Sales Enablement

The foundation for analyzing the opportunity to improve sales effectiveness is a detailed Economic Value Model (EVM) which is used to gather financial attributes for the costs associated with acquiring and using the client's product or service in a real-world operating environment, in addition to the full range of business benefits expressed in financial terms. Typically, the customer's current operating environment is used as a baseline and is compared with the client's proposed offering as well as one or more alternative solutions. Alternatives may include different business models as well as head-on competitive solutions. While most other marketing strategy firms offer some type of TCO and ROI model for comparisons, we analyze additional economic factors and benefits for the customer such as opportunities for new business offerings, effects on customer loyalty and retention, quality of service metrics, and other qualitative impacts modeled in financial terms.

By modeling the economic benefits for the end customer and strategic partners, we can measure the impact of products and services in terms of the total cost and more importantly the overall business value. All business managers are responsible for making sound investment decisions for their business in order to grow and earn profits. At some level all purchases depend on beliefs about the financial risks and rewards that will result from the purchase. As a result, the sales team must be able to quantify for the customer how a proposed solution will save money, create new revenue opportunities, or increase profits.

Based on the core economic value analysis we are able to define critical attributes of customers based on industry, size of enterprise, geography and other features which enable better targeting of ideal customers for the client's products and services. As part of this process, we perform a detailed End User Value Analysis to identify the most important benefits which prospective customers require to meet the needs of the end user of the client's products and services.

Because most businesses rely on multiple routes to market including direct and indirect channels, an essential part of the sales enablement improvement process involves analyzing what is important at each level of distribution and delivery. For example, how does our client enable the channel partner to reach customers and sell effectively against competitors? Also, what is the ideal mix between direct sales, value-added resellers, distributors and OEMs? The result is a profile of the best channel and solution partners.

As part of the process of validating assumptions about value propositions and positioning claims, we interview and analyze objectively actual customer experiences with a company's product or solution. We provide proof points for the major claims in the customer's own words, as well as uncover additional benefits and reasons for customer purchases.

Z2M4 analyzes actual sales data to create tools and information which directly targets the main areas for sales improvement. The tools enable the client company to rapidly identify the best sales opportunities and focus on the key aspects of how the proposed products and services will solve their customer's problems and allow them to capitalize on new opportunities. As a result, the client is able to measure progress against goals and implement periodic improvement initiatives with measurable results.

Because a major part of Z2M4's services to vendors, distributors and service providers addresses both what capabilities are most valuable to end customers, and how competitive alternatives can be compared, Z2M4 is ideally suited to assist customers in their purchases and implementations of technology solutions. When working on the "buy side" with customers, we use similar quantitative and qualitative approaches to identify the most critical aspects of a proposed solution, and we help customers implement the most cost-effective, efficient, and value-enhancing solutions.

The types of services we provide to end customers include business case development, requirements gathering and prioritization of features, enterprise architecture alignment, RFI/RFP process, purchase negotiations, SLA and support commitments.