Using Win/Loss Analysis to Build Buyer Type Segmentation. Program Development And Best Practices

Transcription

1 Using Win/Loss Analysis to Build Buyer Type Segmentation Program Development And Best Practices

2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction What is the purpose and benefits of conducting Win/Loss analysis? 2. Program Design What types of Win/Loss analysis exist, and what are the benefits of each? 3. Sponsorship and Structure How should the program be structured to ensure maximum engagement and participation? 4. Process and Timing What does execution of the program look like, and when can results be expected? 5. Getting Started What steps need to be taken to launch the program, and how should they be handled?

3 Introduction Win/Loss Explained 3

4 What is Win/Loss? Win/Loss Analysis is: A formal, systematic review process for completed deals to obtain insight on the outcome, provide tactical sales intelligence, and support strategic decision making Helps you understand why your customers are (or are not) buying your products Provides insight into your customers experience with specific sales engagements Allows you to benchmark your firm s performance against competitors from the customers perspective Win/Loss analysis is a cost-effective, insightful, and ethical method for gathering and analyzing information about your market, customers, and competitors This information can then be actively used to focus sales staff more effectively in the marketplace and also to inform research and development of products. Fleisher & Bensoussan, Business and Competitive Analysis (2007) Win/Loss Analysis is Not: Accident reports or post-mortems conducted with and/or by members of your own internal sales staff A one-off review or temporary set of deal reviews as the result of a key account loss or market event Targeted customer debriefs to provide support for predetermined strategies or actions

5 Awareness Of Win/Loss In a 2013 survey, slightly over half of the respondents were aware of a Win/Loss program at their company Based on a survey that looked at larger companies Participants were mostly CI functions Targeting was intended to access people who ran Win/Loss Programs Other surveys fewer than 30% of all companies have Win/Loss programs Across companies regardless of size And geographic location Many Win/Loss programs are also hidden in the sales operation Have limited functions to evaluate the sales team Are You Aware of a Win/Loss Program at Your Company? Yes 56% No 44% 5

6 Mandatory Programs are a Minority Is your program voluntary or Mandatory? Voluntary 64% Mandatory 36% Impact of Mandatory Program on Effectiveness 48.48% 24.00% 20.00% 16.00% 32.00% 8.00% 27.27% 9.09% 12.12% 3.03% A little Effective Highly Effective Moderately Not very A little Effective Highly Effective Moderately Not very Mandatory Voluntary There is a strong link between program effectiveness and status as a mandatory program. Overall, mandatory programs have higher scores as effective or very effective compared to voluntary programs. Much of this is likely due to the ability of a mandatory program to review a wider range of deals

7 Win/Loss Benefits for Market Segmentation Insights from Win/Loss Have Tactical and Strategic Applications Tactical Insights Identify the importance of customer decision factors, including price Understand competitors positioning, value proposition, and points of differentiation in the same product and market space Identify key buyer types and triggers Map out buying factor importance by buyer type Confirm or refute the effectiveness of specific techniques or approaches employed by your sales force Gather customer insights regarding needed product or service enhancements or changes Strategic Insights Anticipate market shifts and long-term trends in customer needs Build market segmentation based on buyer types Identify market segments that offer growing opportunities and avoid those that are becoming fiercely competitive or commoditized Build targeted buyer type and segment market messaging Understand when to refocus efforts and reallocate key sales resources to accounts with higher likelihood of closing Create alignment of your product/solution with the market needs by understanding customer value propositions

8 The Importance of Win/Loss How Accurate is Your Information? While any organization s sales force is a key source of market and competitor intelligence, relying solely on this information can oftentimes be misleading. Do any of these statements sound familiar? It s always about cost. We can t win deals because our pricing isn t competitive enough. Our technology can t compete with Competitor X s new product. The decision maker had a close relationship with Competitor Y s regional sales VP; we wouldn t have won no matter what we did. A formal Win/Loss program provides a solid foundation of reliable, indepth customer insights and trended data so you do not have to rely on anecdotal evidence for decision making. Real example from a $350M ITO deal review Sales Perspective I think the thing that stands out to me is our great relationship with client it was relationships on smaller projects, relationships that our sales executive had with some of their executives. It was a very collaborative environment; I don t think there were any hiccups with the relationships. We had one of our [key sales people], and the client just trusted him. They called him Uncle John, because they could trust him like an uncle It s the softer skills that drive this client, from a communication perspective. They like people who are personable, and outgoing This client is all about culture. I would say that the relationship with the client was very good, from an overall perspective. Client Perspective The CEO at one point told [the key sales person], I don t ever want to see you again. We were like, we keep giving you hints, and you keep failing to get them I ve never seen our CEO chew anyone out the way he chewed him out, and I ve been here 5 years. At one point, [the key sales person] had an accident, at his house, and I guess he fell down. But he came in bruised, and it looked like he d been in a fight, and the joke around here was that someone had finally gotten fed up with him and let him have it Our CEO threatened that if he wasn t taken off the deal, it wouldn t get done I talked with his boss, and told her this deal is going through in spite of this guy.

9 Win/Loss Program Design Putting The Pieces Together 9

10 Best Practice Companies Tend to Mix Quantitative and Qualitative in their Programs Is your Win/Loss Program Quantitative, Qualitative, or a Mixture? Qualitative 9% Quantitative 7% Both 84% Mix of Quantitative and Qualitative Impact on Effectiveness 50.00% 50.00% 60.00% 43.75% 20.00% 20.00% 20.83% 14.58% 16.67% 4.17% A little Moderately A little Moderately Not very A little Effective Highly Effective Moderately Not very Qualitative Quantitative Some of Both Companies that use quantitative only programs report a higher rate of less effective Than do either the all qualitative programs or those that mix the two. The mix seems To be the most effective solution. 10

11 Types of Win/Loss Quantitative Focus Approach Blended Focus Approach Qualitative Focus Closed-ended surveys of the prospects Administered by phone or over the web Combination of pre-defined and openended response questions Pros Allows for quick analysis of large deal volumes Ability to create powerful visuals on performance Content is easily integrated into charts/graphs Supports trending analysis over time Relatively inexpensive data collection and analysis can be largely automated Limited respondent time commitment required Results can be seen in real-time Cons Approach Interview-based engagement Questions are primarily qualitative with quantitative ratings on key metrics Pros Combines targeted interviews with ability to trend key items Best of both worlds approach Cons Not every data point Does not allow for probing or in-depth can precisely quantified discussion of key issues or tracked over time Respondents ability to provide nuanced or specific insight is limited Open-ended responses within the survey can be challenging to categorize, quantify, and trend Open-ended interviews with prospects conducted by experienced consultants Discussion guide provides for both consistency and flexibility Pros Allows for in-depth exploration of key issues Collects powerful direct client quotes about your firm s and competitors performance Minimizes misinterpretation of client feedback Interview approach and topics can be tailored to address the key points relevant to each deal Communicates to clients that they are important and that their input is highly valued Cons Interviews are more time-consuming and costly Skilled staff are required to conduct interviews Analysis requires extra time and planning Individual deal analysis and reports take longer to produce (not real time) Difficult to quantify and trend 11

12 Question Focus Areas What Factors Impact Your Customers Decisions? While each customer engagement is unique, each also has consistent elements. Factors considered during the evaluation process can vary in order and weight in the decision, and a well-executed Win/Loss program should be able to capture this information effectively. Sample Evaluation Process Elements Qualification and first contact (RFP) Proposals Initial Down Select? Presentation & Proof of Concept Site Visits / References Final Selection Factors Factors Factors Factors Factors Factors Pre-Existing Relationship Range/Scale of Services Reputation for Service Quality Support Tools and Technology Industry Rep. Employee Transition Implementation Ease and Time Integration of Solution Program Management Quality of Proposal Subject Knowledge Initial Pricing Expertise Professionalism Responsiveness Regulatory Compliance Innovation Solution Risk Terms and Conditions Flexibility in Negotiation Thought Leadership Quality of Presentation Staff Competencies Proof of Concept Verification of Specific Capabilities Is Reference Appropriate? Is the Offer Differentiated from Competition? Cultural Fit Established Rapport Industry Expertise Listen/Show Understanding Terms & Conditions Flexibility Solution Scalability 12

13 Identifying Buyer Types and Segments Buyer Decision Makers fit set types Executives Committees Purchasing Departments Each buyer type can be seen as a unique segment Based purchase decision characteristics And key decision factors And role in the decision Price Conscious Feature Conscious Process Follower Relationship Conscious Service and Post Sale Consideration Others Only concerned about price Drives to lower prices all the time Deeply concerned that someone else is getter a better deal Seeks and exact match for features Will select a higher price if the features are a better match May not rank all features equally Mostly concerned that the process was followed Will use other factors for actual decision but process overrules Needs i s dotted and t s crossed Wants to know that its about more than just the sale Worried that post sale will be abandoned Evaluates the sales based on the sales team s attitude Values service and training Looks for reference sites and users Will pay premium for better service and support Develop as they emerge in your evaluations 13

14 Sponsorship and Structure Making the Program Viable 14

15 Executive Level Executive Buy-In and Support is Critical to Ensure Success Conveys the importance of the program and the level of executive commitment to prospective and current clients providing feedback Ensures sales force participation and adherence to the program guidelines, and adds an additional degree of accountability Provides the impetus for action and authority to leverage valuable program insights across the organization Example Roles and Responsibilities SVP Global Sales Regional Sales VPs Program Sponsor Program Admin Sales Force Communicates program objectives and expectations to sales executives and creates internal alignment Enforces participation from regional sales force and responsible for implementing sales process changes Ensures program is meeting the needs of executive sales leadership and oversees any needed changes Manages day to day internal coordination and communication with regional VPs and sales force Notifies clients/prospects of the initiative, secures buy-in, and participates in the interview process 15

16 Effective Win/Loss Programs Have Wide Distribution Who Gets Win/Loss Results Other 4% Sales Leaders 25% Product Mgmt Sales 12% Marketing 20% Sales Leaders 24% % % 80.00% 60.00% 40.00% 20.00% 0.00% A little Effective Highly Effective Moderately Not very Sales Product Marketing Strategy Multiple uses Not Sure 1 Not Sure Other When respondents were not sure how the Win/Loss results were used, they also ranked their programs as not very effective. Program with multiple uses were on average more effective than single user programs. 16

17 Sales Force Sales Force Engagement and Participation is Essential The front-line sales force will be directly involved with the execution of the Win/Loss program, and their support is critical to encouraging client/prospect participation. VERY IMPORTANT! Sales force engagement cannot be forced for a Win/Loss program to work effectively over the long-term A Win/Loss program may be undermined by the sales force if it is not perceived as being in their best interest Initial buyer types can come from the sales force How to gain buy-in from the sales force: Communicate that the intent of the process is to be supportive and informative, and not punitive Allow key members of the sales force the ability to provide input into the process Share the tactical deal-level insights with the sales force directly in a timely manner so they can apply the findings successfully on new account pursuits Show on a periodic basis how program insights are being implemented and driving greater sales success 17

18 Process and Timing How It Works 18

19 Setup Preparation is Important to Ensure a Seamless Program Launch Sponsor Responsibility 3 rd Party Responsibility Define inclusion criteria for deal reviews (ex: all deals, or strategic accounts) Determine internal and third party program management and communication roles and responsibilities Communicate goals, process details and expectations to all internal participants Develop templates for needed program reports, updates, and/or dashboards Build questionnaires to guide internal and client interviews and note key quantitative and qualitative data to capture 19

20 Execution Win/Loss Program Execution is a Multi-Stage Collaborative Process 1 2 Ensure the deal is closed (won or lost) Provide interviewer with contact and deal details Formally request prospect participation Conduct debriefs with the sales team Why is third party execution so important? Alert and engage the prospect participants Modify process as needed to reflect current needs 4 Track trends and show results from actions Prepare Act Take needed actions with executive support Collect Interpret Aggregate findings and recommend actions Draft deal reports for the Win/Loss team Conduct prospect decision maker data collection Compare debriefs and identify gaps 3 Eliminates internal bias and preconceived ideas about the client s decision Creates a comfortable environment for the client to share opinions openly Ensures full disclosure so that all relevant information is taken into account Provides objective third party validation and refutation of internal hypotheses 20

21 Phased Approach Timing is Influenced by Market Complexity and Internal Structure Kick-Off Completion Week 1 Week 3 Week 10 Week 18 Internal Preparation Weekly Update Conference Calls with Program Administrator and/or Sponsor Phase I: Coordination and Planning Phase IV: Ongoing Win/Loss Provide setup materials Review sales engagement model used in the market Identify key buying factors Develop draft discussion guide Develop close-ended surveys Develop report, update, and account data templates Phase II: Pilot Round (Deals 1-5) Conduct initial deal reviews Review initial findings Revise process and guide as needed Phase III: Diagnostic Benchmarking (Deals 6-15) Segmentation Definition Full roll-out of program Establish baseline for trending performance Aggregate and present initial program findings to key stakeholders Determine the buyer type segments Phase V: Take Action Implement findings in ongoing engagements Launch deep-dive studies to follow up on key market and competitor insights Program stabilization On-going analysis of deals Program refinements and adjustments as needed Build buyer profiles into sales process 21

22 Individual Deal Process and Roll-ups Identify deal details Receive deal details from deal team Contact, size, product, dates Key decision makers Phone and Build questions sets to define buyer types Complete interview Follow interview guide Probe on areas where closeended responses suggest more to learn Leave door open for follow-up Write up individual deal Complete close ended responses and chart out for the deal Select quotes that reinforce and explain Survey responses Draw out key conclusions on individual deal outcome Distribute deal findings to deal team Provide guidance on interpretation Recommendations for future actions Identify aspects to use for Rollups Build buyer profiles Look for common elements in how they make decisions How they interact with other decision team members (If any) Establish the segments for the buyers Build Roll-ups Complete analysis of survey results Build out report using template Identify key gaps Produce recommendations Create targeted marketing and sales Tools Battle Cards Buyer type specific messaging Sales force training tools Focus sales efforts on promising buyer types 22

23 Questions? Erik Glitman Eric Dingus