So you want to do an assessment, huh? So you enjoy short-changing your clients? No....then don't do a stinkin' assessment! Look, assessments are like a**holes...Everyone's got one and they all stink!
Okay, not everyone. But 99.9+% do. There aren't many people out there who do more than get toner cartridge cost and run a rapid assessment key. Armed with this high quality data they make assumption after assumption after assumption after assumption that shows, with 100% surety, that they can save this client 30% on their current costs. Oh dear Lord, what a miracle!
I've given up the assessment fight and just decided to find a different word. I'm tired of being lumped in with all the reps that do the same "show up and throw up" story in front of every client. Don't associate me with those limp attempts at "consulting".
The fact of the matter is that salespeople who use a quick and dirty "assessment" not only short change the prospect, but themselves as well. By not doing a thorough job of identifying the true cost of operating the environment salespeople leave costs, and potential margin, on the table in an effort to get pages under contract. When you understand where documents originate from, and the purpose that they serve, worlds of opportunity present themselves. Suddenly you stop playing the commodity game.
Since the CFO is my primary contact point why not choose a term that they are familiar with, something that has some meaning behind it? Of course, if you do not understand the CFO language you can quickly show yourself as a poser trying to use big words you don't understand.
Let's think about this. We want to deliver an impactful message to the CFO. What is a term that they understand and could have some meaning to them? Well, just about every CFO has some kind of accounting background. So what are accountants most known for in business. I would venture to say audits. So let's take a look at the word audit.
au⋅dit
–noun
1. an official examination and verification of accounts and records, esp. of financial accounts.
2. a report or statement reflecting an audit; a final statement of account.
3. the inspection or examination of a building or other facility to evaluate or improve its appropriateness, safety, efficiency, or the like: An energy audit can suggest ways to reduce home fuel bills.
–verb (used with object)
6. to make an audit of; examine (accounts, records, etc.) for purposes of verification: The accountants audited the company's books at the end of the fiscal year.
8. to make an audit of (a building or other facility) to evaluate or improve its safety, efficiency, or the like.
Dictionary.com UnabridgedBased on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009
Hmmm...how appropriate is this? Let's examine #3 above. "The inspection or examination of a building or other facility to evaluate or improve its appropriateness, safety, efficiency, or the like". Not bad. Obviously we're not examining a facility, but if we substitute process in its place we may be on to something. But what does this mean?
If you talk with auditors about the process of auditing they will tell you that it is NOT about numbers. It is about examining processes. For an auditor to go through and check all the numbers processed in a company would take forever. Instead, what they do is examine the process that figures go through within a given company to determine if the process is appropriate for the desired outcome.
What does this have to do with MPS? The answer is that by engulfing ourselves in meter readings, supply costs, support costs, etc. we are missing the bigger picture. It is a very myopic view of the world. The value lies in understanding not how much is being printed and what it is costing, but rather in understanding the associated processes. What is the purpose of a given document (or better yet the information it contains), why is it being printed, is it necessary to deliver the desired outcome?
If you can understand the answer to these, and other, questions you are begining to uncover the real business opportunity that MPS (or whatever you want to call it) presents. By stepping back and looking at the bigger picture you provide you and your client with more valuable information and the ability to deliver more impactful solutions to address issues of more importance than "What are you paying for your supplies?".
So dump the "assessment". What good is it doing anyway? I guess it's good for prospects who can take your information and write their CPP RFP from it, but what are you getting out of it?
"There are no shortcuts to any place worth going."
- Publilius Syrus (~100 BC)
Print, Inc (now Pitney Bose) conducted several surveys on what to call the "discovery process". Actually the word "Audit" came in towards the bottom of list due to connotations with 'tax audit' and other less pleasurable experiences.
ReplyDeleteComing from a copier rep background I had heard of that and other very similar reasons for the language selection.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found interesting in talking with CFO's, and those with audit experience, was how audits are processed focused rather than numbers focused.
I've found that when i explain the purpose behind the language to a financial audience it sparks a new level of interest.
Obviously, not all MPS office assessments are alike. Sometimes customers are looking for a rapid assessment and some are looking for in-depth analysis. I know Xerox uses Lean Six Sigma methodologies in their Office Document Assessment. They use various LSS tools to capture voice of the business, customer and the process to identify process improvements, cost savings and service delivery improvement opportunities. Call it what you want...an assessment, an audit, a study.
ReplyDeleteMark -
ReplyDeleteI agree that not all opportunities are created equal. And the vocabulary is not as important as the execution.
What has been concerning is the number of companies executing assessments that miss the bigger opportunities to deliver value to clients.
Some simply don't have the ability to deliver these kind of solutions, but far too many (manufacturers especially)use the assessment as a means to push their box whether it is actually necessary or not.
Thanks for your thoughts. Keep coming back.