A salesperson is the first point of contact for a Prospect, who sets the right platform for futuristic business for both the organization and the Prospect. But, the actual business conversation starts with the Presales. They set the tone right for the Prospect for continual business and a long-lasting relationship.
Trusted advisor
Presales are just not about delivering a technical closure for a sales opportunity. It is the first step to providing a greater customer experience. The presales team has to invest their time and resources to have a deep understanding of the Prospect’s needs and competitive analysis.
They have the ability to shape up a fruitful conversation that dwells on addressing their needs as well as positioning the product/service above the competitor scenario.
Accelerate the Sales Cycle
The primary focus of Presales is to deliver an experience to the Prospect during every stage of their business journey. This experience, in turn, relates and contributes to achieving the customer’s strategic goals. They help in accelerating the revenue and guide customers/prospects to make the right investment
Expansion of Value
A well-knit Presales team leaves a long-lasting impact on the prospect/customer and business. This top-notch team of the organization should predict the Prospect’s requirements with greater precision and provide technical expertise and show Sales acumen before the purchase is done. The likelihood of renewals or up-sell hugely depends on this experience. This paves way for future expansion of the business.
“Companies with strong presales capabilities consistently achieve win rates of 40–50% in new business and 80–90% in renewal business” – McKinsey
A Presales Engineer is more trusted and respected by the Customers. They are a valuable asset in the sales arsenal and a trusted guide for the customer. Revenue, Customer Satisfaction, future growth, and market presence all begins with this Presales journey. To win and retain lifelong customers, I believe the organization needs to leverage and improve its pre-sales capabilities. They will be a clear differentiator from your competitors.
It needs a special mention in my blogs, as I have had the opportunity to work and lead a team of Presales Engineers in the organizations(Zoho and Freshworks) that I have worked so far. Stay tuned to my blogs for the next couple of weeks to gain deep insights into the Presales Activities, Roles and Responsibilities, and the Importance of Presales.
Hi Ramesh,
This completely resonates with me. I’ve been lucky enough to experience this first hand when I’ve dealt with customers who keep coming back for the simple reason, we, as Presales, took our time to put their business needs first. I’m keen to know your thoughts on the below though, something I’d love to hear from you when you were leading a team.
“To win and retain lifelong customers, I believe the organization needs to leverage and improve its pre-sales capabilities. They will be a clear differentiator from your competitors.”
It is implied that Presales job finishes once the sale is done. Only a few companies ensure that the presales team is active even after the sales are made. Their alignment with CSM and implementation teams not only ensures a successful rollout and operation of the product but also delivers the values promised to the customers, during the purchase cycle. This approach can help improve retention rates by 20%.