The real reason VMware vSphere was so successful! - A lesson in the PERSONAL side of technology adoption.

Ask anyone familiar with VMware about why vSphere was so successful, and they will probably tell you it was because it gave organizations the ability to run multiple operating systems "virtually" on a single piece of server hardware, leveraging the ESX and later ESXi hypervisor. They will accurately argue that this led to the hardware footprint within data centers collapsing to a fraction of its previous size, leading to all sorts of major financial benefits for the business and positive outcomes for the earth's environment.

But is this the REAL reason virtualization offerings, especially vSphere, were so successful initially?

As a longtime IT practitioner and user, I SAY NO!!!

And the actual reason is a lesson for salespeople, product managers, marketers, and even IT leaders, about the PERSONAL reasons technologies are adopted in the first place.

Let's dive in, but first, a selfish plug...if you enjoy this article, please "Like," "Comment," and "Repost" for your network.

And the actual reason is a lesson for salespeople, product managers, marketers, and even IT leaders, about the PERSONAL reasons technologies are adopted in the first place.

My story & personal experience

Before I joined VMware almost 12 years ago, I was an architect and then IT leader for the wholesale division of a Fortune 500 company. I'll never forget the day my boss slapped a copy of VMware Workstation on my desk and told me to familiarize myself with the technology.

As a long-time Windows and Linux admin, I was blown away by how easily it abstracted hardware resources. Once we had confidence in the technology, we began by virtualizing our less critical tier 3 workloads, then quickly moved on to the tier 2, tier 1 servers, and eventually the desktops until at least 95% of the environment was virtualized!

During that transition, I never once calculated our operational and capital costs to see what kind of benefits we were reaping from a TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) perspective. I didn't perform any DTA (Downtime Analysis) to show how applications were now more stable. We always knew these things were important to the business and would eventually brag about them to our leadership, but for us, the real motivation for virtualizing our workloads was always PERSONAL.

These reasons were:

• vSphere made my job easier...

...since I could now see and administrate most of my servers and desktops from a single pane of glass.

...since I could provide information to auditors more quickly

• vSphere took a significant amount of my stress away...

...since my environment was more stable

... since I now feared restorations less, as I could restore an entire VM more quickly and successfully than the entire app and operating system.

• vSphere gave me choice and negotiating power with hardware vendors whom I preferred not to deal with.

...since I could now threaten to migrate my VMs and their storage to a completely different brand of hardware.

• Last but not least, vSphere gave me my weekends back.

...since I could now repair hardware and perform upgrades during production hours without anyone noticing!

The Personal Side of Technology Adoption

The points above were the real reasons I and other IT practitioners like me were so motivated to virtualize. And I hate to say it, but the business and environmental benefits were secondary!

ALL HUMANS are innately selfish, and despite being employed to do what's best for the company, we cannot eliminate at least the built-in tendency to do what's best for ourselves.

It's also critical to remember that new technologies are adopted from the bottom up. While senior leadership controls the purse strings, the implementers and architects of the technology have the strongest influence over adoption, and making an appeal to them and their needs is essential to a successful sale!

Let's look at some valuable lessons salespeople, product managers, and product marketers can take away from this:

The Lesson for Salespeople

When selling tech solutions, it's crucial to understand the real-life experiences of your prospective users. In the realm of IT, these are often architects, system administrators, or support staff who are looking for tools that simplify their day-to-day tasks, reduce repetitive work, and boost their efficiency. Here's how to take that into account:

• Understand the User's Perspective: You need to empathize with your clients on a deeper level. Understand their daily routines, the challenges they face, and what they wish could be made easier. Then, show how your solution can help.
• Highlight Individual Benefits: Alongside the business-centric benefits, such as cost savings and scalability, emphasize the advantages that directly touch the user's work life - ease of use, time savings, reduced errors, etc.
• Personalize your Pitch: Instead of only focusing on a generic pitch, tailor your presentation to highlight the features and benefits that will resonate most with the individuals you're talking to.

The Lesson for Product Managers

As a product manager, your job isn't just to guide a product's strategic direction but also to understand and address the needs of the end users. Here's how:

• User-Centric Design: Always have the end user in mind when shaping the product's design and features. Integrate user feedback continuously and validate your assumptions with real user data.
• Balancing Needs: While it's essential to align your product with the business's strategic goals, you can't neglect the user experience. Ensuring the product is intuitive, reliable, and solves the users' real problems can often lead to more widespread and rapid adoption.
• Anticipate Future User Needs: Stay ahead of the curve by anticipating future challenges your users might face and evolve your product accordingly. This can make your product indispensable.

The Lesson for Product Marketers

Product marketing involves storytelling that resonates with your target audience. Remember that this audience comprises not only decision-makers but also end users. Here's how to achieve that:

• Dual-focused Messaging: Your communication should not only focus on the business benefits but also on the personal benefits to the user. Demonstrate how your product can ease the user's workload, reduce stress, or provide more control and flexibility.
• Use Relatable Examples: Real-world examples, testimonials, and case studies can be highly effective. When people hear about positive experiences from their peers, they're more likely to perceive your product positively.
• Constant Engagement: Keep the conversation going with your audience. Regularly update them with new features, user tips, and success stories to demonstrate your product's ongoing value.

Conclusion

The widespread success of virtualization technologies like VMware's vSphere didn't solely hinge on their ability to bring cost savings or operational efficiency. A significant part of that success lies in how it enhanced the working lives of the individuals who used them daily.

As we develop, sell, and market new technology solutions, we must always keep the end user's experience and personal needs and desires at the forefront of our strategies. By aligning our solutions to not only serve business goals but also address their pain points, we can drive meaningful and successful tech adoption and greater sales!

#vmware #vsphere #sales