RentalMetrics

Survey Says...

Powered by Wufoo

Confessions E-Book: Chapter 2

Each Monday, we're bringing you quotes and tidbits from my newly released E-Book called
Confessions of An Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said _____________ .

Below you'll find some material from Chapter 2 called, My solution does not require much of your company's IT resources.

This was one of my favorite chapters to write.  It may also tweak some technologists.

Here are some quotes

Unless you're in the 5% of companies with an IT Director/Manager that "gets it", we're going to run into rough spots as we sort through myriad personality issues and resource snafus.   "Get it" means that the IT Director and staff realize the company does not revolve around them and the gravitational field their large brains create. 

Chisel away at Microsoft Project Gantt charts with hours, dependencies, etc.  Most project timelines are inflated relics used to boost the complexity, billing hours, and professional appearance of the ES firm.

Previously released chapters:  Introduction, Chapter 1

If you'd like to receive this e-book immediately...fill out the boxes below and delivery is almost instant!

Reviews & Quotes Coming In On My "Confessions" E-Book

I'm humbled by the responses coming in for my e-book "Confessions of an Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said: ____________ ."

Here's are some examples:

Doug Mitchell’s Confessions exposes the realities of buying and selling enterprise software in a humorous, straightforward way.  He dispels any remaining notions that the process of selling enterprise solutions is done on the up-and-up and translates the vocabulary of the enterprise salesperson into something the buyer (“target” in sales-speak) can understand and, more importantly, act on.  The list of questions he suggests that the buyer use is the real goldmine here.  With them, Doug helps the enterprise solution buyer unmask the salesperson on the other side of the table and avoid many potentially expensive pitfalls in the acquisition and the implementation of large systems.

    --Will Herman, Former CEO of way too many companies to list,   Corporate Director, and über blogger.

“Confessions” was very insightful and full of topics to really make one think!  Great job of putting your ideas and thoughts in writing regarding the Enterprise Solution market!

     -- Malcolm Goodwin, CEO, PromiseIT Solutions, Inc.

Mitchell offers up insider insight into the well-guarded minds of Enterprise Solution salespeople, insight that just might end up saving your enterprise from a million dollar mistake. 

    -- Brett Trout, Attorney, Law Offices of Brett Trout, P.C., www.blawgIT.com

If you have about 15 minutes to download and take a peek at a virtual handbook for saving your company millions of dollars and months of wasted effort...please fill in your email address below.  Within seconds you'll receive your e-book packed with goodness.

 

If you've been to Panama...you won't find it surpising that construction grew over 25% there last year

I visited Panama last year to attend a conference and boy...what an experience.  Panama is exploding with over 200 high rise condos and office buildings under construction right near the water.  It's really hard to comprehend.  I'd highly recommend getting into the heavy equipment/construction equipment rental business there. 

This Bloomberg article discusses the amazing situation. 

``There is no bubble here,'' Fernandez said, adding Panama is unlikely to experience a real-estate bust similar to the one that's occurring in the U.S. ``The world has discovered Panama and now they are investing.''

RentalMetrics Online GPS Product Showcase - DPL America

Today inside the RentalMetrics Online GPS Product Showcase, we're speaking with Tony Nicoletti of DPL America.  If you have about 5 minutes, take a look and a listen.

North American Equipment Rental Market $42 Billion Strong

The American Rental Association and Global Insight have teamed up again to present a "State of the Equipment Industry" report.  Here's a key quote that really supports the notion that this industry is on very solid footing regardless of the greater economy.

Global Insight forecasts a continued growth trend, projecting North American rental revenues to exceed $52 billion in 2012. According to the study, the U.S. rental market has had a compound annual growth rate of 7.9 percent, significantly outpacing overall economic activity. Although the study predicts continued growth, it expects the compound annual growth rate to slow to 4.1 percent in the years 2007 through 2012.

Even in leaner times, equipment rental is buoyed.

During times of reduced growth, one of the best things you can do is focus on driving efficiency from your operations.  The natural instinct is to pull back.  Perhaps it's a great idea to pull back on capital intensive projects, but investments made today will pay dividends when the industry and economy boom again.  Be proactive right now in getting more out of what you already have and get to the root cause of your troubling operational issues.  That way, when you're so busy you can't see straight, you'll be ahead of the competition. 

Confessions e-book: Chapter 1

We continue to bring you snippets and quotes from Doug's e-book Confessions Of An Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said: ____________. 

This week we take a peek inside Chapter 1 titled, "My solution is the one that best meets your needs.

Quotes & Questions from Chapter 1:

 Enterprise software is SOLD not bought.  The key is having enough of what matters to you in my product to build a case for saying yes. 

Few organizations actually have consultative sales people that conduct a real sales qualification process.  Thus, most are happy to talk to any company that expresses even slight interest in their product (because that could mean a payday). 

Key Question To Ask the Enterprise Salesperson
The last time you lost a deal to your competition, what were the main reasons given? If the response is snotty or the rep attempts to discredit the prospect that ultimately said no, be wary.   She will probably speak of you in these terms if you don’t choose her solution.  If you’re presented with truthful accounts, kind words, and reverence for the “one that got away”, put a check box in the credibility column.   An ES cannot be perfect and certainly can’t be perfect for everyone.

Previously released chapters:  Introduction

Please feel free to fill in your name and email below to receive your own FULL COPY of the e-book, Confessions Of An Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said: ______________.

If you're reading this post via an RSS News reader...please visit RentalMetrics and submit your information.  Look for the Confessions book image in the right sidebar.

Leveraging Rich Media to Deliver Our Services

RentalMetrics uses podcasts, video, and screen casts to deliver its services.  Today, we've added another tool into the box and its UStream.  UStream allows live broadcasts to be viewed anywhere around the world.  We'll use these live broadcasts for our monthly subscriber meetings.  You can see the RentalMetrics UStream page here.

If you weren't already aware, RentalMetrics provides each subscriber a free webcam so we can engage in live web meetings.  It ads the kinds of personal interaction that makes us communicate better with you...while not requiring anyone to waste time traveling.  We love meeting in person, but the cameras allow us much more frequent interaction with a total cost of next to nothing. 

If webcam communication isn't possible for you because of a restrictive IT department or firewall issues...the camera is yours to do with as you please (If you need another one so the kids can video conference with Grandma...no problem.  Let us know and we'll send her one too.) 

Delivering value in nice neat packages is what we're all about. 

Confessions e-book: Introduction

Most construction/equipment rental companies go through the evaluation process for enterprise wide software deployment.  Many do it multiple times. Enterprise software deployments are no easy task.  With so many moving parts it's hard not to lose sight of the forest through the trees. Now...there's help!
I've authored a new and informative FREE e-book that I'm very excited about.  It's called,

Confessions Of An Ex-Enterprise Salesperson:  What I Really Meant When I Said:______________ .

I'll be sharing some quotes and passages from the book on our site here and encourage you to submit your name and email to receive the entire book in PDF format. 

The book will provide a light hearted stroll through my experience in the enterprise software world.  You may find the book an indispensable guidebook for your own decision making.   My only request is that you don't share the book with the software sales people courting you...until AFTER you've decided on a solution.  They're going be shocked at some of the probing questions you ask during the sales process.  Many of the questions will stump the sales rep and expose the company's true colors.

That is what you're after...the truth behind the suit.

Selected Quotes:

The title of this book came to me as I sat in my home office planning the strategic direction of my business RentalMetrics.  Each new idea quickly summoned the "Make sure this is not an enterprise solution" mental checklist.  That is, I was checking to make sure I'm not building a bloated, over-featured, and "dead before it starts" solution that would inevitably be my undoing. 

I'm not suggesting that I’ve lived a life of lies.  There are no perfect solutions for the enterprise and never will be.  It's up to the sales professional to convince the target that she's got the best possible solution, despite the facts.  Is lying requisite?  No.  Salespeople are not lying, they are simply framing the truth in a way that closes the deal and provides a big payday.

...like many Enterprise Software companies, we overestimated the market size for clients willing to pay big fees.  We had NO CONCEPT of how much it costs to acquire enterprise deals.  When a target in NYC says, "Can you be here at 3PM tomorrow?" you say yes.  That 1 hour in-person conversation often cost in excess of $5k not including lost life minutes from doing red eyes.   

What makes your business great?

What makes your business great?

By Paul Gratton, Research Engineer

Can you answer this question in thirty seconds or less? Even more importantly, would your employees and your customers answer in the same way?

Try this exercise:

Sit down for five minutes and write down all the reasons why you think your business is great. Next, ask your employees to do the same. Finally, ask your customers why they've chosen you over your competition. If your employees and customers have a hard time coming up with positive things to say, or they greatly differ from your reasons for success, you might want to reassess how you're running your business.

Takin' it to the bank

If it's clear as to why you're running a great company then capitalize on it. Make it a point of pride and focus your marketing program around your core strengths.

If it's still unclear as to what makes your company great then maybe it's time to do a little more research. Ask your customers if any of the following things brought them through the front door.

 

- Quality Products and Service

- Best Promotion and Marketing

- Competitive Price/Value

- Great Location

- Relationship of Trust

It's critical to know how you provide value to your customers, because they're the ones that keep you in business. Make sure you can quickly tell prospective clients why they should choose your company, and then back it up by consistently doing what you said you'd do.