What Do Customers Want Now? Trends From The Hive

Our Linked In group members had some answers to our question about what customer want now in this emerging market.

Brian Casto from Group19 says on the group Best Sales Practices, "Many customers and prospects I speak with now are looking for benefits with deferred costs or shared costs. They are encouraging service providers to take more risk and get paid based on a percent of future savings, percent of new future revenue, or similar."  He goes on to say, "A company offering a distinctive unique value proposition clearly will continue to have an advantage, perhaps gaining share in a shrinking market."  

Over on Sales Labs, Steve Gielda from Sales Momentum sums it up.  "The more successful you can make your customer in this down economy the more successful you will be. Begin demonstrating how your product helps solve their REAL concerns as opposed to just why your product is better than the competition."

These comments and the results from our most recent C-Lens Index Scan of customers reflect a clear sign that customers want 1) help and 2) ideas from the sales process.  Order-taking and efficient delivery of products and services are expected; creativity and knowledge are need.

Are we on the right track here?