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Oct 17 2026
Webinar: Are traditional provider rankings still relevant?
Overview
HFS Research is organising a webinar examining whether traditional analyst rankings remain suitable for evaluating technology and services providers. The session will discuss the limitations of rankings based on vendor briefings, analyst assessments and predefined criteria that may not fully represent clients’ experiences during active engagements.
The webinar will introduce Services-as-Software™ Star Ratings, an evaluation approach in which ratings are determined by enterprise clients managing live provider engagements, without vendor influence or analyst scoring. The objective is to help organisations identify providers suited to their particular priorities rather than simply selecting the highest-ranked company.
Details
Webinar Information
Webinar: Are Traditional Provider Rankings Still Relevant?
Organiser: HFS Research
Date: Thursday, 22 October 2026
Time: 10:00–11:00 a.m. ET
Format: Online webinar
Primary subject: The evolution of technology and services-provider evaluation
Registration: Interested participants may register through the link included in the original HFS Research invitation.
Speakers
Phil Fersht: Chief Executive Officer and Chief Analyst, HFS Research
Saurabh Gupta: President, HFS Research
Hansa Iyengar: Practice Leader, HFS Research
Limitations of Traditional Rankings
Established approach: Enterprises have traditionally relied on analyst rankings when comparing technology and services providers.
Vendor briefings: Rankings may draw partly on information and presentations supplied directly by participating providers.
Analyst assessments: Analysts may evaluate providers using their professional judgment and interpretation of the available evidence.
Predefined criteria: Conventional evaluations commonly apply a standard set of measures across all providers and enterprise requirements.
Experience gap: These approaches may not fully reflect what enterprise clients experience after implementation or service delivery begins.
Individual requirements: A provider receiving a high general ranking may not necessarily be the best match for every organisation’s priorities.
Need for change: HFS Research argues that provider evaluation should place greater emphasis on client experience and operational outcomes.
Services-as-Software™ Star Ratings
Evaluation model: HFS Research has introduced Services-as-Software™ Star Ratings as an alternative method of assessing providers.
Client-determined ratings: Ratings are based entirely on information supplied by enterprise clients using providers in live engagements.
Live engagements: The methodology focuses on practical experience gained while services are actively being delivered.
No vendor influence: According to HFS Research, providers do not influence the ratings through briefings, submissions or other participation.
No analyst scoring: The ratings do not rely on analysts assigning scores to providers.
Experience-led evidence: The approach is designed to reflect how provider capabilities perform in actual enterprise environments.
Primary objective: The model aims to help buyers determine which provider is best suited to their needs rather than identify a universally highest-ranked provider.
Customised Evaluation Criteria
Enterprise priorities: Organisations can adjust evaluation criteria to reflect the capabilities and outcomes most important to them.
Strategic alignment: Buyers can assess providers according to their own operational requirements, transformation goals and risk considerations.
Relevant comparison: Customisation may produce a provider comparison more closely connected to the organisation’s intended use case.
Decision support: Enterprise teams can use the ratings as one source of evidence when shortlisting and selecting providers.
Fit over position: The central emphasis is on suitability for a particular organisation rather than position within a general ranking table.
Agentic AMS Study
Study: The webinar will present findings from HFS Research’s first Agentic Application Management Services study.
Research focus: The study considers the use of agentic artificial intelligence within application-management services.
AI ambition: Providers and enterprises are setting substantial goals for the use of autonomous and AI-enabled service-delivery models.
Production reality: The study examines the difference between stated AI ambitions and capabilities operating effectively in live production environments.
Operational evidence: Client experience can help reveal whether promised automation and AI capabilities are producing measurable results.
Provider assessment: The findings may help enterprises distinguish between marketing claims, early experimentation and mature production capabilities.
Discussion Areas
Evolution of evaluation: The speakers will explain why established approaches to provider assessment may need to change.
Methodology: Participants will learn how the Services-as-Software Star Ratings model operates.
Selection criteria: The webinar will consider how enterprises can adapt evaluation criteria to match their particular priorities.
AI implementation: The speakers will discuss findings concerning the gap between AI ambitions and operational deployment.
Future development: HFS Research will outline its planned next steps for the SaS Stars model.
Enterprise implications: The discussion is intended to support organisations making important technology and services purchasing decisions.
Participation Information
Intended audience: Enterprise technology leaders, sourcing professionals, service-delivery executives, analysts and decision-makers evaluating providers
Live attendance: Registered participants may attend the online session at the scheduled time.
Replay information: HFS Research states that individuals who register but cannot attend live will be sent a replay.
Further information: Complete registration and participation details are available through the link included in the original HFS Research invitation.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this News Bulletin is for informational purposes only. The Learning Centre does not facilitate or provide recordings, additional data, access, or any other related information concerning the events/resources listed.
