When customers win, your business wins
Software Delivery and Services - Why I love it
Mike Griggs
8/20/20261 min read
After 20 years in Software and SaaS companies, I've come to a conclusion - Delivery & Services is one of the hardest functions to lead.
And honestly, that’s also what makes it one of the most rewarding.
Services leaders sit at the intersection of customer outcomes, technology, revenue & margin, and operational execution and technical support. We can own a massive portfolio of client engagements, with accountability for the financial performance, technical delivery, and overall customer experience.
When something breaks in production, we’re often one of the escalation points.
When a complex integration needs to get across the finish line, we’re accountable.
When a customer challenges the value of an engagement, we have to be able to articulate the ROI.
And while doing all of that, we’re also expected to look around the corner and build what comes next:
• Defining integration and delivery roadmaps
• Developing Agentic and AI strategies for how Services will operate in the future
• Evolving our delivery models and partner ecosystems
• Building the right talent and organizational structure
• Establishing pricing and packaging that reflects the value we create
• Balancing customer objectives with the financial goals of the business
It’s a unique leadership challenge because Services has to be both a delivery engine and a business within the business.
The best Services organizations don't just deliver what was sold. They become strategic partners to customers, influence product direction, accelerate adoption, create new revenue opportunities, and ultimately make the technology more valuable.
It’s demanding. There are plenty of days when the problems feel endless.
But there are few things more rewarding than seeing a complex customer engagement go from ambiguity to execution, watching a team grow through the challenge, and knowing that what you built created measurable value for both the customer and the company.
Services leadership isn't easy. But that's exactly why I love it.
