Implementation Plan

Even though the demo effort was won there is still the implementation plan. If a prospect feels the proposed implementation effort is too long, too costly or difficult to understand the vendor/ implementer must spend more time adjusting the plan and trying to recover from the prospect's negative reaction or lose the sale.

Prospects expect quick, low-cost implementations; many want fixed-price implementations. However, many VARs/ implementers feel they can’t go with a fixed price implementation effort - there are too many variables. 

“Data quality is usually a major problem. We’ve had prospects tell us their Bills of Material are 100% accurate but we know they’re not, so we have to allow time [and money] to fix them.”

“Training is another problem area. We might need to go over training multiple times – maybe the person is not really listening first time, maybe they weren’t feeling well, maybe they have trouble grasping the concepts. We have to allow time [and money] to handle this.”

Unfortunately, these issues still lead to long, costly 'time and material' implementation plans that raise red flags for the prospect. 

To sell a solution your solution must fit within the perceptions of the ‘buyer’. Discovery occurs in stages. At each point you need to identify the prospect’s perceptions and determine if enough information exists to change their perceptions. If not, you need to proceed under those perceptions to the next stage of discovery. Unfortunately, many people try to include contingencies in their implementation plan that only end up frustrating the prospect and losing the sale.

We can show you how to structure discovery efforts to get better buy-in and close more business. We can also show you how a simple change in the implementation approach will give you better control, faster implementations and better bottom-line results.
 

Please contact us at info@pebblellc.com for more details.