Selling Solutions, Not Just Services: The Role of Consultative Sales in Software Development

Selling Solutions, Not Just Services: The Role of Consultative Sales in Software Development

The global revenue of the software consulting industry is forecasted to reach USD 67.82 billion by 2023 and grow at an annual projected rate of 5.11% CAGR from 2023-28. There is a growing preference towards the digitization of business processes across different industries and technological advancements in the cloud and data analytics are driving demand for innovation in the delivery of software services and improving business decision-making.

Selling a service and a product are very similar to each other. They involve:

·         Offering reliability and the highest quality standards to customers

·         Providing post-sale follow-up support for specific checkpoints

·         Ensuring constant and consistent supply on time and until whatever agreed timelines without any delays or disruptions in delivery

Multinational giants like IBM, Siemens, and Alstom are now combining products with services to deliver customer-specific high-value solutions and moving away from just selling software development services. In a shifting consumer-care landscape, a transition towards more holistic customer engagement is critical and discontent can cause companies to miss out on sales opportunities and foster strong relationships.

Technology leaders like Amazon and Apple tailor and personalize engagement for every touchpoint and are raising the bar for various industries. Customers now expect highly personalized interactions, emotional connectivity, and operational efficiency across multiple channels and expect more than just simple transactions or services.

Adapting to this trend will require companies to evaluate their current mindset and take new approaches. From a business point of view, software consulting services will be in more demand than ever and empathy and active listening are core components of every emerging sales strategy.

According to Jeffrey Gitomer’s wise words: “People don’t like to be sold, but they love to buy.”

This paradox is a tricky and delicate line but demonstrates consultative selling at its finest. Consultative selling focuses on asking the right questions to clients and educating them about potential results based on inputs from their research. It's only successful when companies are authentic and seek to help prospects. Pushing sales too fast or any major changes in the software development lifecycle are the wrong ways.

Let's say your ideal customer wants to invest in a CRM system but isn't sure if it's right for the company's overall business strategy. That's where you come in and educate them on the different ways the CRM software can be used. Whether or not they make a buy is a different outcome and one that's not to be expected. The goal here is the provide value and build a strong relationship so that buyers come back in the future and likely send referrals.

Remember, consultative sales are about selling a solution, not just a product or service.

Conclusion

Product-based selling focuses on the direct benefits and features of products and short-term wins. Service-based selling emphasizes customer interactions and may not craft the right products. Consultative selling relies on delivering value to customers and ensuring their continued success. It's better since it drives loyalty and defines the baseline for future purchases.

And if you’re not sure about your next software development project, you can try out our DevOps consulting services.

Yogesh Gaur

Senior Advisor-Technology Strategy & Financial Planning

1y

Congrats

Uttam Kumar Das

Regional Manager l Odisha l Insurance Dekho l

1y

Well mentioned Chief

Mangesh Athavale

Mastermind of IT Strategies | Elevating Businesses to New Heights : On demand Delivery Application Solutions (iOS Android) | WordPress | PHP | Angular | Node | Vue.js

1y

Vipin Sharma Sir, in a constructive manner, we need to understand the client's consequences what exactly the requirement has and what we deliver to them or articulate to them. Well, that's our USP to be a salesperson is not about selling anything but understanding the client's or customer's needs.🤝🏻🙏😊

K K Ranga

Top Digital Marketing Voice | Business Head & Senior Vice President @ dentsu international india | Sales & Marketing Leadership | Hyperlocal Marketing |

1y

Absolutely agree! In a digital landscape, the true power lies in understanding and addressing clients' needs. Consultative sales pave the way for meaningful, long-term relationships. Heading to check out the article now—excited to dive into the world of solutions over sales. Thanks for the share! #SolutionFocused 🚀

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