fast-growing IT firm, we needed a system that could keep up. ArionERP's scalability and robust feature set gave us the foundation we needed to double our revenue without doubling our admin staff."
Technology & Integrations
Our modern, API-first platform seamlessly integrates with the tools you already use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have questions? We have answers. Here are some common inquiries about ArionERP for professional services.
Implementation times vary based on complexity, but a standard setup for a small to mid-sized firm can often be completed in 8-12 weeks using our QuickStart package. More complex projects with significant data migration or customization may take longer.
Absolutely. ArionERP has robust multi-currency capabilities. You can track project costs in one currency, bill clients in another, and run financial reports in your home currency, with exchange rates managed automatically.
Yes. We have pre-built connectors for popular platforms like Salesforce, and our API-first architecture makes it straightforward to integrate with other business-critical systems you rely on.
We offer comprehensive, role-based training during the implementation process. Post-launch, we provide various support tiers, from standard email support to 24/7 premium support, ensuring you always have the help you need.
Ready to Transform Your Service Operations?
Stop leaking revenue and start maximizing profitability. Schedule a personalized demo with one of our PSA experts to see how ArionERP can provide the clarity and control your firm needs to scale.
Book Your Free Demo Now