Accounting Software Library Articles - Meeting Client Expectations

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Introduction

Given a highly competitive market for the sale and installation of accounting and ERP software, how can you become more successful as a reseller (or vendor if you sell direct)? While the virtues of most accounting and ERP products are self evident (at least to sales people), the most critical success factor may have nothing to do with a product’s functional attributes.

If you are going to be successful, your client has got to want to work with you, not necessarily because you represent a particular product, but because you can give them something no other competitor can.

There is one methodology whereby you can increase the success of your sales and marketing efforts by offering to your clients a seemingly unique approach to the selection and installation of accounting and ERP software. The concept itself is not that complicated and it starts with a simple statement of position.

Each of your clients expects something from you, and you are going to provide it for them.

The trick is figuring out what this "something" really is. If you can provide the physical product (the accounting or ERP system) as well as fulfill these other needs, it is very likely you will increase your sales and marketing success and your profitability. If you cannot, it’s likely you will never be given the opportunity to tell your story and make the sale. While the concept sounds simple, it’s not in real practice. Maybe that's why so few companies practice this form of psychological selling, but your mastery of the techniques will separate yourself from your competitors, and that's the name of the game.

What are the Objectives of all Business Enterprises?

The successful installation and implementation of an accounting, ERP or management information system must be based upon one critical element; a complete understanding of the role that system will play in support of specific corporate objectives and strategies. If this role is not clearly defined, it’s unlikely the accounting or ERP system will achieve its objectives. The following represent my building blocks for a successful business.

• The most important objective of any business is to stay in business.
• The second most important objective is the maximization of profitability.
• All other objectives are pure fabrications of someone trying to sell a publication or a training seminar.

How Do Clients Fit Into This Equation?

Without clients there would be no business. They have the power to give you business, and they have the power to give that same business to your competition. Your task as a reseller or consultant is to determine just what each potential client's hot buttons are. While the power and reputation of many software products make the sales cycle somewhat more productive, you have to sell yourself before you can sell the software. Clients must want to work with you personally.

Client Expectations: Why Are They So Important?

Most resellers of accounting and ERP software believe their product is one of the most powerful and user friendly products on the market. As far as they are concerned, that's a statement of fact, not marketing hype. Why is it then that prospects do not rush to their checkbooks? Why is it that we lose contracts to products which we know to be less than appropriate (or at least less appropriate than the product we are trying to sell)? Why do some contracts prove to be so difficult? Why are some of our clients less than completely satisfied? Why are some contracts complete disasters?

Although we might have a tendency to place the "blame" on our clients in many instances, the “responsibility” must reside with us. The problem is that our potential and actual clients are unique. Each comes to the table with different expectations and needs, most having nothing to do with the software itself. If we cannot, or do not take the time to identify these unique needs, the likelihood of a successful sale or installation process will be reduced dramatically.

We must give them something more than this physical product, and it’s our responsibility to determine precisely what the client really wants. That's why this topic is so vitally important. Clients expect a great deal. The purchase and installation of a business management software system is but one small portion of the total package you are expected to supply. Every other service they expect may not be verbalized, but assumed. Your task is the discovery of these other needs. Your performance will be based upon these assumed services, and your failure to discover them will surely lead to an unsatisfactory rating in the eyes of the prospect.

If your clients do not understand what they need to do well to succeed in business, the most powerful accounting or ERP system will accomplish little, if anything. Somewhere along the way they must understand that the purchase of an accounting or ERP system must include a return to the basics. You may be the one who has to tell them this, and show them how to do it.

Although some clients have a fairly clear idea as to what they require, most do not. They might assume that you will guide them through this process, but may never give voice to this requirement. Some clients may not even know enough to realize that they don't know enough. They might expect that the purchase and installation of this system will be no more complicated than the purchase of a new copy machine. Who is going to tell them? You are.

Some clients expect that you are going to do everything for them while they go on about their business. Who is going to tell them that this must not happen? You are.

The decision to install a new accounting or ERP system is the means to some end, and it is that end that must be defined in detail before any discussions are undertaken concerning features and functions. In many instances clients may not realize exactly why they require a new accounting or ERP system, and the reasons they give may not be the real problem, but only a general symptom of a far more significant problem.

One of the most significant problems facing any consultant or reseller is not doing something which the client expected, but did not request, or finding out later on that the client needed something, but could not define that need at the appropriate time. Clients will expect certain things from you, and you must discover each of these responsibilities, as well as telling them what you cannot or will not do.

Clients expect that they will be called upon to carry a portion of the burden, but you must tell them what you expect of them as a company as well as individually.

The task of the sales consultant must include more pure business consulting skills than automation skills, at least initially. The problem here is that the achievement of these business consulting tasks takes time. Time for the sales consultant means lost revenue generating opportunities in other areas. Lost time for resellers may be one of the largest hidden costs of doing business.

The Sales Cycle

As we should have suggested to our prospects, let's go back to the basics. You will not be given the opportunity to tell your story unless the prospect wants to hear it. This occurs only after they have been convinced that you have something of value to offer them; not the value of the software itself, but the value of your services. Therefore, your first task is to sell yourself and the intrinsic value which arises as a direct result of dealing with you as opposed to some other reseller.

Question: What are you selling; a product, a service, or a concept?

• Product Sales: While this approach might be effective for some industries such as automobiles, to approach clients with this attitude does nothing to distinguish yourself from your competition.
• Service Selling: This approach separates you from others to some extent, but what service are you selling, and is this enough?
• Concept Selling: This approach places you next to the client. Their needs take precedence. They see you as offering them the ability to manage their business more effectively (and therefore more profitably). They see you as a friend rather than a salesman. That is the light in which you can best "sell" yourself.

Question: What do your potential clients believe you are selling?

• You may have but one opportunity to sell yourself, use that opportunity wisely.
• In most instances, clients will not tell you what they really need, because they don't know themselves. You must determine what they require, and convince them that they should discuss their problems and opportunities with you in more detail. You want them to want you.
• If you can determine what your clients expect you to provide, and you can provide those services economically, then the engagement will proceed as expected.

Question: What does the concept of managing a business more effectively really mean to you and to your clients?

• Accounting software is only the means to the end of more effective and efficient business practices. Your prime objective from the first time you talk to a potential client is the determination of these ends (objectives), even though these ends may not be well defined or even correct.
• If you can convince potential clients that your objectives are the same as theirs, you will have distinguished yourself from your competition, and made the task of telling your story that much easier.
• Although the "selling" of a concept will improve your marketing success, your job may be made that much more complicated. You must make sure that once the concept has been sold, the joint and separate responsibilities of client and reseller are clearly defined. Sell them the concept, but make sure they understand what they are getting and what is expected of them.
• In all likelihood clients have only a vague notion of what they really need in terms of the specific features and functions required to make their business more effective. While they may have defined some critical features and functions, it is unlikely they have developed as complete a needs definition as you might require to carry out your job effectively.
• Your job is to determine to the best of your ability exactly what the client really wants his software to do, and of equal or greater importance, what he wants you to do personally. If you cannot accomplish this task, it is very likely you will lose the sale, or not carry out your responsibilities to the client's satisfaction.

Maximizing Client Expectations: A Methodical Approach

Although there are as many different situations as there are prospect and clients, you should have one basic method by which each situation is managed. The key term here is "manage", for that is precisely what you must do; manage the situation and manage the prospect. This is not the same as manipulation, but the results might seem to be the same. Manipulation coerces a prospect or client to make a decision when that decision might not be in their best interests. Management implies that the prospect is taken by the hand and guided through each step in the process to the desired end. The difference is that the end here is one which is in the prospect’s best interests. You must select the proper path, for you are the expert. Clients must see that it is in their best interest to follow this path for the end results are what they and you want.

Initial Contact

• Never try to "sell" prospects anything. That just puts you in the same category as a used car salesman.
• Listen to what prospects and clients are asking of you.
• Ask questions which demonstrate that you want to know more about their unique problems and opportunities.
• Demonstrate to them that you care about them personally.
• The only objective at this point in time is the agreement to meet face to face. Don't try to do anything else.

Initial Meeting

• Do not try to "sell" prospects anything until you understand what the prospect really wants to "buy".
• Even if prospects believes they know what they want, and supposedly have asked you for quotations only, demonstrate to them the importance of all parties operating from the same point of reference by asking questions concerning their business. Lead them to the realization that they must return to the basics.
• Listen to your prospective clients for at least 75% of the meeting.
• Listen, not just with your ears, but with your eyes.
• Let prospects know that you really care about them as individuals, not just as a source of revenue.
• Ask only questions which will help you understand more completely what they really want from their accounting and ERP software and from you.
• Do not be afraid to ask questions, particularly those relating to the industry in which prospects operate, or the way they have chosen to organize and manage their business. This demonstrates to prospects that what you will eventually say has been based in part upon what you have learned.
• Remember that prospects are experts in their field. You are the accounting and ERP system expert. Do not offend them by treating them as though they haven't a clue about their business (even though they may not).
• Remember that what prospects do not say may be almost as important as what they do say.
• If potential clients discuss problems, make sure that these are real problems, and not symptoms of something far more serious.
• Look beyond the words being used. They may be but a smoke screen hiding something else.
• Try to determine to the best of your ability the identify of the prime decision makers.
• Try to determine to the best of your abilities the relationship between these prime decision makers and all subordinate players. While they may be subordinate players, their opinions may be more important, and their ability to affect the success or failure of the project may be more important.
• Discuss more than just features and functions. Factors such as the manual side of the accounting process, personalities, and industry constraints have an enormous effect on the success or failure of a business and its accounting system.
• Do not be afraid to discuss the competition, or to compare yourself against the competition.
• Do not "knock" the competition. That makes you no more than a salesman, and takes you away from the side of your prospects. Do not suggest a plan of action until you have developed a very clear idea regarding the real problems and opportunities.

The Contract Proposal

• Base your proposal upon the attainment of certain goals which address the underlying problems or opportunities identified earlier.
• Spell out in detail exactly what services you will provide, and what you expect your clients will provide.
• Spell out in detail who should be involved in this process, the tasks to be carried out, a rough timetable for accomplishing these tasks, and the mechanism by which decisions will be made.
• Do not be afraid to discuss problems and opportunities which clients may not have asked you to include in the proposal. If you see a potential problem area, bring it up, for not to do so opens the door for conflicts later on.
• Remember that the installation of a business management system is the means to some other end. Discuss these ends in detail, and only then describe how the accounting or ERP software will enable clients to achieve these goals.
• Do not forget to discuss the examination and perhaps reorganization of the manual side of the accounting system.
• Do not forget to discuss the critical nature training and system management will play.

What Factors Affect the Success of the Installation and Implementation Process?

Although the signing of a contract is one of your most important goals, there are a significant number of tasks yet to be accomplished, and a large number of pitfalls to be avoided. By this time you will have determined what the "real" problems and opportunities are, who should be involved in the process, and what steps are required to make sure that everything which surrounds the new system will contribute to its success. The installation of an accounting, ERP or business management information system will not in and of itself guarantee success. The system must "fit" into the context of each client's business.

• Even though you may have negotiated a tightly written contract which specifies in writing client and reseller responsibilities, remember that this contract was negotiated with a limited number of people (maybe even one). You must of necessity make sure that each person who will have any relationship with this system understands its functions, its strengths, and its limitations. Each person using the new system has the potential to weaken the effectiveness of the final system. You and your clients must manage the expectations of each of these people throughout the whole project.
• Even though you might have been brought in as a representative of but one software product, do not forget the importance of setting down on paper as complete a needs definition as possible. This may be your only opportunity to match your client's expectations with product features, functions, and reports.
• The owner/manager must support the process. Once the decision has been made to purchase a new accounting or ERP system, the project must be allowed to proceed to its natural conclusion. The only method of in­suring this is for the owner of the business (or department manager) to give his or her blessing, and hopefully active support. This is the most critical success factor.
• The owner/manager must be willing to change. This is not the same thing. While tacit sup­port for a new accounting or ERP system might insure that the pro­ject is completed, the inability or unwilling­ness to change the way a company operates will im­pede or cancel any positive impact that the new accounting or ERP system may generate. The owner/manager must accept the fact that this project may require changes throughout the company, not just in the accounting department.
• Computers do not make decisions, people do. Please be very careful to educate your client concerning this critical distinction. Computers and software get "paid" to process information and produce reports. Management gets "paid" to think and make decisions.
• Automation must not be allowed to take precedence over people. It is the people in any organization that make it successful.
• The management information system will assist people make better decisions, but its role must be that of an advisor only.
• Insist that clients accept responsibility for the outcome of the project from the very beginning. While your role is important, they are the ones who must use and manage the system after you have left. Do not let them transfer these responsibilities to you.
• Everyone must be involved in the process. Remember that new technology may be frightening to some people, and that new work methods cannot be imposed on people without there being some resistance. The project will not end with the installation of the chosen pro­duct. Those people who will use the system must be involved in the decision making process right from the start. If a system is imposed on them, there is a greater likelihood that they will consciously or unconsciously fight the system once installed. Their active participation in the evaluation process might even bring to light opportunities or problems which might be missed otherwise.
• A single person must lead the project. While the involvement of each person is criti­cal­ly important, the ap­pointment of one person as coordi­nator will insure that the project does not stray from the most effective path.
• The project manager must have the support of everyone involved. The project manager must be given the authority to direct everyone's activities. At the same time the project manager must realize that there is a significant difference between leading a project and becoming a general. Both factors must be present. Decisions must be made, and tasks assigned. The project manager (with the active support of the owner/ manager) must have the authority to delegate responsibility and make events happen. The effectiveness with which these tasks are carried out will be greater if people respect the deci­sions of the project manager. Sounds simple? It really might be one of the most difficult tasks in the whole automation process.
• The manual accounting system must be efficient. Analyzing and improving the manual side of the accounting system should be one of your first tasks. Automation will not fix an inefficient or ineffective information processing system, wheth­er it is manual or automated. Automated ac­counting systems will not achieve their ideal poten­tial, if the underlying methods by which data is processed are inefficient.
• Although there are no firm statistics to prove this contention, I believe many companies could improve their profitability just by improving the way they manage their business affairs. This has nothing to do with automation, nor will auto­mation affect in any way the efficiency of a company that is not properly organized. Please do not forget this point.
• The company itself must be well organized. The methods by which owners and managers choose to operate their busi­ness are more critical than any one account­ing or ERP sys­tem. Clients must understand what their company must do well to succeed, organize it to achieve that goal, and provide their em­ployees an en­vironment in which they can suc­ceed. Employees must be given the tools, the environ­ment, and the motivation to succeed. Without these being present, the new business management system stands little chance of having any impact.
• Some people may not be capable of making the change to this system. While loyalty toward employees is important to the success of any company, the retention of an employee who cannot or will not make the necessary transition is not fair to the company, other employees, or to the individual. If painful decisions must be made, make sure they are made early on in the process.

Summary

Although I could revert to text to summarize the main points of this article, brevity suggests that I stick to bullets, particularly since there are a lot of things to consider when selecting a new accounting or ERP system.

• The selection and implementation of any accounting or ERP product is a risky business for end users as well as resellers or implementation specialists.
• While you might represent the most powerful and sophisticated product on the market, you may never even get the opportunity to tell your story.
• Even if you do get the opportunity to discuss a prospect's needs with them further, you may not be given the opportunity to bid on the job.
• Even if you are lucky enough to get the contract, some may turn sour within a very short period of time.
• The reason for these misfortunes is quite simple. The potential or actual client was looking for something which you could not provide. I don't know what it was, nor do you. That's the real problem and the real opportunity at the same time.
• Accounting or ERP software is no longer viewed as a product. It is now seen as the means to the end of organizing any business for success.
• Your product and your services as a reseller are assumed to provide clients with this mystical end.
• That's fine, but many clients do not understand that it is their responsibility to develop the means as well. Since they do not see this, they may eave it to you as reseller, but may never say so. They may say very little to you, but expect a great deal from you.
• Your clients may have only a vague idea of what they want or how to go about achieving their ends.
• From the first time you talk to them, you must be able to grasp what they really need at that particular point in time.
• They may say one thing, and mean another.
• They may know a great deal, or they may know very little.
• Your task is to take the few scraps of information they do provide, and respond in a manner which is consistent with their expectations.
• You must be part psychologist, part psychic, part father confessor, and part consultant. You must never be a salesperson.
• While you may not desire the role, you will be asked to become an expert in their business. That's the only way you are going to be able to determine just what is required.
• Listen to your client.
• Listen to what they say and don't say.
• Manage them as you would any business function.
• Guide them through the laborious process of defining features, functions, and reports.
• Use what tools are available to assist them to assist themselves.
• Your clients will ask a great deal of you.
• Provide them those services which will assist them achieve their goals.
• Guide them through this difficult process, but never make decisions for them. That is their sole responsibility.
• Your task is to bring to bear the tools which are appropriate for a knowledgeable reseller, and help your client recognize what tools they must provide.
• It’s not an easy task, but the ends do justify the means.
• Your client will be rewarded with an effective and efficient accounting and business management system.
• Your reward will be present profitability and future referrals.

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