Monday, June 27, 2011

What can we do when the sales team accepts the customers Status Quo?

In a recent workshop with the sales and technical team of a small, yet significant CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) software company I was struck by the number of times that the sales team conceded that the "customer doesn't do it that way" so they don't see them changing methods.

Since when is selling about letting the status quo be good good enough? How about this? The status quo is that we don't get any revenue from the prospect, why challenge that in the eyes of the customer?

Ron Popeil never sold anything by accepting others view of good enough (image  wolfprint.stritch.edu)
Is it not the challenge for the sales person to convince the Desert Nomad to buy sand, or the Eskimo Ice, or the Lady in the white gloves want Ketchup flavored Popsicles? Then why, when I present the use-case for our software, do we roll over when the customer expresses that the model doesn't fit there current business paradigm? OK, if you say so. No need to grow our business. Have a nice day.

  • Since when has selling bee about completely ceding the value-arguments to our technical people?
  • Why is it so bad to challenge the customers feeling that "we are fine" without any change?
  • No, you don't tell them they've been doing it wrong, you just show them a better way.

If you don't believe that what your are selling is a needed improvement to the status quo, please move on; get out of the way of those who can offer change.