Setting the scene
At ITKI we combine an understanding of IT with an understanding of psychology to support customer interactions. We do not claim rigorous scientific grounds but proven practical concepts.
We focus on facilitating customer interactions in the context of IT. Specifically, we help to bridge the gap between providers of AI, blockchain, IoT, Cloud Native technologies and services and potential customers that know they have use cases for that, but cannot identify them.
Individuals
Every individual tries to survive and is prepared to fight for resources. As the saying goes “In the alliance, even the weak are strong” people cooperate with anyone who might be useful to them.
Just as individuals wrestle with each other to see who is stronger, so do groups, organizations, and nations. People pick alliances with people they perceive as useful.
Perception might be misled by all possible human cognitive biases. To be successful you need to be perceived as useful. That doesn’t mean to cheat. Quite the opposite. In today’s transparent world authenticity, open communication and commitment should be a given.
Business
The information age has changed how the economy works in many areas. What we have seen under the label of digitalization was just the beginning. We can expect a digital twin to become available for any physical entity
Humans, machines, and assets will become digitized, enabling automatic processes that increase output
Technology
Clouds with container technology provide an infrastructure. AI, IoT, Blockchain will be enabling technologies. The best overarching concept might be the digital twins that can be used in almost every context including:
- Supply chains
- Retail
- Manufacturing
- Health
- Facility Management
Generic value proposition:
- Reduced effort
- Reduced risk
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Increased productivity
- Increased resilience
Complication
But…
… engineers love their technology but have often no clue about business environments.
… and technical solutions are useless in themselves if they do not help to solve a problem.
… common salespeople lack both, a deep understanding of technology and the possible use cases in customers’ environments.
… customers’ IT departments are busy keeping the lights on and again, lacking new tech and business case knowledge.
… customers’ potential users are distributed in special branch departments and either has no idea of the potential or nobody to go to.
… management heard about the potential and kicks off activities, but … see above.
Solutions
Both the technology and service provider needs to evolve to adjust their sales and marketing activities to the fuzzy product-market fit. The potential customer should prepare before engaging with potential service providers. If the use cases are not defined both parties have a moving target.
- Bring in a translater for all stakeholder groups. You guessed it, we at ITKI.Consulting can do this.
- Classical business developers and salespeople need to transform into consultative salespeople and bring consultants and solution architects early on.
- At the same time business managers in potential customers organizations profit from use case examples and technology briefings. Usually, there are only workstreams first that need some internal analysis.
- Once there is a possible business case potential partners can be identified and both parties can join in a co-creation workshop.
- Start with the most pressing business issues, prioritize and keep asking questions. Make always sure you have all stakeholders on board.
Continuous transformation
As technologies evolve at an ever-accelerating pace, make digital transformation a habit and set up cadences that repeatedly match new ways to do things to your business.
It’s a make-or-break competency. But if you start now you might be still ahead of the pack.
