Start with the outcome, not the technology

Chief Commercial Officer – Consumer Goods Company

Start with the outcome, not the technology: There seems to be an automated tool for every step of the sales value chain. But rather than be distracted by the latest technology, successful sales organizations start with the specific outcome they want before exploring what tools are available. A Financial Services sales leader told us, “The trick was going back to basics. First, reminding ourselves that the end purpose of tools is to support sales reps, and second, to ensure that we see strong results before investing in the next set of tools. We don’t focus on the technology, we focus on what we want our sales reps to do, and then see if the technology fits.”

They invest in a narrow set of tools and technologies they actually need, but double down to ensure thorough front- and back-end adoption, focusing on driving customer outcomes instead of solving technology problems

Over the years, I have seen many companies regret purchasing software and other tools for their businesses. Why? They did not evaluate their processes and people before making their purchase. Software and technology do not fix business challenges. Software and technology are the tools to carry out your strategies and processes which produce an outcome.

Therefore, any time a client asks me, what comes first, the strategy or the technology? it is neither. It is the desired outcome…

About Growthline Partners

For over 10 years, Growthline Partners has helped companies increase their sales and marketing capabilities by providing revenue acceleration and customer service consulting combined with designing, implementing, and supporting their Salesforce or Zoho sales and marketing technology platforms. Our clients range from start-ups to large enterprises with varying levels of both operational and technology sophistication and maturity.

About the Author

William Pickett is the Managing Director at Growthline Partners. He is a veteran of the technology and consulting industry and has held senior technology and management positions including Group Manager at AT&T Government Solutions and Senior Manager at Cap Gemini Ernst & Young. William has extensive knowledge of Salesforce & Zoho software and experience working with the financial, manufacturing and non-profit sectors.