This is a blog about a journey: a journey from being the customer of an IT Solutions Provider to servicing the customer. A journey about taking my perceived thoughts and ideas about the way I should have been treated as a customer and turning them into an action plan or template for the way I now treat my customers.
Background:
I am a college graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. In my 20 years in the IT industry, I have had a number of different titles – End User Support Specialist, Network Administrator, Sr. Systems Engineer, IT Manager – all with 3 companies. I did a 5 year stint with Company A in the Legal Profession in Ohio, and I served 15 years with Company B in the Financial Sector in Las Vegas.
Over the years, I have always wondered what it would be like to work for a vendor. I was curious about the ability to engage a wider range of technology, more in depth than the “in-house” IT professional usually experiences. In fact, I had multiple offers over the years; but Company B was a great place to work, so I never left.
During the early parts of 2014, I felt things were getting stale with Company B; so I got serious about a career change. I had a great relationship with Zunesis as a customer, so I explored employment opportunities with them. There was an immediate need and fit. In a few short weeks, I signed on with Zunesis; and after a nice week and a half vacation in California with my family, I started a new career.
I had been the main contact for IT vendors for Company B. I have experienced all sorts of sales people:

• The quiet type who let their products do the talking,
• The boisterous type who think wining and dining is the way to close a sale (which I never complained about),
• The “inside” sales guy who is constantly calling just because I had asked for a quote,
• The “BFF,” that is, as long as there is a pending sale,
• And, finally, the good ones who handle the relationship the way you ask them to and put the “Customer First.”

I have also experienced all types of engineers:

• The “Of course I will come to Vegas and help you, stay out all night playing blackjack, and fall asleep in the conference room the next day,” type (not kidding),
• The “I know everything about everything,” type,
• And the good ones who are thorough, concise, and do what they say they are going to do. Again, the ones who put the “Customer First.”

As a customer I have experienced several types of sales people and engineers; this experience will help shape the type of Solution Architect I’d like to be as well as the type of sales people with whom I will align. I also bring to Zunesis years of experience as a customer, someone who has walked miles in the customer’s shoes. I bring a refreshing perspective to Zunesis’ motto: “Customer First.”
Stay tuned for my next entry as I describe my experiences in my first six months at Zunesis.

In my last blog, we explored the Customer Service Pillar of being Responsive in the context of what customers are expecting from the IT Solution providers today.  As a reminder, I am writing from a customer service roadmap called CustomerFIRST where the word FIRST is an acrostic.
This week I am addressing the 4^th Pillar of successful customer service – being Strategic.
When I was a young IT sales professional in my 20’s, I learned a very important lesson from a wise Chief Information Officer (CIO) who decided to invest in my development. The story I am about to tell is true, but the names have been omitted to protect the innocent. After 2 years of hard work, we had established our company as a strategic provider of IT Solutions for one of the largest railroads in America. I had developed a strong trust-based relationship with the CIO and she was an outspoken positive reference for our work.
I took my hard fought experiences and reached out to the CIO of another large railroad.  After an exhaustive “never give up” cold calling campaign, I wore the poor CIO down and he agreed to meet with me. As my airplane touched down in the city where this railroad was headquartered, I could feel my excitement building. You see, I had so much to share with this CIO. I arrived 30 minutes early wearing a dark suit and my power tie. As I waited outside his office, I reviewed in my mind what I had rehearsed and prepared. Promptly at 11 a.m., I was escorted in to a large office where Mr. CIO sat behind his desk looking very professional and somewhat intimidating.
We exchanged some pleasantries about the weather and a recent football game, and then I began my pitch. My confidence level was at an all-time high, and the words flowed from my mouth like a beautiful river. The CIO seemed to be listening to everything I said; and he would occasionally nod and say, “You don’t say.” I ended my discussion with my closing statement, “As you can see, we have proven technical expertise in all of these important areas; and we could do the same magic for you!”
For the first time in 30 minutes, I was silent. The CIO looked at me and said “Steve, I really appreciate you taking the time to come all the way out here to meet with me and tell me about all the wonderful things you are doing for another railroad. To be candid, we don’t have a need for any of the technologies or solutions you just presented.” With that, he walked me to the door and said, “My assistant will show you out.” I was dumbfounded and in a state of shock. My delivery was perfect and my discussions focused on the railroad industry. What the heck?
Two days later, back in Colorado, I picked up the phone and called Mr. Railroad CIO who graciously agreed to talk with me. I simply wanted to know what happened. Mr. Railroad CIO shared with me that he purposely showed me the door to teach me a lesson that he hoped would benefit me throughout my future life in business. He explained that my focus should always be on first seeking to understand the needs, desires and priorities of the client. He said, “It doesn’t matter what you have done, how you have done it or what you have accomplished, if it isn’t relevant to the needs of the client sitting in front of you.” He followed this with, “Never sell before you understand.” That experience has stuck with me since, and I thank Mr. Railroad CIO for his willingness to teach me an important lesson.
Being strategic means being relevant; and being relevant can only happen if a customer’s needs, requirements, and business are clearly understood. Today, clients expect that their IT Solution Providers are investing in the process of learning their business, their culture, and their operations. Without this investment in knowledge, IT Solution Providers are throwing things against the proverbial wall and hoping something sticks. Too often, IT Solution Providers wait for their clients to request technology – hardware, software, solutions – and then they react and respond to those requests. This is a reactive model of service, and most IT Solution Providers fall into this bucket.
While being responsive is important, as I discussed in my last blog, being proactive can lead to true customer service and loyalty. Imagine a conversation with a client that goes something like this:
“Mrs. Client, based on your key initiatives for the coming year and your focus on getting your IT staff up to speed on technology X, I thought you would benefit from this written case study of an implementation of this solution we recently did for another client. Let me know if you would like to talk about how we could help you in the same way.”
This proactive type of value can create huge separation between yourself and your competition and the sales process advances much more smoothly. All of this sounds like common sense, doesn’t it? Then why in the world are we, as an industry, not doing it more consistently?
Perhaps because it takes time. Being Strategic requires an investment of time and effort to learn about your customer in many areas:

• Current IT infrastructure, operations, and applications
• Key initiatives and priorities
• IT vision & strategy looking forward (future)
• Procurement, budgeting, approval process
• Current IT staff (expertise and experience)
• Culture

If an IT Solution Provider can share ideas, solutions, and technologies based on the actual needs and operational realities of a client, those ideas and solutions have a much greater chance of adding value to the client.Don’t make the mistake I made by “showing up and throwing up” without first doing your homework and investing in learning what really matters to the client. Your investment will separate you for the competition and create an opportunity to add relevant value to your client.
Next week we will explore the importance of being Trusted by our clients and the process to create the opportunity for a trust-based relationship.
Until we meet again, I wish you the very best in your efforts to serve customers in the ways they wish to be served.

Investing in core competencies

Today’s clientele are savvy and smart, and most of them wear x-ray glasses that can see right through inexperience from a mile away. In the world of Information Technology (IT), no organization can possibly know it all or be an expert in everything. Technology today is too complex, ever changing, and moving at a very high rate of speed. For these reasons, clients expect us to say, “No, we don’t specialize in that,” more than we have ever said it before. Furthermore, organizations that specialize and invest in being great in a few things have the best chance of securing long-term relationships with clients built on proven performance.
In my last blog, we explored the customer service pillar of flexibility in the context of what customers are expecting from IT Solution providers today. As a reminder, I am writing from a customer service roadmap called CustomerFIRST where the word FIRST is an acrostic:

• • Flexible
  • Invested
  • Responsive
  • Strategic
  • Trusted

 

This week I am addressing the 2^nd pillar of successful customer service: Invested.
I recognize how difficult it can be to get a meeting with a prospect in the first place and the last thing any of us want to do is walk out of her office without something to pursue. At the same time, a discovery discussion about needs and challenges followed by a crisp, clear description of what your organization is great at, creates the foundation for a future partnership, even if that partnership does not start right now. On the flip side, selling beyond our headlights creates a very likely “one and done” experience with a lot of potential risk. Clients just aren’t willing to put up with this type of experience today. They demand quality and success on the first engagement – period.
The winning Customer Service approach is to be crystal clear about what your organization is great at and stick to what is right in the center of your wheelhouse. Only expand your offerings when you can invest in those areas of expertise in a meaningful way.
The second key component of this new customer service approach requires all of us to be highly networked so that we can refer other organizations or partners to serve the immediate needs of the client. Above all else, a true IT Solution Provider desires to make the lives of their clients better. Therefore, if an IT Solution Provider knows of a company that can do what a client needs, he is obliged to refer the client to that organization. The development of an IT-Solution ecosystem is essential to being a true IT Solution partner today.
Current Social Media tools like LinkedIn provide a simple and fast way to establish meaningful IT Solution ecosystems. I personally have seen the power of this connected ecosystem in recent months in helping client of ours find new jobs, find new employees, and get solutions to IT challenges that my organization was not able to provide. I sincerely believe that this approach of “making the lives of our client better,” even when we don’t cash the check, creates strong client relationships.
Many organizations will see this approach as a way to help their competition and will shy away from embracing the IT Solution ecosystem approach. While I completely understand this line of thinking, I believe it is short sighted and very 1990’s.
In summary, the successful organizations know what their strengths are and they invest heavily in their success, evolution, and maturation. Investing includes training, focus, intentionality, and limitations on scope and expertise. To provide additional services and areas of expertise, today’s IT Solution Providers are encouraged to reach outside the walls of their own organization to partner with other companies that do what they do not. This is the best way to serve customers in 2015.
Next week we will explore the importance of being Responsive and how speed of action has expanded into many other facets of business.
Until we meet again, I wish you the very best in your efforts to serve customers in the ways they wish to be served.