Richard FoutsIf you sell to buyers in IT departments you’ll want to look at Baseline’s story “What Business Managers Really Think of IT.”
The report begins, “A survey of non-IT executives … shows that many business leaders believe IT investments create value, but many still view the department as an operational and tactical asset rather than as a strategic partner. ”
Okay, not too profound … so … any new insight?
The leading cause as to why business people think IT doesn’t deliver on its quest to be a business partner turns out to be “difficulties implementing applications.” So, if you sell anything that needs to be implemented you have an obvious opportunity. The next cause? Culture. Next? Lack of skill base. After that? Fear of change.
Ah, now we’re getting somewhere – and the story emerges. IT falls short of strategic partnership because it hasn’t figured out how to implement solutions that involve changing the culture.
And as an IT provider, you’re leaving money on the table if you don’t propose change services. Vendors of sales training are particuarly good at leaving money behind, especially when you consider 90% of salespeople forget everything they learn in sales training class within 90 days.
IT has always been about change. History has taught us that even people who are trying to change, find it difficult to change. Marketers of technology solutions, and their couterparts in product mangaement, simply need to fold the “change thing” into their offerings, whatever that might be. And you don’t have to figure it out yourselves of course … it’s why the industry leans on partnerships.
Comments Off
Category: Marketing Strategy Marketing communications Personal selling Tags:
