Attainment Measurement (Prerequisite)

For both customers and you, this filter is the single most important piece of information you need to have. It is how you and customers know how they measure the attainment of their goals. You have discussed with customers many details concerning the previous eight filters. You combine and summarize the decision makers' prerequisites of dates and funds with their SOEs and measurable benefits. This summary forms the attainment measurement (often referred to in sales vernacular by using the more general term critical success factors) and sets the conditions for achieving their goals. This summary also provides customers with the opportunity to confirm (or add any missing ones) that all the requirements that need to be satisfied for achieving their goals have been identified.

Sounds familiar? The attainment measurement encompasses Column 1 and Column 2. Again, by packaging the measurable benefits with price and delivery, you can offset lower competitive prices or value-justify your own price when there is no competition. You also use the measurable benefits to offset competitors' quicker delivery dates, existing relationships, or costs of change. For instance, if your product takes longer to deliver, you will need to show customers (if possible) that even with the delay, your products will produce more measurable benefits than competitors over a six- or twelve-month period.

Example

The goal of Ralph Cortez, the vice president of production, is to increase manufacturing capacity by 25 percent. Alan Robbins sells high-capacity production equipment and has found out the following data to help Ralph define his attainment measurement:

• A 25 percent increase means going from 2,000 to 2,500 units per hour.

• Ralph uses units per hour as his SOE. Production runs 5,000 hours annually.

• Each unit generates $.04 per hour of profit.

• The completion date is October.

• Funding is $50,000.

• Measurable benefits are $20 per hour (500 more units x $.04).

Mark summarizes Ralph's attainment measurement as the advocate/FDM as follows:

• Alan: So, Ralph. We went over a lot of details about increasing capacity to 2,500 units per hour (goal and SOE). You want to be up and running by October (completion date), and not spend more than $50,000 (funding). This productivity gain would produce $20 more per hour, or about $100,000 annually (measurable benefit). Is there anything else?

• Ralph: We also want at least an eighteen-month payback.

• Alan: In addition to the other requirements you stated, with an eighteen-month payback, would you feel you achieved your goal of increasing capacity by 25 percent?

• Ralph: Absolutely!

• Alan: I'll review your situation with my engineering group and we'll see what we can come up with.

Ralph and Mark now both know what it will take to achieve Ralph's goal of increasing capacity by 25 percent. You will also use attainment measurements to know what your products need to do to earn the sale.

Note

Often, attainment measurements surface when you make customers' goals measurable. For instance, in the previous example, you could find out much of the attainment measurement details by simply asking Ralph, "How would you know if you increased productivity by 25 percent?'' Again, you need to start with customers' goals.

Attainment measurements eliminate the "I hope this solves our problems or achieves our objectives'' concerns for customers. They also eliminate the "I hope my products meet their requirements'' concerns for you. The risk of being disappointed or not meeting each other's expectations are gone. When you satisfy a customer's attainment measurements, you never have to say you are sorry. They earn you repeat business and long-term, loyal customers.

Attainment measurements resemble "trial closes'' that customers do on themselves. A major difference exists between a customer's trial closes and a salesperson's. Customers are not agreeing to buy specific products if certain conditions are met. They are agreeing that specific goals are worth achieving if they can satisfy the conditions of their attainment measurements. Chapter 6 covers this topic.