Business Consulting

INTRODUCTION

You know how important it is for all post sales technical personnel coming into contact with clients to be fully trained and confident in all aspects of their jobs. For Information Technology suppliers competition is fierce, sales cycles can be long and the post sales phase of implementation and delivery to customer expectations is critical. The post sales technical support team play a vital role.

Managing a customer over a period of time involves a team effort, with each member working closely together to provide a concerted effort.

GOOD POST SALES SUPPORT IS A CRITICAL FACTOR

The role of post sales support is becoming more and more crucial to a supplier's success in a highly competitive market place.
How post sales support present themselves during a sale can shape a prospect's impression of a supplier. Once a sale is made the ability of post sales support to deliver 'expectations' will shape ongoing relationships and is critical to the development of client references.

This is a unique workshop, aimed at post sales consultants to show them how they can make a positive contribution to the sales drive. Participants learn how to relate to customers and ensure that implementation of solutions occur using 'best practices'. They are given a detailed understanding not only of the sales cycle, but ways in which they can exert a positive influence to ongoing customer decision making processes.

A COURSE FOR POST SALES TECHNICAL SUPPORT CONSULTANTS TO HELP THEM ACQUIRE SKILLS TO MAKE A POSITIVE CONTRIBUTION TO THE SALES EFFORT AND IMAGE OF THE COMPANY DURING IMPLEMENTATION AND DELIVERY

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

To enable Post Sales Consultants to:

• Understand the ‘business cycle' and how they can contribute to the company's overall ongoing sales objectives.
• Make a positive contribution to customer relationships.
• Appreciate what customers expect from Post Sales Consultants.
• Understand the sales process and how Post Sales Consultants can position their own activities while ‘on-site' to meet customer expectations.
• Be aware of how and why a customer arrives at his/her decision criteria to purchase from rather than a competitor.
• Gather facts and opinions from individuals within a customer organisation by using correct questioning and listening techniques.
• Plan for review meetings with customers using a structured approach to ensure defined meeting objectives are met.
• Handle customer concerns and problems/issues in a manner that shows concern/ responsiveness and a professional attitude.
• Identify and implement factors that promote good customer relationships.
• Understand factors that can cause customers to have a bad impression of Post Sales Support.

WORKSHOP PROGRAMME
Day 1 - commence 9.00a.m.

• Introduction and workshop objectives.
• The Post Sales Support function - relationship with the sales process.
• Key ideas in Business Consulting Skills - the business cycle.
• The Performance Improvement Formula - how it affects Post Sales Support.
• Syndicate exercise: Groups identify knowledge and skills required to carry out the role of an Post Sales Support person.
• Feedback and analysis.
• The Post Sales Support function related to the structure of an sale.
• Understanding the complimentary buying process the customer has gone through.
• Film: ‘Good people to do business with'.
• Syndicate exercise: Groups analyse issues arising from the film.
• Feedback, review and analysis of issues.
• Introduction to ‘Basis of Decision' methodology. A mechanism to influence customer decision making factors favourably.
• Syndicate exercise: Groups identify factors associated with the decision by a company to implement IT solutions.
• Feedback and review of factors that favour .
• Motivational factors that affect customer decisions - rational and emotional.
• Syndicate exercise: Groups analyse the company and Post Sales Support function plus key products and services.

DAY 2 - Commence 9.00a.m

• Informal presentations by syndicate leaders of analysis works from previous evening.
• Open discussion and review of issues arising.
• Behavioural Activity Profile - participants complete on an individual basis a short test.
• The communication process - questioning and listening examples and exercises.
• Understanding the Behavioural test scores and their implications.
• Planning for meetings with customers - setting objectives.
• Handling group meetings and review meetings.
• Confirming information using e-mail/fax and letters - some overall do's and don'ts.
• The importance of customer references for future i2 business.
• Managing activity in accounts - whose responsibility?
• Open forum and discussion.
• Participant action plans.

NOTES: This workshop can be modified to an individual client's requirements and extra emphasis placed on those areas that are of particular relevance to participants.

METHODS

Instructor sessions are combined with individual exercises and group syndicate discussions to provide variation and participation. Video recordings or films are used to illustrate specific points.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

New and experienced post sales technical support people working for Information Technology supplier companies. Typically, participants will have a good technical background and be involved in the customer/prospect interface on a regular basis. Frequently, they may be involved in influencing the customer/prospect towards a specific course of action. A better appreciation of the total sales process will assist in all communications, both internal and external.