Digital business transformation
Sales Assessment Results by Todd Friedman

"We're under pressure to cut costs right now; how can I justify this investment?"

I understand, you’re not looking to add more expenses. Out of curiosity what is causing the pressure to cut costs? What are the top 3 expenses the company has right now? What I’ve found is that when we begin working with a new client, one of the first things we do is review all expenses. Typically, we have been able to find anywhere from $10,000 to $100,000 in wasted expenses without the first month. In fact r our last 3 clients, who are all still clients, saw an average of $42,000 in increased profits within 90 days. We also fully audit your current processes and procedures and find any inefficiencies and work with you to automated or delete them. This will not only save your money but boost employee efficiency by at least 27%. That’s what our past 3 new clients saw on average. So I understand you’re under pressure to cut costs, but would you be open to exploring how we can save you mo et with our operational efficiency audit to start?

The response effectively addresses the cost-cutting objection by acknowledging the prospect's concern and asking thoughtful follow-up questions to uncover more about their situation. This demonstrates curiosity and a desire to understand their pain points. The mention of past client success stories adds credibility and illustrates the potential value of your services, making it easier for the prospect to justify the investment. However, the response could benefit from a clearer closing technique, such as creating a sense of urgency or summarizing the benefits more succinctly. Overall, the tone is suitable for the context, and the approach is solution-focused while building rapport. To improve, consider refining the closing statement to reinforce the value proposition and encourage immediate engagement. Score: 8

"I've heard mixed reviews about your support services; how do I know we'll get reliable assistance?"

I can understand how that would be a concern. Out of curiosity what have you heard? What exactly is it that leads you to believe this to be true? Have you had the chance to speak to any of our clients? If not, that’s fine, I’m happy to provide you with some references. While we can’t guarantee everyone is raving about us all the time, what I can tell you is that our average client has been with us for a minimum of 3 years. As I’m sure you know, most enterprises switch very 18 months, so the fact that we are double the average speaks to our commitment to our clients. Let me ask you this, have you experienced less than satisfactory customer service when engaging a transformation specialist in the past? What was the gap between your expectations and what was delivered? Again, I’m happy to provide you references. Would you be open to speaking with some of our past and current clients?

The response effectively addresses the objection by acknowledging the concern and prompting further discussion, which is great for curiosity and discovery. Asking open-ended questions allows for deeper exploration of the prospect's perspective and issues they might have faced in the past. The mention of providing references is a solid strategy for building trust. However, the communication could be more concise; some parts feel a bit repetitive, which may dilute the impact. Also, while the average client retention is a strong point, it could be more compelling if it was tied back to how it impacts the support services directly. Overall, this response demonstrates good active listening and a collaborative approach, but it could benefit from a more streamlined delivery to enhance clarity and engagement.

"Our current vendor has been with us for years; switching seems risky, especially in a crisis."

That’s makes a lot of sense. You’ve built up a great relationship with this vendor. That tells me you value relationships. We do as well! While I understand you’re in a crisis, I’m curious what has your current vendor been doing to assist you in overcoming this crisis? How different is the level of urgency to solve the challenge now as compared to when you first started working together. I’m not saying they aren’t doing their jobs, but one thing I’ve seen in this business is that specialists are great at building relationships but overtime their level of urgency to help at critical times diminishes. While I’m not suggesting you outright cancel them, would you agree it would be beneficial to sit down with them for a full review and perhaps have us come in as an outside consultant to evaluate?

This response effectively acknowledges the prospect's loyalty to their current vendor, which is important in building rapport. The questions posed are thoughtful and encourage the prospect to reflect on their current vendor's performance during a crisis, demonstrating curiosity and discovery. However, the transition to suggesting a review with the current vendor could have been smoother, as it risks coming off as somewhat confrontational. The solution-focused approach is evident in the proposal to conduct a review, but it could benefit from a clearer articulation of the unique value your service would bring in that context. Overall, the tone is respectful, but it could be slightly more collaborative by emphasizing partnership rather than comparison. Score: 7

"I'm worried about the time it will take to implement this; our team is already stretched thin."

I totally understand! We see this all the time. Let me ask you, what are the top 3 things your team is overwhelmed with? Are you seeing any drops in efficiency? What has lead you to conclude that they are stretched thin? Timing is everything in this industry, so we have built a framework that has allowed us to decrease the average onboarding and launch time by up to 42%. In fact several of our current clients were up and running in as little as 30 days where the industry average is 47. We designed this framework to not only be flexible to your enterprises needs, but we also created it to ensure as little extra work from the team. Imagine if your team barely had to lift a finger to get this project onboarded and launched quickly. That’s what we can deliver. If you’re looking for a transformation that will cause little to no disruption and seamlessly integrate into your team’s workflows, our framework might just be the answer. May I show you how it would work for you?

This response effectively addresses the concern about implementation time by first showing empathy and asking exploratory questions to understand the prospect's specific pain points. The salesperson demonstrates active listening and curiosity by inquiring about the team's current challenges and efficiency. The mention of a framework that reduces onboarding time and the success of previous clients serves to highlight the solution-focused approach and adds credibility to the claims. The closing question invites further engagement, creating a collaborative atmosphere. However, while the response is strong, it could benefit from a slightly more tailored approach to the specific concerns raised, ensuring even deeper alignment with the prospect's needs. Overall, the tone is appropriate and the communication is clear. Score: 8

"Can you prove that the ROI from this transformation will outweigh the initial costs?"

I understand your concern. Transformation is a lengthy and expensive experience and you need to see a return to justify the expense to the board. Out of curiosity, have you undergone transformations in the past? What was the ROI you saw afterwards? How long did the ROI last? Short answer. Yes we can! Our last 5 transformation projects saved our clients on average $900k in expenses and helped to increase revenue by an average of 27% Those are the averages of what we see from our projects. You’ll not only see a monetary ROI, you’ll also see an ROI in employee satisfaction and productivity. On top of that, we continue to check in with past clients and on average after 5 years we found out our clients still see an average ROI of at least 15% even after we have finished, I’m confident we can do similar numbers with your enterprise. Would you be opposed to having a full analysis done? It will show exactly where we can improve and what the expected ROI is. You can then decide for yourself if it makes sense.

The response effectively addresses the objection by acknowledging the concern about ROI and providing relevant statistics from past projects, which builds credibility. The salesperson also asks thoughtful questions to engage the prospect and understand their past experiences with transformations, showing curiosity and discovery. However, while the response is informative, it could have benefited from a clearer structure and a more explicit closing technique, perhaps by reinforcing the urgency or importance of the analysis offer. Overall, the solution-focused approach is strong, but the communication could be more concise and impactful.

"What happens if we encounter technical issues during integration? How quickly can you respond?"

That’s a great question and it’s obvious you’ve had to deal with technical issues in the past. Let me ask, in previous situations, what was your experience with technical support from a transformation team? Was there a gap between your expectations and the reality? What would you have wanted to experience? We understand that unlike us humans, business doesn’t sleep, so we take that into account and we make sure that every client has a direct lifeline should they need it. This is true at the very beginning, throughout the integration process and after the project is completed. Your team can reach out to us via Slack, WhatsApp, phone, text, or email. Our support is on call 24/7/365 so even if something happens on Christmas, someone can assist you or a member of your team. Our average response time during normal business hours is 2 minutes regardless of platform and after hours is typically no more than 15 minutes. Best of all, this is at no additional charge. Does this answer your concern? Have you had a company in the past that offered this kind of availability? Do you believe, based on our support that you have little to worry about working with us?

This response effectively addresses the objection by acknowledging the prospect's past experiences with technical issues, which demonstrates active listening. The salesperson asks thoughtful questions that facilitate discovery and engage the prospect, allowing for a deeper understanding of their expectations. The communication is clear, and the tone is appropriate for the digital business transformation industry, as it emphasizes support availability and responsiveness. Furthermore, the salesperson provides specific details about the support system, which adds value and reassurance. While the closing questions are good, they could be sharpened to drive the conversation toward a more conclusive close. Overall, this is a strong response with room for slight improvement in the closing technique.

"I see other competitors offering similar solutions at a lower price; why should I choose you?"

That’s a great question and I can understand wanting to find the best value for the investment. Out of curiosity, have you ever chosen a product over another just because it was cheaper? What was your experience with that product? Did it live up to or do exactly the same as the more expensive option? Have you spoken with these competitors and been presented with a customized growth plan? While some of these competitors do offer solutions that appear similar on the surface, what we’ve found is that there are several areas where what we have to offer excels. First and foremost, is our customer service. Call, text, slack, email… whatever platform 24/7/365 someone will answer you within no lore than 25 minutes tops. Next, we only hire the best of the best. We do this so that your experience and your ROI are the best. Because these companies charge less, they can’t retain the best talent. We prioritize having the best team so we can offer the best solutions. So while yes, there is some similarity at the surface and they are cheaper, we find that in the long run we create more revenue and are able to decrease expenses at a higher level. What about their offering was enticing to you? How do you see their offering and pricing compared to ours? Of price is the main concern we can customize a project to fit your budget. Would you like to see what would fit your enterprise the best?

The response effectively acknowledges the objection and maintains a respectful tone, which is good. The salesperson uses curiosity to explore the prospect's previous experiences with cheaper products, which aligns with consultative selling. However, the response could benefit from a clearer structure; while it does highlight the value of superior customer service and talent, it lacks a more concise summary of the unique selling proposition. The closing questions invite further discussion but could be more assertive in guiding the prospect towards making a decision. Overall, it demonstrates active listening and value exploration but could improve in clarity and directness.

"Our team is hesitant about changing tools again after a failed attempt last year; how can you alleviate those concerns?"

I understand your concern. You had a very challenging transformation last year that did not deliver. What do you believe caused the transformation to fail? What was the company’s initial resolution? What would you have wanted to have happen? Typically the issue is not the technology but the processes and the human relationship. Let me explain. Your team was so used to using your legacy system for years so when the new company came in, they focused too much on the technology. It’s also likely that the managers and executives were not bought into the change or weee not coached on how to pitch it to the employees. This is why over 70% of transformations fail. A proper transformation is only 20% technology. 50% of it is managing people and the other 30% is integrating the right systems and processes. The way we alleviate this is by first ensuring the entire team is on board with the change and knows what to expect. We work with management and the executive team to ensure buy in and proper training for all. That way everyone is versed in the system and understands how it will improve operations overall. How involved was the previous company with assisting in creating culture change? That is how we ensure there is no implementation failure. Do you think your team would be more open to change if they knew management and leadership were on board and involved? If you want an effective transformation that lasts this is the way to do it. Would you like to us to put a plan together for you?

The response does a decent job of addressing the objection by acknowledging the prospect's previous challenges with digital transformation. However, while it asks some thoughtful questions to uncover the root cause of the previous failure, it could benefit from a more structured approach to alleviate concerns. The use of statistics about transformation failures is a strong point but could be presented more effectively to build credibility. The tone is generally clear, but there are moments where it becomes a bit too technical without ensuring the prospect's understanding. The closing question about putting a plan together is good, but it lacks a sense of urgency or specific next steps, which could enhance the closing technique. Overall, the response shows an understanding of the importance of people and processes, but it could be more concise and focused on the prospect's needs. Score: 6/10 for effectively engaging with the prospect but lacking clarity and urgency in the closing.

"I need to discuss this with my director first; can you help me address their potential objections?"

Absolutely. I’m happy to help give you the ammo to present this to your director. What are some of the objections you believe he will bring up? How does your director tend to make decisions? Since he sits on the board, profit and expenses will likely be his top priority. Our transformation projects, on average 1) increase profits up to 27% the first year and still up to 15% after 5 years. 2) we typically see a reduction in expenses by at least 34% 3) revenue usually increases by 40% over the first 24 months after completion. This increases shareholder profitability long term. Some other secondary facts 1) employee attrition drops by an average of 60% 2) employee productivity increases by 30% Do you feel this will satisfy him and the board? What are some other concerns he tends to raise? How much influence do you have over him? How much influence does he have over the board? Let’s sit down and work out some additional numbers you can provide to him. What do you say?

The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's need to consult their director and offers assistance, which demonstrates a collaborative approach. The salesperson asks several thoughtful questions to uncover potential objections and understand the decision-making process, showcasing curiosity and active listening. Additionally, the salesperson presents compelling metrics that highlight the value of the transformation projects, aligning with the director's priorities of profit and expenses. However, the closing technique could be strengthened; while it invites collaboration, it lacks a more assertive push toward setting a meeting or call. Overall, the response is strong but could benefit from a bit more urgency in the closing.

"With so many urgent priorities, how do I know this transformation is the right move now?"

That’s a great question and I can understand being pulled in so many directions. On a scale of 1-10 1 being not a priority 10 being the highest. How high of a priority is revenue and profitability? What about decreasing unneeded spending? How high of a priority is employee satisfaction? Lowering employee attrition? Improving employee efficiency? If you answered all of these above an 8, I would say then it is the right move right now. Our transformation projects boost revenue by 30% on average, profit by 21%. We cut employee attrition in half or more, on average. And employee efficiency has gone up by 30% on average. So I understand you have a lot of priorities pulling at your attention, but if you’re looking to improve those metrics, then transformation is what you need now more than anything. So you have any availability later this week to discuss how we can help you make these improvement without disruption?

Your response does a decent job of addressing the objection by engaging the prospect in a series of priority questions, which shows curiosity and discovery. However, it could be more effective by explicitly connecting their urgent priorities to the benefits of digital transformation. While you provide valuable metrics on how your solution can impact revenue and efficiency, the closing could be stronger and more direct. Instead of just asking about availability, consider creating a sense of urgency or offering a specific next step. Overall, you displayed active listening and a solution-focused approach, but there's room for improvement in collaborative engagement and clearer value exploration. Score: 7