ESN: How to convey the value of your offer to your customers
As Director of an ESN or engineering company, your customers' perception of the value of your offering is a key factor in your company's development.
And yet, you probably find yourself in such situations:
- Your customers love you, but your daily rates are stagnating or even declining
- You don't dare raise your rates for fear of not being selected for tenders or proposals.
- But your margins are shrinking as resources become increasingly scarce.
- And you are finding it difficult to retain your employees because of compensation issues.
If you're familiar with these constraints, it's possible to get out of this vicious circle!
Laurence Bonhomme, Director of Custommer Success, gives you practical tips on how to become fully aware of the value of what you sell, and how to influence your customers' buying process to make them perceive this value.
Being aware of the value provided by ESN
75% of IT service companies say they've had difficulty finding suitable candidates for the latest positions they were offering. Stafiz study from Sept 2020.
Creating a perception of value is key for ESN and ICT companies seeking to attract and retain talent that is often in short supply.
Value is what the customer expects to gain from the use or enjoyment of the product or service. A price is the amount of money a customer is willing to pay for a product or service. The price therefore measures the value perceived by the customer for a solution.
Knowing what value to bring to ESN
You've no doubt all heard customer reflections linked to a perception of cost rather than value. This is a good example of perceived value....Or of not perceiving value at all!
There are two types of service:
- competency-based services, in which case we speak of a commitment of resources or management (including TA)
- project-oriented service centers, where we speak of a commitment to results or a fixed price.
There are two types of project:
- the realization of specific projects according to customer needs
- maintenance of existing projects. The latter type of project is referred to as Third-Party Application Maintenance or TMA.
The plumber's story:
You've heard the story of the plumber who is called in by a customer to fix his broken boiler.
It's late December, it's cold and the customer has no alternative heating system.
The plumber arrives, examines the boiler and takes out some tools. His intervention lasts about 10 minutes and the boiler starts up again straight away.
The customer is delighted and asks how much he owes.
- "200 €"
-200, but you've only been here 10 minutes!
"-The value of my intervention is not based on these 10 minutes but on the 10 years of experience I have to know how to act to help you. My intervention is guaranteed for 1 year.
Unless you'd prefer me to put it back in the same condition as before?"
Selling like a strategist in ESN
Engage the customer by co-constructing the solution with stakeholders.
- Selling based on the success of the project for the customer
- Speak the language of the players involved!
- Shake up the customer's way of thinking to make him calculate his stress points
- Build an offer based on the verbatim of GRID players
- Engage the customer in the sharing of hypotheses for the construction of the offer
- Promote your solution's return on investment
Avoid the most common pitfalls
- A single point of contact
- Believing that a convinced technical player is going to make an inside sale on his own
- Accept that the customer may or may not want to give you a budget
- Confusing a functional need with aquantified stress point
- Investing time in building your offer or searching for a profile without key information
- Send your proposal by e-mail without presenting it
- Thinking that the customer's process is the only one possible
In summary, the key factors for success in ESN
Adopting an advisory posture in sales: asking questions to understand key information from the various GRID players
Become or strengthen your role as the customer's trusted third party by systematically adding value to your exchanges.
Calculate the quantified impact of voltage points with the customer
Enhance the return on investment of your solution
- Be strategic in your sales: devote your energy to making the project a success by accompanying the customer, rather than sending a proposal or skills file.
- Focus on opportunities on which you have links with the GRID and key information (scoring and go - no go)
