Perception Shapes Our Reality
I recently ran across a quote from Anais Nin which said, “We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are”. This quote offers multiple interpretations, sparking my thoughts on buying habits noticed in my career. It highlights how a strategic value assessment or roadmap enhances the value and longevity of purchased applications.
The Importance of Customization
Years ago during college I worked at golf shop that focused on the custom fitting of golf clubs. Our main purpose was to help our customers play better golf. Part of the process was to evaluate our customer’s golfing tendencies as well as skills. After the evaluation, recommendations were given on customized club specifications as well as the type of clubs that would match the skill of the player. The overarching goal was to help the player have greater success in their game. However, in many cases we had customers that simply wanted the latest and greatest club(s) off the shelf. Their perception was that the technology of the club didn’t really matter. It didn’t make a difference what the launch characteristic of the driver was. More often than not, after a few rounds they would come back and trade the club in for something “better”.
However, our most satisfied customers were those that went through the custom fitting process. It’s no surprise that their perspective differed significantly. The tailored technology’s value suited the individual perfectly. They usually kept the clubs longer and improved faster than the off the shelf customer.
Drawing Parallels: Custom Fitting and Software Applications
I think there is a direct correlation between my experience at the golf shop and my experience selling enterprise level software applications. This is why a Strategic Value Assessment is crucial for understanding and aligning your long-term goals with your software purchases. Regardless of the product or services that you buy, our perspective can have a drastic effect of the overall success, satisfaction or service of that product, both in the short term and long term goals.
In many cases the enterprise application was purchased on the “perception” it would fill a set of needs or group of needs the company has. This demonstrates their view that “We don’t see things as they are. We see them as we are”. This means the application purchase reflects the customer’s current understanding. It shows a limited perspective on the potential benefits of features and functions for their future growth. Ultimately, the value of that purchase can be quite dynamic from person to person and company to company as time goes by.
Strategies for Enhancing Application Value and ROI
To mitigate the risk and provide a faster ROI, a complete overlay that outlines each initiative- from the beginning of the implementation, throughout the life of the product, can augment it’s value significantly. Before diving deeper, consider a Strategic Value Assessment to evaluate your enterprise tool. It’s worth reaching out to a partner for this crucial step. Whether you are evaluating an enterprise tool or have already implemented the system, it is worth the time and effort to reach out to a partner for a strategic value assessment.
Introducing Strategic Value Assessments for Long-term Success
Unlike any organization in existence, Domain Systems provides strategic value assessments (SVALite™) as a complementary service to any prospective partner. Whether the need is to prioritize future projects or provide benchmarks at any point after having purchased the application SVA’s can have tremendous value at any phase of the product’s life.
Opting for a Strategic Value Assessment (SVA) has historically shown to greatly enhance the success and ROI of applications. Historically, actual ROI results demonstrate that the overall success of the application is greatly enhanced when customers opt for an SVA from a trusted and experienced partner. When that happens in business, it’s a win-win. The provider acquires a satisfied, successful customer, and the customer gains a clear perception of their needs, wants, features, and benefits of the application in total alignment. As a result, the best possible decisions are made. This ensures the long-term success of the organization through the use of the application.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Domain Systems. The author takes full responsibility for the views expressed here.
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