I recently bought some marketing software. After extensive research, we narrowed our choice down to two vendors. While the products generally do the same thing, the sales cycles could not have been more different.
Let's compare:
Vendor 1
- Discussed pricing and potential discounts on the first call.
- Didn't come prepared to calls. Couldn't answer technical questions about their product.
- Ignored the fact we we had to resolve internal issues before we could purchase, and instead called, emailed, and texted (!) to remind us that it was their end of month.
- Chased my colleague and I for 6 weeks.
Vendor 2
- First sought to understand our needs and environment.
- Came to our first call with a knowledgeable Sale Engineer. Answered questions immediately. Responded quickly and precisely on follow up items.
- Asked about our timeframe and respected our needs.
- Negotiated hard on price, but only after a technical fit was established.
Of course product features and capabilities were integral to our decision. But we were actively trying to get Vendor 2's solution to work.