IT Sales in the current climate???
Discussion
Ok, so I am off my soap box now - but seeing as we have a mixture of people in the IT industry I thought I would pose an interesting question that is bugging me at the moment - hopefully those IT Managers and IT Sales people can comment (anonomously of course if necessary)....
I have been involved in a large IT Security project with a total spend into the $500K mark. However, a couple of vendors we have been working with have been VERY AGRESSIVE - to the point of using political and personal pressure to force the decision their way. An interesting sales tactic, but this is what gets me thinking....
Is the IT sector so competitive at the moment that sales people and companies will do anything to win any business? Are they do desperate that they are prepared to lie, cheat and basically manipulate their customers to their way of thinking? Or is it just a case that I have been unlucky with a couple of suppliers?
Your thoughts on a stamped and self-addressed envelope please.... What does everyone else find at the moment? High-pressure or no change? Interesting to compare notes...
Cheers,
Paul
I have been involved in a large IT Security project with a total spend into the $500K mark. However, a couple of vendors we have been working with have been VERY AGRESSIVE - to the point of using political and personal pressure to force the decision their way. An interesting sales tactic, but this is what gets me thinking....
Is the IT sector so competitive at the moment that sales people and companies will do anything to win any business? Are they do desperate that they are prepared to lie, cheat and basically manipulate their customers to their way of thinking? Or is it just a case that I have been unlucky with a couple of suppliers?
Your thoughts on a stamped and self-addressed envelope please.... What does everyone else find at the moment? High-pressure or no change? Interesting to compare notes...
Cheers,
Paul
Interesting...
In my job I use an extremely niche CASE tool which was originally written by a UK company, which was bought by an aquisition company that was then bought by a very very large and very well known enterprise software company.
Recently we had a requirement to arrange training on this CASE tool for some new members of staff.
Now bearing in mind that this tool only has 24 customers in the UK, about 250 active developers in the UK an no ISV's so effectively the original vendor is a 100% monopoly when it comes to training.
I have never in my life encountered such a hard sell, they booked the course without any communication from us and then had the cheek to call us when the training course was supposed to start saying we hadnt sent the delegates - er no shit, we didnt book them! This went on and on until an account manager arrived in our reception expecting to walk away with a signed purchase order.
Why on earth do these people need to do this, they had the business and it was purely their practices that lost them the business as I found someone in the US who we flew over and it worked out cheaper!
Matt.
In my job I use an extremely niche CASE tool which was originally written by a UK company, which was bought by an aquisition company that was then bought by a very very large and very well known enterprise software company.
Recently we had a requirement to arrange training on this CASE tool for some new members of staff.
Now bearing in mind that this tool only has 24 customers in the UK, about 250 active developers in the UK an no ISV's so effectively the original vendor is a 100% monopoly when it comes to training.
I have never in my life encountered such a hard sell, they booked the course without any communication from us and then had the cheek to call us when the training course was supposed to start saying we hadnt sent the delegates - er no shit, we didnt book them! This went on and on until an account manager arrived in our reception expecting to walk away with a signed purchase order.
Why on earth do these people need to do this, they had the business and it was purely their practices that lost them the business as I found someone in the US who we flew over and it worked out cheaper!
Matt.
I think half the time they forget that the best tactics for a salesman to use are his ears rather than his mouth.
The less you say, the more you learn, the more you say, the less they'll put up with your bollocks. The trouble is that so many people like the sound of their own voice (and the 'big I am') that they forget to shut up.
You cant put your foot in it if you keep your mouth shut......
>> Edited by Oi_Oi_Savaloy on Wednesday 27th November 15:07
The less you say, the more you learn, the more you say, the less they'll put up with your bollocks. The trouble is that so many people like the sound of their own voice (and the 'big I am') that they forget to shut up.
You cant put your foot in it if you keep your mouth shut......
>> Edited by Oi_Oi_Savaloy on Wednesday 27th November 15:07
Paul said.
In my experience, working for an IT vendor, I'd say that although certain markets are quiet, it's always as competitive as it is at the moment, no one likes to lose a deal.
More often than not the best relationships with customers are based on value and satisfaction. If you are dealing with cowboys discounting the sh*t out of their product to win a deal, where is the profit their company needs to invest in support and good people to ensure that you get an excellent post sales service?
Too many companies have found themselves winning large deals at negative margins and then going bust. Not the kind of firms I'd want to give my cash to, especially where security is concerned.
I'd pick the one with that's the best value to you, not necessarily the best price.
>> Edited by ghosty o''shark on Wednesday 27th November 17:15
Is the IT sector so competitive at the moment that sales people and companies will do anything to win any business? Are they do desperate that they are prepared to lie, cheat and basically manipulate their customers to their way of thinking?
In my experience, working for an IT vendor, I'd say that although certain markets are quiet, it's always as competitive as it is at the moment, no one likes to lose a deal.
More often than not the best relationships with customers are based on value and satisfaction. If you are dealing with cowboys discounting the sh*t out of their product to win a deal, where is the profit their company needs to invest in support and good people to ensure that you get an excellent post sales service?
Too many companies have found themselves winning large deals at negative margins and then going bust. Not the kind of firms I'd want to give my cash to, especially where security is concerned.
I'd pick the one with that's the best value to you, not necessarily the best price.
>> Edited by ghosty o''shark on Wednesday 27th November 17:15
in my experience sales people have always lied, or at least bent the truth. No offense to any sales people here but that's just my experience in the IT industry... Like at my previous place telling a prospective client we can do something when the development department really can't at the price they have quoted... or that we can do it easily within the timescales, when in reality it takes twice the quoted time. and that's just in my working life. I'm not going to start talking about what sales people say to me at my doorstep or on the phone. grr
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