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P.O.C. Nirvana! Can It Really Happen?

Step 1: What Are The Objectives?

• There are two ways to look at the objectives associated with any proof of concept.

- Our objective is to educate the prospect and eliminate any objections associated with our solution that might block the sale.

• The prospect needs to determine two things.

- Our software has to prove that it can deliver the savings / benefits that the salesperson promised.

- Demonstrate that our software works in a manner that meets the prospects expectations and in accordance with any operational guidelines. 

Step 2: Define the Scope

• Before you start any P.O.C., make sure you have an understanding of the strategy and objectives of the salesperson.

• Define a bare bones installation of the solution, ensuring you meet everybody’s goals.

• You want to know exactly the type of hardware and software you will require for the P.O.C.

• Think about what other components you might need in order to have a successful software installation.

Step 3: Develop a Standard Routine Pt.1

• When you get in front of a prospect, you will only have a short amount of time to impart as much information as you can to that prospect.

• You need to develop a demonstration and training routine that will quickly educate them, and answer the most frequently asked questions. This routine needs to be more than just a training course.

• This is your opportunity to tell the prospect how you want them to use our solution and drop a lot of hints about the functionality you want them to see and evaluate.

Step 3: Develop a Standard Routine Pt.2

• When the time comes to deliver your presentation, you do not want to sound like you are reading from a script.

• Come across very natural. You should sound relaxed, like you are having a casual conversation. This will help get your prospect to open up to you more.

• All of these steps need to take place before you ever make contact with a prospect.

• Remember the 5 P’s - Perfect Planning Prevents Poor Performance!

Step 4: The Prospect is ‘Special’

• Before a P.O.C., you have probably given someone at the prospect’s company a demonstration.– Remember demonstrations are usually brief, and

prospects might not fully understand our software, technology, or benefits yet.

• Work with the prospect to identify any misconceptions they might have about our solution. Uncover any goals they need to accomplish that are outside of your standard P.O.C. 

• Setting expectations is an important step with a P.O.C. Whether or not you had a successful P.O.C is often subject to the customer’s perception of whether or not you succeeded.

• Clearly outline your standard P.O.C. process and how you plan to address their unique environmental challenges.

• Bullet points are your friend here! Also consider developing a P.O.C template framework document.

Step 5: Set Expectations 

Step 6: Understand the Customer’s Environment Pt.1

• In Step 2, you defined what hardware, software and networking components you will require to successfully implement your P.O.C. Now, you need to demonstrate to the prospect how you are going to use or replicate these components for their P.O.C.

• Get all the details you can. Do not assume anything! Gather as much background information as you can. Knowing a little about their environment before you go onsite will prevent any unforeseen technical hiccups.

• “Expect the Unexpected” - Oscar Wilde / Spanish Inquisition

Step 6: Understand the Customer’s Environment Pt.2

• Most people forget that the customer’s environment is more than software and servers. It is also people. P.O.C’s are often done while working with the business owners.

• But in order to access infrastructure components like Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, a firewall, or obtaining a server, the business owner needs to work with other departments in their company. You need to identify who you will need to work with and who needs to be present when you arrive onsite to install the P.O.C.

Step 7: Prepare for your Onsite Visit Pt.1

• Now you set a date to implement a your P.O.C, think if you need any additional resources in your rucksack.

• You might want to make sure you have backup copies of any software you will require. A USB stick from Bert is great in case you need to transfer files from one machine to another. Prospects normally do not give ‘unknown’ computers access to their network.

Step 7: Prepare for your Onsite Visit Pt.2

• If it’s an important prospect or big opportunity, Let NBT know. We can either assist onsite, or be available at the end of a telephone in the event something does not go as planned.

• Have the names and job titles of all the people you will be interfacing with during the P.O.C. There is nothing worse than forgetting somebody's name and having to ask them again.

Step 8: The Preparatory Phone Call Pt.1

• Before you start your journey to visit a prospect, schedule a call with them. The goal is to simply determine if the prospect has everything in place that they promised.– Is the hardware you asked for ready? – Are all the people you require to perform your installation

going to be available? • If everything is not in place, then you can judge if you

can still make the trip to see them and make it work, or if you need to reschedule. Don’t let the salesperson bully you into going to visit a unprepared prospect.

Step 8: The Preparatory Phone Call Pt.2

• A lot of times, a customer will promise a beast of a computer. But when you show up, you learned in got taken for another project. But they will have machine available from Noah's ark.

• In this case, check the minimum specs. If they are going to change the rules, then make sure you are properly resetting their expectations. You must decide if you are comfortable proceeding with this option.

Step 9: Run through a checklist

• When you first arrive at the customer’s site, you need to get organised in order to make the most of the day. Run through the same checklist you went through over the phone in Step 8. This will help you learn where things are and give you a way to introduce yourself to some of the other people who will be assisting you. 

• The other reason you want to run through a checklist is to identify any surprises the prospect is going to throw at you. Usually there are one or two things that are not what the prospect told you over the phone. You need to identify things that are going to make your installation harder and come up with a plan for addressing them before you begin.

Step 10: Quality Time with the Customer Pt.1

• P.O.C installations can take all day to complete depending on size and complexity. Do not sit in silence while the software installs, get to know your prospect.

• Most of us can install a P.O.C. with our eyes closed. But taking time out to talk with the IT staff that you are working can help you with your P.O.C. And give you valuable information you need to close the sale.

• When installing P.O,Cs, you can learn about concerns that prospects did not raise over the phone. This allows you to make some adjustments from the original plan to address these concerns.

• If you strike up a good relationship with your prospect you can also find out about what competitive solutions they are looking at, and how they feel about them. Use this opportunity to tell them that our solution is better and highlight the competitors failings. If you do not, the competitor will!

Step 10: Quality Time with the Customer Pt.2

Step 11: Follow up Call

• IT departments vary on how much involvement they want from a supplier during a product evaluation. Regardless of their preference, you should set an expectation that you will be giving them a call within 3-5 business days.

• During the call, you have two goals.– Determine what problems they are having during the P.O.C.– Uncover any of their knowledge gaps about the software.

• Many issues can be resolved over the phone. Often during these calls, you can identify some of their early concerns.

• Keep in mind, they probably haven’t read the help file, so prospects can still have a lot of misconceptions because they are trying to learn the software by stumbling across features.  

Step 12: Define Next Steps Pt.1

• The last thing you need to do is close the loop on the P.O.C. Begin working with the prospect to complete the product evaluation.

• Make sure that they, or you, have completed all the tasks needed to meet the expectations outlined in the P.O.C. documentation. You must be able to clearly demonstrate that the P.O.C. was successful.

• Additionally, you want to start actively addressing any other possible objections that will affect the P.O.C.

• Through this whole P.O.C., the customer is evaluating you and your company. They look at four things to determine how they want to continue working with you.

• Respect – Gain respect with the conversations you have with the prospect.

• Knowledge – Demonstrate your product knowledge, be careful not off as arrogant.

• Organisation – Organisational skills and preparation will show that you truly understand the software, and know what it takes to be successful working with the software in their environment.

• Training - Give them the confidence to use the software. Offer support when ever they need it. The prospect should be able to continue evaluation unassisted. A positive experience here will help with a positive outcome in the final analysis.

Step 12: Define Next Steps Pt.2