What to Expect from the Software Sales Process

Buying software for your company is a big decision.? There’s a lot at stake if you get it wrong.? Even more to gain by getting it right.? ?A new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system can add value to your business, streamline your processes and make you more profitable.? More so the case with Software as a Service (SaaS) which has a rapid time to value.? ?Software isn’t an every day purchase so you may not know what to expect from the software sales process.

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Research suggests that, thanks to the internet, most customers are already 60% through their software buying journey before they even reach out to a vendor.? ?It’s no wonder then that you might want to cut the sales cycle short.

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Software isn’t a “stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap” kind of product.? For that reason you can’t expect a simplistic or rapid sales process.? Whilst I have known customers, in extreme circumstances, to go from enquiry to purchase in two months, the typical sales process might be more like 6-18 months.? In some instances, it can take several years before the customer presses the “go” button on new software procurement.

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What to Expect when you Engage with CloudTamers?

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At CloudTamers we approach everything with humanity and humility.? We might work with tech, but we don’t treat people like automatons.? We believe in making the software procurement process bespoke, but straight forward, as per our core values (which run through all our engagements):

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Clarity – We believe in plain speaking.? You understand your business better than we do, and we understand the technology.? It’s our job to talk the tech as plainly as possible but also to get all the relevant information from you

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Realism – Our “yes” means yes and our “no” means no.? If we say we are going to deliver next week, we will.? If we say we can’t it means, even with best effort, we simply can’t

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Honesty – If the software isn’t a good fit for you, we will tell you.? If we get it wrong, we will say so and put it right

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Respect – Everyone deserves respect.? Mutual respect will make for a successful project

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To that end, whether you’re buying NetSuite or one of our SuiteApps, here’s what to expect when you engage CloudTamers in your software search and select.

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• You’ll need to engage in a software discovery call.

This is the part that most people want to skip, hoping to get straight onto demo and pricing.? People want to skip this stage because they already know what they want … and besides, they’ll know if they see it on the demo.? But the success of your project depends upon the fit of the software.? Skipping the discovery stage means I won’t be able to advise you on how fit for purpose the software is.? I really need to understand how you plan to apply the software in your business if I am to show you the relevant features.? I simply can’t do this if I don’t understand your needs.? ?Our software is very functionally rich.? If I don’t understand your needs I can’t advise you properly, tell you if the software is fit for purpose, or promise to demonstrate the most meaningful features for your business. ??This is also the point at which I will qualify NetSuite/SuiteApps out of the process if we can’t achieve what you need.? There’s simply no point spending hours on software demonstrations which, a proper discovery, might identify isn’t fit for the job.

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• You cannot get immediate pricing

Many of you will want to know the price of the software before any kind of conversation.? Understandably, you want to know if it is within budget.? I get that.? But also, I can’t price accurately too early into the process.? NetSuite is modular and therefore the bill of materials (and price of the software) depends upon my understanding of your usage.? Likewise with our SuiteApps, the price depends upon several factors.? Though it isn’t an exact science, if you share your budget with me, I will be able to tell you whether our software should be qualified out based on price.? Similarly, I can give you ball park estimates based on typical businesses use cases, though it shouldn’t be considered an accurate estimate for your business until such times as we have conducted a discovery at a minimum.

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• You will receive?an honest appraisal?about the software capability (and cope-ability)

You will want to know what our software does and does not do early in the process.? If you have a key requirement which we cannot meet, I will be honest about it from the start.? If there is a gap in the system which cannot be filled, I will tell you.? If there are complexities around your specific use cases, I will tell you that too.? I will also tell you where I think the software might simplify your processes and I may challenge you around your current processes as a result.? ?NetSuite is a very flexible product so often gaps in the system can be filled by customisations or integrations and where we think this can be achieved we will tell you and be honest about the anticipated costs so you can make an informed decision.

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• You won’t get access to a demonstration account

If you can find a system that handles 80% of your requirements, you are doing well.? It may take several hours, or sessions to show you all the software capability according to your needs.? The point of a demonstration is to give you confidence that the system is fit for purpose.? ?You will, of course, be viewing the software in a demonstration account so a degree of “suspending disbelief” will be required.? From time to time however, our prospects ask us if they can get access to our demonstration account to have a play for themselves.? This is inadvisable for the following reasons:

• “blank” NetSuite demonstration accounts will require a degree of implementing in order for you to use them successfully
• Pre-configured demonstration accounts may not be configured to your specific use cases and leave you with a false impression of the software
• NetSuite is a very functionally rich system which requires both implementation and training in order to be used successfully, therefore, playing in a demo account is likely to leave you frustrated and underwhelmed, which is neither a fair reflection of the system, nor a good use of your time
• Our demonstration accounts often have data sets and reports which we use frequently to demonstrate to customers. We don’t want you mucking about with them!

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If you are going through a software search and select and want to talk to an honest and plain speaking software reseller, please get in touch

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Written by Emma Stewart – NetSuite?Evangelist?at CloudTamers.? One of the UK’s longest standing NetSuite partners.