Jon W. Hansen, šÆ agree! A true solution provider, as opposed to a system vendor, will focus on identifying your challenges and then offering solutions to address them. Sometimes that means they will acknowledge that they donāt offer a solution, or perhaps only a partial solution, for your needs. – Canda Rozier, Procurement Evangelist
Jon W. Hansen šÆ and is the shift needed that aligned to critical thinking skills versus software products as a panacea solutionā¦ – David Loseby MCIOB Chtr’d FAPM FCMI FCIPS Chtr’d FRSA MIoD MICW
I have been in high-tech for more than 40 years. I absolutely LOVE technology. As someone who has landed multi-million dollar contracts with major global brands and high-profile government entities, the one thing that I have NEVER done was sell technology. I solved problems before introducing technology.
What’s the difference?
Too many solution providers love and push their technology versus solving client problems.
Here is an example of the difference between a solution provider that leads with their industry sector experience and expertise beyond the technology. – https://bit.ly/3FBnFRr
Simple takeaways:
1. practitioners have to stop looking for technology solutions
2. providers have to stop selling the problems their solutions purportedly address and start solving the real-world problems the practitioners face.
Is It A Sales Problem?
Anthony Bridger, that’s why 90% of all salespeople aren’t worth a dime and a kick in the shins. They are product peddlers, not problem solvers, which is why so many of them are transient failures.
Does that sound harsh? Here are a couple of stats that will interest you:
š Research shows that over 80 percent of B2B decision-makers think that people involved with commercial and industrial sales are not as prepared (for a sales call) as they should be.
š According to Zippia, 74% of salespeople fail, 20% are doing well but could improve, and 6% of salespeople are classified as elites.
š Another report by Colorlib reports that their research indicates that the average sales success rate across all industries is 3%.
The results?
ā° Before the pandemic, the 2019 Deloitte CPO Global Survey reported that a large percentage of companies that have fully implemented these modern technologies are not actually satisfied with the results.
ā° In June 2023, Gartner reported the following: 60% of technology buyers involved in renewal decisions regret nearly every purchase they make.
But here’s the thing – it isn’t solely due to poor sales practices. In fact, that is maybe 25% of the problem. The root cause is that too many solution providers are “IN LOVE” with their technology to the point that they can’t see or hear what the client’s problem really is.
A Tale Of Two Posts
Canda Rozier, Procurement Evangelist, agreed… but salespeople aren’t driven by solutions… many complex system providers know that once you are “in,” … switching costs make an exit highly unlikely and unaffordable. Having sold software… no one ever says ” I can’t do that”. It also assumes a client can understand the notion of partial solutions… – Anthony (Tony) Bridger, PhD (Dr) ERP Change Management, spend analysis expertise, e-learning developer and designer.
Here are the links and corresponding excerpts to the two articles shared on LinkedIn regarding Blockchain’s use in the supply chain:
Excerpt #1 – Blockchain trends to watch for 2024 (December 30th, 2023)
As blockchain continues to mature, the importance of privacy and confidentiality should become paramount
In the dynamic realm ofĀ technology, blockchain has undergone rapid evolution in recent years, offering profound implications for diverse industries. Significant strides in development have marked the previous year, and the year ahead holds the promise of even more transformative changes. Here are top blockchain trends to watch for 2024.
Interoperability and Cross-Chain Solutions
Blockchainās interoperability challenge has been a longstanding obstacle to its widespread adoption. However, 2024 will witness significant progress in overcoming this hurdle. Interoperability solutions and cross-chain technologies are expected to gain traction, allowing different blockchain networks to communicate seamlessly. This trend will not only foster collaboration between different blockchain ecosystems but also open the door to innovative applications and use cases that leverage the strengths of multiple chains.
Excerpt #2 – Blockchain and Food Traceability: Food Safety At Its Best! (March 22nd, 2024)
With the rise of foodborne illnesses, fraudulent labeling, and supply chain inefficiencies, ensuring the safety and integrity of food products has become paramount. Blockchain, renowned for its decentralized and immutable nature, offers a revolutionary approach to enhancing transparency, traceability, and trust throughout the entire food supply chain. By leveraging blockchain’s inherent capabilities, stakeholders can now track the journey of food products from farm to fork with unprecedented accuracy, mitigating risks, minimizing contamination outbreaks, and ultimately safeguarding consumer health.
Let’s explore how this convergence of technology and food safety represents a pivotal step toward building a more secure, efficient, and trustworthy food ecosystem for all.
The Urgency of Food Safety
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), an estimated 600 million people worldwide fall ill annually due to contaminated food, leading to 420,000 deaths each year.
These statistics underscore the urgent need for robust measures to ensure the safety and integrity of our food supply chains. From bacterial contamination to chemical hazards, the risks associated with unsafe food are diverse and pervasive, affecting individuals across all socioeconomic strata and geographic regions. The economic burden of foodborne illnesses is substantial, with healthcare costs, lost productivity, and trade disruptions amounting to billions of dollars annually.
People-Process-Technology
Which one of the two article excerpts is selling technology, and which one is looking to solve a problem?
Which one of the providers posting the above articles would you want to engage if you are in the food industry?
By the way – check out the post that inspired today’s Procurement Insights post – an active discussion with great points being made across the board.
Does your solution provider love their technology too much?
30
Procurement Insights
Advice to solution providers: stop loving your technology and start solving practitioner problems
Posted on March 22, 2024
0
Jon W. Hansen, šÆ agree! A true solution provider, as opposed to a system vendor, will focus on identifying your challenges and then offering solutions to address them. Sometimes that means they will acknowledge that they donāt offer a solution, or perhaps only a partial solution, for your needs. – Canda Rozier, Procurement Evangelist
Jon W. Hansen šÆ and is the shift needed that aligned to critical thinking skills versus software products as a panacea solutionā¦ – David Loseby MCIOB Chtr’d FAPM FCMI FCIPS Chtr’d FRSA MIoD MICW
I have been in high-tech for more than 40 years. I absolutely LOVE technology. As someone who has landed multi-million dollar contracts with major global brands and high-profile government entities, the one thing that I have NEVER done was sell technology. I solved problems before introducing technology.
What’s the difference?
Too many solution providers love and push their technology versus solving client problems.
Here is an example of the difference between a solution provider that leads with their industry sector experience and expertise beyond the technology. – https://bit.ly/3FBnFRr
Simple takeaways:
1. practitioners have to stop looking for technology solutions
2. providers have to stop selling the problems their solutions purportedly address and start solving the real-world problems the practitioners face.
Is It A Sales Problem?
Anthony Bridger, that’s why 90% of all salespeople aren’t worth a dime and a kick in the shins. They are product peddlers, not problem solvers, which is why so many of them are transient failures.
Does that sound harsh? Here are a couple of stats that will interest you:
š Research shows that over 80 percent of B2B decision-makers think that people involved with commercial and industrial sales are not as prepared (for a sales call) as they should be.
š According to Zippia, 74% of salespeople fail, 20% are doing well but could improve, and 6% of salespeople are classified as elites.
š Another report by Colorlib reports that their research indicates that the average sales success rate across all industries is 3%.
The results?
ā° Before the pandemic, the 2019 Deloitte CPO Global Survey reported that a large percentage of companies that have fully implemented these modern technologies are not actually satisfied with the results.
ā° In June 2023, Gartner reported the following: 60% of technology buyers involved in renewal decisions regret nearly every purchase they make.
But here’s the thing – it isn’t solely due to poor sales practices. In fact, that is maybe 25% of the problem. The root cause is that too many solution providers are “IN LOVE” with their technology to the point that they can’t see or hear what the client’s problem really is.
A Tale Of Two Posts
Canda Rozier, Procurement Evangelist, agreed… but salespeople aren’t driven by solutions… many complex system providers know that once you are “in,” … switching costs make an exit highly unlikely and unaffordable. Having sold software… no one ever says ” I can’t do that”. It also assumes a client can understand the notion of partial solutions… – Anthony (Tony) Bridger, PhD (Dr) ERP Change Management, spend analysis expertise, e-learning developer and designer.
Here are the links and corresponding excerpts to the two articles shared on LinkedIn regarding Blockchain’s use in the supply chain:
Excerpt #1 – Blockchain trends to watch for 2024 (December 30th, 2023)
As blockchain continues to mature, the importance of privacy and confidentiality should become paramount
In the dynamic realm ofĀ technology, blockchain has undergone rapid evolution in recent years, offering profound implications for diverse industries. Significant strides in development have marked the previous year, and the year ahead holds the promise of even more transformative changes. Here are top blockchain trends to watch for 2024.
Interoperability and Cross-Chain Solutions
Blockchainās interoperability challenge has been a longstanding obstacle to its widespread adoption. However, 2024 will witness significant progress in overcoming this hurdle. Interoperability solutions and cross-chain technologies are expected to gain traction, allowing different blockchain networks to communicate seamlessly. This trend will not only foster collaboration between different blockchain ecosystems but also open the door to innovative applications and use cases that leverage the strengths of multiple chains.
Excerpt #2 – Blockchain and Food Traceability: Food Safety At Its Best! (March 22nd, 2024)
With the rise of foodborne illnesses, fraudulent labeling, and supply chain inefficiencies, ensuring the safety and integrity of food products has become paramount. Blockchain, renowned for its decentralized and immutable nature, offers a revolutionary approach to enhancing transparency, traceability, and trust throughout the entire food supply chain. By leveraging blockchain’s inherent capabilities, stakeholders can now track the journey of food products from farm to fork with unprecedented accuracy, mitigating risks, minimizing contamination outbreaks, and ultimately safeguarding consumer health.
Let’s explore how this convergence of technology and food safety represents a pivotal step toward building a more secure, efficient, and trustworthy food ecosystem for all.
The Urgency of Food Safety
These statistics underscore the urgent need for robust measures to ensure the safety and integrity of our food supply chains. From bacterial contamination to chemical hazards, the risks associated with unsafe food are diverse and pervasive, affecting individuals across all socioeconomic strata and geographic regions. The economic burden of foodborne illnesses is substantial, with healthcare costs, lost productivity, and trade disruptions amounting to billions of dollars annually.
People-Process-Technology
Which one of the two article excerpts is selling technology, and which one is looking to solve a problem?
Which one of the providers posting the above articles would you want to engage if you are in the food industry?
By the way – check out the post that inspired today’s Procurement Insights post – an active discussion with great points being made across the board.
Does your solution provider love their technology too much?
30
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