Join us for an exclusive deep dive with CX Insider Vinay Parmar, Managing Director of Customer Whisperers Ltd, as he shares invaluable insights from his journey from contact centre agent to board-level executive. Discover the stark realities of how customer experience plays out in the boardroom and learn what truly resonates with senior leadership. This episode offers a candid look at bridging the gap between sales and strategic decision-making.

Here are the key takeaways from our conversation with Vinay:

• Lived experience is incredibly valuable for leaders as it fosters empathy and enables a deeper understanding of frontline operations, helping to challenge narratives from the top. • Customer Experience (CX) encompasses all customer touchpoints, forming collective memories that drive future decisions, extending far beyond typical customer service or contact centre metrics. • Inconsistency in customer interactions significantly erodes trust and loyalty, impacting a brand's reputation and future business relationships. • Boards fundamentally prioritise risk and reward, focusing on increasing revenue, reducing costs, and ensuring regulatory compliance when evaluating initiatives. • Effective selling to the boardroom requires active listening, thorough research into specific problems, and presenting solutions with utmost simplicity, avoiding generic pitches or complex technical jargon.

If you want to find out more about Vinay or contact him, go to his website: https://customerwhisperers.com/

Curious how software products successfully reach customers? Episode 27 of The Angus and Pete Show tackles a listener's dilemma: defining the different go-to-market roles in a software vendor. Angus and Pete break down key functions, from product strategy and channel partnerships to sales enablement, especially for SaaS products with reseller channels. Learn why clear ownership, consistent messaging, and strong enablement are crucial to avoid chaos and drive market success.

Takeaways from this episode:

• Product is the Foundational Role: The Product House defines the product, its market fit, features, packaging, pricing strategy, and even operational elements like billing and order processing.
• Channel Strategy is Critical for Market Entry and Scale: The Channel organisation owns the route to market through partners, focusing on segmentation, recruitment, enablement, and financial incentives like spiffs and market development funds.
• Sales Enablement Bridges the Gap: A defined sales enablement function translates product and marketing material into actionable insights for both internal sales teams and external reseller partners, ensuring consistent and efficient communication.
• Consistent Messaging is Non-Negotiable: All teams, internal and external, must deliver a unified message, with the proposition "nailed up front," to avoid buyer confusion or exploitation of inconsistencies.
• Authoritative Cross-Functional Ownership is Paramount: Success hinges on clear, authoritative owners in the Product House, Channel organisation, and Sales, who must collaborate seamlessly due to their fundamental interdependencies.

In this episode, Angus and Pete focus on the significance of sales propositions, brand perception, and the shift from product-centric to proposition-centric strategies. They discuss how understanding the differences between brand, product, and proposition can enhance marketing efforts and drive sales. The conversation emphasizes the importance of crafting compelling propositions that resonate with buyers and differentiate offerings in a crowded market.

Takeaways

• Understand the difference between brand, product, and proposition.
• Buyers are focused on their own problems, not on your product specs.
• Differentiating is key to competitive advantage.
• Use the right language for your audience at the right time.
• A strong proposition is essential for effective selling.
• A good proposition gives you strategic differentiation.
• Crafting effective propositions is challenging but necessary.
• Focus on the customer’s needs, not just product features.

Keywords

customer engagement, sales proposition, brand, product, customer experience, differentiation, marketing strategy, contact center, CX, value proposition

In this episode, Angus and Pete talk to Phil about his extensive experience in sales engineering. He emphasizes the evolution of the sales engineer's role, the importance of understanding customer needs, and the critical nature of collaboration with product management. The conversation also covers the significance of demos, navigating RFPs, and the training and development of sales engineers. Phil shares valuable insights and pearls of wisdom for those in the sales engineering field.

Takeaways

• Understanding customer needs is crucial for effective sales.
• Demos should be tailored to the customer's specific requirements.
• Building relationships with customers is key to success.
• Collaboration with sellers and product management is vital for sales engineers.
• Training and developing sales engineers is an ongoing process.
• Listening and asking the right questions can lead to better outcomes.
• The sales engineering landscape is changing with the introduction of new technologies.

Keywords

customer engagement, sales engineering, demos, RFPs, product management, training, sales relationships, customer needs, sales process, technology

In this episode, Angus and Pete discuss the evolution and current state of dialers in CX and contact centers. They cover a bit of background, the various modes of dialing, the impact of digital channels on customer communication, and the integration of outbound voice and digital strategies to enhance customer experience. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding regulations and the need for a seamless customer journey across different communication channels.

Takeaways

• Dialers are still very relevant in customer engagement strategies.
• Digital channels are becoming the default for customer interactions.
• Asynchronous message channels see higher engagement rates than voice calls.
• Voice communication remains the go-to for urgent matters.
• It’s not about “what channel?”, but “how do you use them all together?"
• Successful outbound uses a digital first approach
• Digital channels + outbound voice could make the inbound CC obsolete.

Keywords

Customer Engagement, Dialler, Dialers, Digital Channels, Customer Experience, Outbound Calls, Predictive Dialling, Dialing, Voice Communication, Asynchronous Messaging, Customer Satisfaction, CX

In this episode, Angus and Pete look at the impact AI is really having on the CX industry and people, jobs and the customer experience. The conversation highlights the need for a clear understanding of current capabilities and the challenges faced in data management and legal considerations. Ultimately, they emphasize the importance of a strategic approach to AI in customer engagement encompassing employee training and cultural change.

Takeaways

• Evidence of AI delivering significant business benefit is still hard to find.
• A lot of vendor claims seem unrealistic and lack context.
• Study shows no clear evidence of AI reducing labour costs.
• Businesses see more benefits when employers encourage AI use.
• A strategic approach to AI is necessary for real benefits.
• Training and cultural change will drive effective adoption of AI tools.
• Understanding current state is crucial for accurate ROI predictions for AI.
• Data quality is a significant challenge for AI deployment.
• Many organisations see security and privacy as the top challenge in AI deployment.

Keywords

customer engagement, CFO, financial metrics, ROI, project viability, compliance, opportunity cost, resource allocation, business case, customer experience

In this episode, Angus and Pete focus on the critical role of CFOs in evaluating business proposals. The conversation highlights the need for CX and Contact Centre sellers to articulate their proposals in a way that resonates with financial stakeholders, ensuring that all aspects of a project are thoroughly considered before seeking approval.

Takeaways

• Highlight Strategic Alignment: Clearly demonstrate how the project aligns with the organization's strategic objectives (e.g., market expansion, operational efficiency, or innovation) and delivers measurable business value.
• Emphasize Financial Viability: Provide a detailed financial analysis, including ROI, TCO, payback period, and potential cost savings or efficiency gains. Ensure assumptions are realistic and supported by data.
• Address Risks and Mitigation: Outline key risks (financial, operational, or market) and provide robust mitigation strategies. Projects with an acceptable risk profile and clear contingency plans are more likely to be approved.
• Show Scalability and Long-term Benefits: Demonstrate how the project positions the company for future growth, supports scalability, and adapts to evolving market or technological trends.
• Consider Stakeholder Perspectives: Incorporate insights from the CEO (strategic vision), CIO (technological feasibility and security), and other key stakeholders to present a well-rounded case that addresses all critical evaluation criteria.

Keywords

customer engagement, CFO, financial metrics, ROI, project viability, compliance, opportunity cost, resource allocation, business case, customer experience

In this conversation, Terry shares his extensive experience in CX and Contact Centre sales, particularly in the public sector. He discusses the differences between public and private sector sales, the intricacies of the RFP process, and the importance of understanding the bidding landscape. Terry emphasizes the need for honesty in the procurement process and the significance of social value in public sector contracts. He also categorizes different types of RFPs and shares insights on how to navigate the tender process effectively.

Takeaways

• Most public sector procurements try to get the best for their organisation.
• The public sector sales process is structured but challenging.
• Understanding the cost gate is crucial in public sector bidding.
• The average success rate for cold tenders is between 7-8%.
• Not all public procurement processes are fair and transparent.
• RFPs often includes poorly articulated and unrealistic requirements.
• Engaging in early market conversations can influence procurement processes.
• Honesty in the tender process can lead to better outcomes for all parties.
• Social value is a critical component of public sector contracts.
• May the 4th should be a national holiday for Star Wars fans.

Keywords

customer experience, public sector, sales, RFP, bidding process, social value, procurement, tender process, business development, honesty