This week, we will look at additional ERP sales tactics that can manipulate you into signing over your checkbook to inadequate ERP system integrators. As you continue to move through the process, the tactics get more interesting– the integrators often move from manipulation (Overcome SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Tactics 2) to more aggressive tactics.
Often, software vendors with inferior products resort to many underhanded or dirty tactics and scams. If you think about it, these tactics make perfect sense. When business software vendors are up against a competitor with a superior product, they can only hope to prevent you from making an objective comparison of their product to the competitors. When you add in the massive payday — tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or in large sales, millions of dollars on the line — unscrupulous strategies should be expected.
These tactics only grow more intense when it comes to the services offerings. Even so, at least you have a greater chance to gain a more objective evaluation of the software than you do vendor service claims. Tactics can get downright nasty, but always with a smiling patina that the salesperson is just “trying to help.”
Once you know the tactics, you can identify them and discount their effectiveness. Always remember: The salesperson’s goal is to sell to you. Your goal is to receive benefit for your company and see a return on your SAP investment.
Deep into the SAP-ERP System Integrator Sales Cycle
- Introduction of doubt
- Try to discredit your competition without being obvious. Pointing out bad press (where it may not be warranted, although at times it is), providing “rumors” or “special insight” that they really don’t have — anything that distracts from a practical/objective decision on the actual functionality — should be viewed with suspicion.
- The Survey Demo
- Need + Feature = Benefit. They may try to “discover” requirements not in the RFP to show you features that you did not request. When they do this, they are trying to make an impression. Counteract this by simply asking, “What RFP section does this address?”.
- “My manager must meet your manager.”
- They do this because the salesperson with the most “face time” generally wins.
- Unload the bus.
- A “mob” shows up to work the room and every client or ERP RFP participant. Resolve this by restricting the number of onsite vendor participants.
- Crocodile salesmen
- All mouth and no ears. They are too busy telling you everything they think you want to hear, whether it is true or not, so they can make you their next meal.
- The magic number game
- “We saved your competitor $$$!” “You can gain up to x% market/revenue/margin/cost reduction.” You name it. They throw numbers around as if they are the masters of entire markets and industries. They baffle you with statistics and financial claims. Or they might ask you where you “need to be” to make a deal.
Want to avoid these tactics? Every time a salesperson makes some claim, ask them if they can put that claim in their contract with the penalty clause. Watch them slither away from the claims.
Deep into the Sales Cycle – Product Demos
In the previous section, we focused on the sales approach used by the sales people themselves. This section is an overview of product demos and how to combat the various tactics and strategies used:
- Provide your data for demonstrations.
- Create “day in the life” scripts.
- Give the supplier time to prepare.
- Differences in prep time could indicate overcomplexity.
- Hold back some exceptions.
- See if the vendor says “No” or makes excuses for why the exception can’t be done.
- Test flexibility in the solution and their skill by asking them to demonstrate these exceptions in their solution. Let them know at the beginning of the demo what they are, and ask them to have it prepared by the end.
- Make sure they include sample implementation plans, templates, resources, tools, etc.
- If your supplier does well, tell them but do not commit (at this point, a decent salesperson will “move in” for the close).
There is one last sales type to consider here: the effective salesperson. Notice I didn’t say good salesperson. They have been carefully trained, they know how to “work” the room, and they know how to move you along in the process. They are polished, they understand listening skills, and they will relay back to you exactly what you want to hear.
These are the “vaporware” aficionados. They slyly sell you on something that does not exist. They sell you on their “A” team when the best they can provide is a “B” team. They sell you on how well their software or solution fits your needs, without actually showing you any proof that it does.
These salespeople want you to fall in love with their amazing story about how they will somehow produce amazing results for you. Like a magician, they use smoke and mirrors to hide their real actions. They carefully find out what you want to hear and tell it to you, whether it is true or not. What proof do they have that they can deliver these results for you?
They sell you a vacation while intending to deliver you a bucket of sand for the full vacation price. They sell you a vacation home, but after you sign the contract, they hand you a doll house box full of parts and a hot glue gun.
They convince you that using them will cost you less without committing to anything that might actually set a real limit to their fees. They promise you will get the results you want without actually providing any way of achieving them. These are the dangerous salespeople.
