How We Standardized Our Process and Delighted Our Customers

If your software business provides implementation and training, you can probably relate to the balancing act of satisfying customer demands while making a profit.

Most of the software businesses in our portfolio provide implementation and training to complement their products. Project timelines can range from a few days to a few months depending on the relative complexity, and customer profile.

When a prospect asks us: “what is the implementation timeline?” More often than not, the response is that “it depends” on many qualifying variables including client resource availability, hours committed to the project, internal resource availability, project complexity, data conversion required, etc.

The Problem with “It Depends”

While it may be an honest answer, no prospect wants to hear “It depends”. Vague timelines slow down the positive traction established during the sale process, often result in project delays, and can start the customer relationship off on the wrong foot. Most importantly, a delayed plan is lost revenue. You do not want to be in a position where you sold 10 modules, yet only 5 get implemented in the first year.

Solution Overview

To streamline customer implementations and manage expectations, we developed a process to maximize the chance for success and customer satisfaction. The basic framework is:

1. Explore your Company’s current implementation process
2. Identify friction points
3. Develop a standard plan
4. Understand skills for resource allocation
5. Create incentives based on implementation benchmarks

You’ll find more details in our latest guide, so be sure to give it a look.