Jones+Palmer played a leading role in a recent PM Forum North West panel discussion exploring how professional services firms can scale services without losing the expertise and trust their clients rely on.
The event, Productisation in professional services: what do clients really want?, took place on 3 December 2025 and brought together senior professionals from across the legal, accountancy and consultancy sectors. The session was chaired by Rachael Kinsella, Senior Communications Strategist and Account Director at Jones+Palmer, with Will Morgan-Harrold, Director of Consultancy, joining as a panellist.
The discussion addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing the sector: how to respond to growing client expectations and commercial pressures without diluting the value of human expertise. Panellists shared practical insights into proposition development, bid strategy, communications, and research, all through the lens of productisation.
Rachael guided the conversation to remain grounded in client realities, drawing on her experience in shaping clarity-led strategies for professional and listed firms. Will brought a communications and growth perspective, reflecting Jones+Palmer’s work in helping firms articulate value and scale trust through proposition design, investor communications and stakeholder engagement.
Other panellists included:
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Clive Webb, Head of Business Management at ACCA
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Kat Styler, Head of Bids at RSM
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Michelle Monaghan, Propositions Manager at AMPA Group
A key part of the discussion referenced Career paths reimagined: the changing world of work, a flagship research report authored by Clive Webb and published by ACCA. Jones+Palmer provided strategic consultancy on the project, shaping messaging to spotlight and connect key insights both internally and externally. Our work supported ACCA in telling a more cohesive story and strengthening stakeholder engagement across global audiences.
Key themes from the panel included:
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the importance of distinguishing between productised offers and client-centred propositions;
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the risk of removing professional judgement when standardising services;
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that clients increasingly expect senior, proven talent as the baseline, not the premium. As technology reshapes delivery models, professional judgement, context-setting and decision making become the true differentiators, not access to tools or processes;
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storytelling is evolving alongside non-linear careers. Both internal and external stakeholders are placing greater value on the problems professionals have helped solve, the decisions they have taken, and the impact created, rather than linear tenure alone;
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the need for modularity in service delivery, balancing scale with personalisation; and
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the role of communication in turning complexity into clarity and trust.
The event reinforced that productisation is not simply a packaging exercise. It’s a strategic shift that affects proposition design, delivery models and how firms communicate their value. As Rachael Kinsella noted in closing:
“Clients aren’t looking for a catalogue of services. They’re looking for confidence – in the decisions they’re making and in the people guiding them.”
Jones+Palmer continues to contribute to sector-wide conversations that shape the future of professional services. Rachael will also be at the next PM Forum North West event on 11 February 2026, focused on how to drive profits through cross-selling, in her capacity as a committee member. Why not join us?
