The $4.6 Trillion Opportunity: Service-as-Software Explained
How AI is shifting the SaaS model into a service-first economy, and why consultants stand to gain significantly.
As I dive deeper into the world of sales enablement, it’s impossible to ignore how AI is rapidly reshaping traditional business models—particularly SaaS. What we’re witnessing isn’t just an enhancement of automation, it’s a leap into Service-as-Software, a shift that’s poised to redefine industries and generate a staggering $4.6 trillion in value.
By now, you all know that in this newsletter, I primarily share my discoveries and dive deep into Sales futurology. It’s where I make bold, sometimes wild predictions about the future of sales—claims that only time will validate (or prove hilariously wrong). But hey, the fun lies in exploring what might be, right?
So, what set my mind racing again this week? I stumbled upon an article by Joanne Chen, a 10-year AI expert who completely blew my mind.
Her ideas got me thinking—could she really be onto something groundbreaking?
Let’s just say, I’m convinced she’s looking at the future through a lens we should all be paying attention to.
From Automation to Autonomy
Let me break it down. In the past, automation helped humans become more efficient—think of machines speeding up tasks.
But today, AI is going far beyond simple efficiency gains. Now, bots are becoming the brains behind services once entirely human-driven. This means AI agents are not just helping but replacing roles, transforming Software-as-a-Service into Service-as-Software.
From SaaS to Service-as-Software
For decades, SaaS was the model that ruled the software world: companies would pay for tools like Salesforce to help manage workflows, but humans still had to input the data, analyze reports, and execute strategies. With the rise of AI, we’re moving towards a system where software doesn’t just augment human work—it actually performs tasks autonomously. Think AI accountants, AI SDRs (Sales Development Reps), and AI-powered recruiting.
The outcome? A massive shift in responsibilities and a $2.3 trillion impact on salaries across sales, marketing, and HR, with another $2.3 trillion in outsourced services being disrupted.
Shifting from Features to Results
While I completely understand the shift from tech companies delivering feature-only solutions to offering services where AI drives results based on client goals and strategies, I want to take this reflection a bit further.
Let’s dive into what could become the norm as we await AGI to fully enter the mainstream.
Imagine a future where SaaS companies pivot from their traditional focus on monthly subscriptions and user experience to serving a whole new audience: service providers who build results-driven models for their B2B clients using SaaS tools. These companies would no longer just aim to reduce churn and attract more B2B clients. Instead, they’d focus on empowering consultants and Service-as-Software providers to extract the maximum value from their platforms.
When I say service providers, I’m talking about people who combine various tools, SaaS solutions, a bit of their own custom work, and Generative AI to deliver results—not just features.
Let’s look at an example:
1. SEMrush Selling Tools and Features:
SEMrush is a SaaS platform that offers a wide range of features aimed at enhancing a company’s SEO, SEM, and overall digital marketing strategy. It provides the tools (keyword research, site audits, backlink analysis, etc.) and data needed to improve visibility and performance, but the user must have the knowledge and skills to interpret and maximize the tool’s capabilities. The company buying SEMrush is expected to integrate these features into their strategy, requiring expertise to leverage these tools fully. The focus is on providing functionality and data for users to enhance their own efforts.
2. Consultants Using SEMrush as Part of a System:
On the other hand, a fully capable consultant using SEMrush is offering more than just access to the tools—they are selling results. The consultant integrates SEMrush into a broader service ecosystem where multiple tools, data sets, and strategies are combined to drive results for the client. For the company receiving this service, the focus shifts from “how do we use this tool effectively” to “how do we achieve our goals with expert help.” The consultant takes ownership of the process and outcomes, leveraging SEMrush within a larger results-oriented framework that includes strategy, execution, and optimization.
3. Different Focus for the SaaS Provider:
For the SaaS provider like SEMrush, selling to a company versus selling to a consultant means a different focus. When selling directly to companies, they aim to provide educational resources and make the platform user-friendly, so that companies can make the most of the features on their own. In contrast, when SEMrush is used by consultants, the focus is less on self-service and more on ensuring the advanced capabilities and features that allow consultants to seamlessly integrate the tool into a wider service offering.
Now imagine SEO, Google Ads, outbound campaigns, content creation, automated customer success, and virtually any other service.
The Ultimate Example
The perfect example is the tool Clay, the groundbreaking, venture-backed company that has quickly risen to legendary status.
How did they achieve this? By creating a product that’s infinitely flexible, unique, and powerful—one that only the most tech-savvy, formula geniuses, and AI enthusiasts can truly unlock its full potential.
The result? An influx of sales experts, consultants, and automation specialists are turning to Clay to customize services tailored to their needs and the ones of their clients, delivering results-driven offers.
This has led to the formation of a dedicated community of experts who almost solely rely on Clay as the backbone of their businesses, process and entire services, driving a surge in Enterprise plan sales that most SaaS providers could only dream of.
It’s simple yet incredibly powerful. Clay is still laser-focused on user experience and functionality while understanding that their tool is indispensable to high-level automation professionals who would absolutely pay a premium or Enterprise plan for an unlimited & unrestricted access, as it’s provide them to build the most incredible and powerful system.
Why This Works for Sales Futurology
This evolution aligns with sales futurology because it’s no longer about tools that clients passively engage with. Instead, AI becomes a supporting tool that works in tandem with human consultants to provide strategic outcomes for companies. The role of consultants would transform; they’re not just users of the software but are shaping and interpreting the tools to drive targeted business results.
SaaS companies would focus on ensuring their platforms are optimized for consultants, who act as intermediaries between the tools and the client. This changes the model entirely—rather than aiming for a massive user base, SaaS platforms would prioritize creating features, data insights, and automation tools that help consultants offer better, faster, and smarter services.
You might be thinking, ‘This isn’t anything groundbreaking—most consultants I know already integrate tools into systems to deliver the service I’ve paid for. So, why are you saying this will change everything?’
The real shift isn’t in what’s happening now, but in how this approach could go mainstream and push SaaS companies to rethink their entire business model.
Shifting Priorities in SaaS Companies
Instead of constantly redesigning their UX/UI to appeal to end-users, SaaS platforms would:
• Focus on delivering robust data and AI-driven features that make consultants more efficient and accurate in their predictions and strategies.
• Offer Enterprise-level pricing plans, built around empowering consultants to scale their services.
• Create Consultant Success departments that cater specifically to these experts, helping them navigate the platform to offer more to their clients.
In this model, SaaS platforms would aim to deepen the capabilities of their software rather than simplifying everything for end-users. The focus shifts to delivering real business outcomes, making their tools indispensable for consultants who help companies maximize sales, optimize operations, or improve other performance metrics.
What Does This Mean for the Future?
In this scenario, SaaS companies would work closely with consultants to provide customizable solutions that meet the unique needs of their clients. Rather than pushing for user growth through more B2B subscriptions, SaaS providers would concentrate on offering tools and AI-driven insights to specialized consultants who serve multiple clients. This reduces churn, since consultants would continuously integrate SaaS into their solutions, making the tools critical to their own business success.
Instead of SaaS platforms relying on mass user adoption, their success would hinge on how well they:
• Enhance AI and automation for consultants.
• Provide deeper insights and analytics that allow consultants to make better decisions for their clients.
• Develop client-focused ecosystems for consultants to deliver results-driven outcomes to their own customer base.
This new model eliminates the constant need for SaaS companies to appeal to a large number of individual clients. Instead, their focus would be on creating powerful back-end tools for the consultants who build their services on top of these platforms. It’s a shift from a product-first mentality to a service-first one, where the consultants become the main drivers of client success.
What This Future Could Look Like:
Revenue per Results: Consultants and solopreneurs would no longer charge hourly or by project. Instead, they’d receive performance-based pay, only getting compensated based on the results their system delivers. This would drive a higher standard of service and constant improvement.
AI-Driven Efficiency: With AI improving coding, task management, and strategic planning, consultants could maintain multiple clients with minimal overhead. Their systems would be built on years of refinement, providing precise solutions like sales forecasting, content generation, or lead management.
No Need for Big Teams: The idea of hiring large internal teams would become obsolete. Consultants would rely entirely on their AI-enhanced tools, enabling them to scale their services without increasing their personnel or infrastructure costs. Instead of hiring, they’d just improve their software systems to handle more sophisticated tasks.
Service as a Product: These systems become products in their own right, constantly evolving and gaining value. Clients aren’t just buying consulting services—they’re accessing an AI-enhanced toolset that delivers real-world results directly tied to their business goals.
Conclusion
In this Service-as-Software world, the traditional SaaS model is replaced by an AI-driven consulting ecosystem, where results-driven systems are the only measure of success. With AI tools like Replit, it’s easy to see how consultants would build incredibly niche solutions that continuously adapt and deliver, without the need for a large workforce.
This model fundamentally changes how revenue is generated and services are delivered, shifting focus from managing clients to enhancing AI tools that drive success.