When Serving up Business Outcomes, Don’t Push the Daily Special

Succeeding in the tech industry is all about business outcomes, customer outcomes, or outcome-based selling – whatever term you prefer. As Customer Success Officer for Splunk, delivering outcomes is my #1 job. When people learn about my role the next question I usually get is either “How can I get a job like that?” or “How can I build an organization that works like that?” 

Whether you’re looking for work or leading a team, there are four key things required for a successful outcome-oriented approach. Think about what it takes for a restaurant to serve the right meal to every diner and you’ll see what’s required to succeed.

1. Listen to the customer

We say it’s all about the customer and the customer is always right, but often customers don’t know what they want. Sometimes they know what they don’t want, or what else they already have, but they still don’t know what to ask for or even what’s possible. 

Imagine you’re waiting tables at lunchtime and a customer asks about the daily special. “Double cheeseburger with portabello and Swiss and a side of fries,” you reply. Then the customer says he had eggs benedict at a breakfast meeting, is having a business dinner at a French restaurant, and won’t be home until 10 p.m. before catching a plane in the morning and doesn’t think another heavy meal is a good idea.

Do you:

• Let him know the daily special is really good and super popular? 

Or 

• Tell him about the equally popular all-you-can-eat salad bar?

Listening to the customer in this case won’t help move the daily special, but it will help the businessman get through his day without indigestion and likely drive repeat business from a satisfied diner who will recommend your restaurant to others. That’s a win based on the right customer outcome.

2. Leverage your expertise 

You know what is possible when the customer doesn’t. If the diner also mentions that he really loves portabella mushrooms, and is leaning toward the burger despite the inevitable clash with breakfast, dinner and travel plans, you have options. You can use your expertise based on the many things you’ve seen pass through the kitchen. You can offer to drop the cheese and the bun and serve a turkey patty with the portabella in a lettuce wrap, and a salad instead of fries. This would address the craving without the gastric side effects and, again, drive repeat business from a satisfied diner who will recommend your restaurant.

3. Collaborate across the team

In nearly any sales organization, the Account Manager owns the customer relationship, carries the quota, is the point of contact for nearly everything, and is on the hook when the forecast isn’t met. In the old days of pushing product, it all made perfect sense. But for those who carry a bag today, it had better include some new tools. 

A strong Account Manager knows how his teammates can help, works collaboratively, and delegates to others throughout the customer engagement. A smart leader doesn’t put the burden on just one person but she encourages a diverse team with a range of skills to work together, listening to the customer to identify and deliver the right solution. 

In a restaurant, the chef designs the menu, and a sous chef helps fill each plate. The waiter helps diners choose their meals and works with the busser to deliver the utensils and condiments required to eat, reporting back to the kitchen on any special requests. Every good restaurant will have a pre-shift meeting to get the team on the same page before the rush.

Today’s account team relies on Sales Engineers who can design solutions and map them to use cases to show the customer what’s possible. It requires a team who can help the customer deploy and adopt the solution and develop in-house expertise. And as always, customers need a support team. Team members need to collaborate to help the lead Account Manager drive success.

4. Gather feedback to improve the menu and dining experience

After your food arrives, the waiter always swings by to ask how your meal is tasting and offer ketchup or a drink refill. This is a first step to gauge a satisfied customer, but it shouldn’t be the last. At the end of the meal, the tip will also reflect customer satisfaction. And any customer that posts an online review either loved or hated the food. A waiter should share the feedback with the kitchen and the restaurant manager should be tracking online reviews with the goal of addressing issues for driving improvement.

The same is true for any organization trying to address customer needs and deliver business outcomes. You absolutely must listen to your customers and take their feedback to heart. The team should have a documented plan for a feedback loop and value the information they glean from the process.

If you’re looking for a new role, make sure your potential employer values the four approaches that are absolutely critical for a strong outcome-oriented team. Understand how you would be part of a team that listens to customers to continually improve and deliver the best outcomes. Find out in advance how the account team works, which roles engage directly with the customer, and how each role has the opportunity to add value.

 If you are a leader, change the culture, redesign the organization, and offer training to get the team on track with the new approach. Don’t let the people who ‘carry a bag’ bring their baggage along; help them fill their bags with new tools. Use feedback to further modify your approach at every opportunity.

The time when we pushed the daily special is no longer. We have to listen to the customer, apply our expertise, and work together to serve up what customers want and need – that is, a flexible menu that can satisfy any appetite.