Week2
4 steps to remember:
1. Answer the real question
2. Be effective and concise in your communication
3. Knowledge vs wisdom
4. It’s all about connection
Answer the real question-----STQ
S(situation) : understand the context
T(trigger) : pinpoint the realcause
Q(question) : answer the real question
Structuring & Discerning:
Structuring: break it down
Costs / revenues
Business components
Value chain
Markets /customers
Product mix
Discerning: focus on key drivers, let go of needing to know ‘everything’, regularly check in
with the team and client to stay focussed
Knowledge vs wisdom: Client know more than you think/believe; Focus on finding a real
solution instead of being right; in the end, its about bringing true and realistic value to move
forward.
It’s all about connection: Rapport:关系融洽
Make the client the owner of the solution (surpass our own ‘ego’)
Collaboration
Focus on:
Building trust
Two-way communication
Transparancy and clarity
Openness
The core of consulting always been about: trust, proper education, sector focus, deep
expertise research, ‘learned there, deliver here’, passion, long lasting relationships
Who want a client for life:
Consulting firms aim for long lasting relationships, building trusted relationship and be
partner in the strategi priorities.
However the BIG 4(Audit and advisory) find an interesting (extra) challenge in the
mandatory firm rotation (MFR)
Consultant(ourselves like long lasting relationships with people
Executives, decision makers do like credible people and firms with whom they build a
trusted relationship;
Clients like stability and deep understanding, however they sometimes require to take
independent positions, organize beauty contests and set up for competition to get the right
value for the right price
How consulting firm’s organize themselves?
Strategic account management:
Connect with your clients’ strategic objectives: where clients set ambitions and priorities;
where many functions of clients organization will have to contribute; where money is going
to be spend.
Intentional relationships:有意向的关系
1. Strong 2. Moderate 3. Acquaintance 4. None
Identify key relationships that will enable you in your aim for value creation -> understand
the strengths of relationships -> work on it
Roles in the selling process:
Economic buyer：最终决策者。
Technical buyer：关心方案可行性。Owns the functional solution
User：使用者，直接受到影响。
Coach：内部支持者，提供信息和帮助。Open communication, shares and supports
HARVARD：
The value proposition to your client is all inclusive, encompassing both
the comprehensive service you provide and the process with which
you provide it. Because it is the entire experience of working with you
that matters to the client, your value proposition has a personal
element that is critical to the person purchasing your service
Key Insight:
1. every company needs and uses external support, from high-end
strategic consults to temporary capacity of expert capabilities.
2. The buying organisations have professionalized, the buying process
however is still very complex.
3. It’s about commercial objective, functional objectives and personal
objectives.
4. Quickly changing markets: collaboration, asset-based approaches,
managed services
5. The ‘commercial’ competence is an important part of being a
consulting professional. It’s about understanding, connecting,
creativity, courage and passion.