As a Telecoms Integrator and someone who has been in the Technology space for over twenty (20) years, I have delivered solutions for many organisations, locally and regionally. Have you ever asked yourself the question “What Should we really be focusing on delivering – the technology or the solution?” Isn’t it the same thing? The straight answer to that is Yes, I have asked myself this on many occasions and NO, Technology and Solutions are not the same thing.
What’s the Difference?
A Solution is a means of dealing with a problem or solving an issue. In our space, we are referring to a business issue or problem. Technology is the means by which the issue or problem is solved. We often use the words in different contexts to mean the same thing, but they are not; especially when looked at from the customers’ perspective.
So Where Am I Going with This?
So Where Am I Going with This?From the Integrator or Solutions Providers’ perspective we need to find a very delicate balance. We need to fully learn and understand the technology and all its capabilities. This will enable us to determine how it can be used to address the customers’ issue.
The customer on the other hand; their only focus is getting the right solution that will address their business needs. I believe it’s this difference in perspectives that creates situations where sometimes we as Integrators / Solution Providers lose focus on the goal and get lost in trying to sell the customer on the capabilities of the Technology, rather than focusing on how it will solve their issue.
Have you ever sat in a meeting as a customer and have the entire technical slide deck thrown at you about a piece of technology? And after the meeting you are still clueless as to whether the proposed technology would actually address your issue. This is the situation that I am referring to above. This is a very common occurrence in our space……. We are often sometimes so focused on delivering Cutting Edge Technology – We lose sight of the Goal; Delivering a Solution…
How Do We Fix It?
At BLU Networks, we too as an organisation needed to look closely at how we approach our customers. We needed to ensure that we do not get lost in all the bells and whistles of the technology and focus on the needs of the customer.
We do understand that as companies in the technology space; it is common to be blown away by a new product or offering. We believe that the answer to addressing the issue at hand is to find the right balance. This is the approach that we used to address the situation internally:
- Understand the Customer – every customer is different; some are impressed with technology and they are genuinely interested in understanding how all the nuts and bolts work. There are some customers that are just laser focused on the goal; which is addressing their solution. Understanding the customer will inform your approach i.e. whether they are interested in the bells and whistles or whether they just want to focus on fixing their problems.
- Know the Technology – as a provider it is your responsibility to know the technology inside-out. This is where I believe that there needs to be a delicate balance. You need to be excited about the technology to be able to properly convince the customer that this is the right option for them. In some cases when a provider / integrator gets lost in the technology and misses the mark; it doesn’t mean that they do not know their product. Therein lies the need for proper balance.
- Always Focus on the Solution – knowing the technology and being excited about it is necessary especially as a solutions provider / integrator. The customer sees when you lack this knowledge and excitement. Points 1 and 2 are key but it is very critical to ALWAYS focus on the solution. This is the metric by which the customer is measuring your performance. Let the solution requirements drive the technology used. Always be seen as someone that contributes to solving the customers problem. When going through your solution presentation., continuously stop and ask yourself if you’re solving the problem. If the answer is NO, then STOP and refocus – find that balance.
Over time we have seen the above three (3) points make a drastic difference in our approach. We at BLU Networks have found that much needed but delectate balance of Delivering Solutions while focusing on Technology. Our hope is that these three (3) step can assist someone else who may be having the same issue Finding That Balance.
Interested in knowing more? Give us a call on 1 868 223 1576 or email me at sheldon.paul@blunetworks-tt.com . Remember to sign up for our Webinar entitled “Implementation vs Integration – What is the Right Approach” on September 26th 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM. You can Click here to register or visit our website at www.blunetworks-tt.com
