Validate
After you understand the customer’s situation through good questioning, careful listening, and note taking, it is important to summarize what you’ve heard. Use your notes from the discovery phase to reiterate your findings. And mirror their language and expressions to let them know you’re on the same page.Once you have completed detailed discovery, it is time to work with the customer to develop a mutual success plan.
- Start with the customer’s timeline. Set a go-live date based on their needs, and work backward from the go-live date to all of the activities that need to be completed to achieve that date.
- Consider their budget. How complex is their procurement process? Do you have the names and contact information for the people that will drive budget approval and financing within the customer's organization?
- Identify authority. How many people are involved in the decision process? Include their names in the mutual success plan.
- Document the customer's need. Is this need a priority compared to other needs in their business? Are you aware of other priorities that could impact the solution being implemented? Are there additional steps you need to add to your plan?
- Stay in touch. Communicate with your customer on a regular basis to keep the deal moving using the mutual success plan email template.