The No Decision Outcome

In 20-plus years of B2B selling, the most common competitor I have encountered in sales, the competitor who is always present and who wins way too much of the time is the “Status Quo”. This is more commonly known as the no decision outcome.

To gain better insight into why the no decision outcome occurs, research conducted a number of years ago identified a number of reasons. By far the one primary reason for the no decision outcome, is a product-oriented approach when selling.

A product-oriented approach is when the seller is talking incessantly about the features and functions of the product without fully identifying the client key requirements. This is in contrast to a customer-oriented approach which focuses on the best outcome for the buyer.

A customer – oriented approach works to uncover the full business requirements that the customer is looking to address. There may be various outcomes. Typically the outcome that the client is seeking will be to fix or avoid business problems or accomplish something.

In previous blogs, I examined a number of drivers that help create customer oriented value. These included:

1. Helping the customer successfully articulate the problem implication dialogue.
2. Having a consultative approach to selling.
3. Ensuring all sales opportunities are appropriately and accurately qualified
4. Ensuring that your sales path is closing reflecting the customers buying journey
5. Successfully uncovering and fully addressing the customers objections.

In creating a more customer – oriented approach to selling and in navigating the customer through the above stages, the likelihood ending with the no decision outcome should be greatly reduced.

When the no decision outcome occurs, the seller has fundamentally failed to demonstrate how their offering can achieve the desired outcome for the customer. As sales professionals, we first need to engage the buyers in the good, bad, and ugly of their current daily struggle. From there, we can help the buyers recognize they even have a problem. While all the signs may be pointing to it, unless we enable them to internalize the true pain of their current state, the no decision outcome will continue to prevail.

How a CRM can help with the No Decision Outcome

A CRM system benefits an organisation through the visibility of its sales activities. This visibility is fundamental to managing sales performance and control of the sales process. This visibility enables management to understand why, when, who and how opportunities are being won, stalled, or being lost and being assigned the no decision outcome.  If it cannot be monitored, it cannot be managed. The visibility offered within the CRM system also allows management to make educated business decisions based on hard data. A CRM system will enable structured data to be used to access performance. This assessment should indicate which salesperson is out performing others.

How ProAptivity can help with the No Decision Outcome

ProAptivity are an independent CRM solutions provider. We focus on the implementation, training, and support of highly customised CRM software solutions. Our CRM software supported by our sales training provide customers with the tools needed to deliver successful sales process management.

Fundamentally, we help organisations embed CRM best practice throughout their organisation. This helps organisations become more competitive, customer focused and ultimately more profitable.

If you need help in understanding why my business needs CRM, maybe some of our  eBooks could help! Alternatively visit Maximizer CRM for more information. Contact us today on 028 9099 6388 or via info@proaptivity.com. Contact us today for a free CRM consultation that will assess if your business is CRM ready. Alternatively, our sales training programs may help address skills shortfalls in the sales team.