Our article "Guarding Against Down Quarters" gave you the essential tools to forecast your sales...
For any business, there are two motions that turn the flywheel: Sales (how you sell) and Product (what you sell). Unfortunately, too many tech services companies design themselves with a bifurcated model for both of these efforts. But if you're a tech services founder, you need to recognize that the delivery team is essential to selling. We've outlined five ways the delivery team is critical to sales for a tech services company.
Your Reputation
A tech services company's reputation is built on the success and reliability of its delivery team. High-quality project execution enhances the company's market reputation, making it easier for the sales team to secure new business. When purchasing tech services, especially emerging technology, customers keenly evaluate the reputation of the delivery team backed up by references and case studies that showcase past project successes. So your delivery team influences sales this way even before you talk to the customer.
Pre-Sales Support
Your delivery team also helps close deals. Their pre-sales support includes assisting the sales team in crafting proposals, preparing technical demonstrations and proofs of concept, and answering detailed questions from potential clients. Their technical expertise ensures that proposals are realistic and achievable, setting accurate customer expectations. Having delivery team members involved in pre-sales activities boosts the credibility of the sales pitch and demonstrates your company's commitment to delivering quality.
Close Customer Relationships
Close relationships with your customers translate to long-term business success. Encouraging the delivery team to engage with customers helps establish trust and communication, leading to higher client satisfaction and loyalty. While sales teams focus on decision-makers, the delivery team allows you to build relationships within the rank & file of the customer's team. These strong relationships can result in repeat business, referrals, and opportunities for upselling and cross-selling additional services. They can also help you align multiple stakeholders as you set about implementing a solution.
Insight into Customer Problems
Trust and relationships are not the only factors critical to creating upselling and cross-selling opportunities. Your delivery team has a front-row seat to your customer's business challenges and requirements. They can identify the root causes of problems and suggest the most effective solutions. This insider information is invaluable for your sales team. It acts as your own internal business intelligence network and helps your sales teams craft more tailored and compelling proposals that pave the way for long-term partnerships.
GTM Support
It’s not just directly in the customer sale loop that delivery supports sales. Your delivery team can provide you with in-depth insight into the overall go-to-market (GTM) strategy based on their hands-on experience. They are in a position to be the first to identify emerging trends, common pain points, and opportunities for improvement. By leveraging these insights, your company can refine its service offerings and sales tactics, giving it a competitive edge and driving business growth.
Wrapping Up
Your delivery team is not just responsible for executing projects; they are integral to the sales process and the overall success of the company. By providing pre-sales support, building a strong reputation, gaining customer insights, fostering close relationships, and offering GTM insights, they can help drive sales and achieve business objectives. Founders need to make sure the full company is in alignment. With sales setting the delivery team for success and the delivery team enabling sales to succeed.
