Is Your Implementation Like an EV Startup?
Never one to miss taking a PR utterance of a global exec out of context, here's Ford ceo John Lawler. Discussing the billion dollar losses currently being racked up by its nascent 'Model e' division;
"as everyone knows, EV start-ups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build volume and gain share."
They've lofty ambitions for their electric car output; to build 600k by the end of this year, & 2 million by late 2026.
Wherever you are on the selling scale of app-style subs to full-blown MNC installs, I felt there's something in this framing to help align post-sale expectations.
I accept it can be an unfashionable notion to pile potential worry onto the plate of your eventual client workload. Yet there's normally someone that brings up the concept. So better to be you and shape it in your image.
Consider those four stages;
Invest in Capability
Develop Knowledge
Build Volume
Gain Share
The first represents less any initial signed-off commitment, but more what resource ought be applied to getting everything in place.
The key purpose of which allows the second. Which is to ensure the organisation learns the power of what's now in its hands. Deepening its range where required.
Leading on to the third. Where this know-how is harnessed. With a noticeable increase in scale unleashed.
Before finally the pay-off. In this case the successful land-grab, securing a decent foothold in the new market.
Each of these has parallels in an Enterprise solution purchase.
Whilst your eventual client won't be planning to lose money over a multi-year programme like Ford, they will though want to start seeing dividends pretty much from Day One of taking delivery from you.
In which case, talking this quartet (and any others they contribute) through with your prospect, identifying them, achieving tacit agreement on them are essential planning tools. Which will give your prospect the necessary extra assurance to green light supply from you in preference to anywhere else.