Discussion Timeline:
Initial Discovery Call (Date: [MM/DD])
Key Points Discussed: Current knowledge management challenges, team size and structure, existing tool evaluation
Outcomes: Identified pain points around information silos, established budget range, scheduled technical demo
Stakeholders Present: VP Operations (decision maker), IT Director (technical evaluator), Team Lead (end user representative)
Technical Demo Session (Date: [MM/DD])
Key Points Discussed: AI search capabilities, integration requirements, security and compliance needs
Outcomes: Positive response to search accuracy, concerns about implementation timeline, request for security documentation
Follow-up Commitments: Security whitepaper delivered, reference customer call scheduled
Stakeholder Expansion Call (Date: [MM/DD])
Key Points Discussed: ROI projections, change management planning, competitive evaluation status
Outcomes: CFO engagement confirmed, business case development requested, decision timeline extended to Q1
Strategic Insights:
Customer Priorities (Ranked by Importance)
- 1. ROI and Productivity Gains: Must demonstrate measurable impact on team efficiency
- 2. Security and Compliance: Financial services regulations require robust security controls
- 3. Implementation Speed: Want to deploy before busy season (Q2), minimal disruption preferred
- 4. User Adoption: Previous tool implementations failed due to poor adoption rates
Decision Criteria
- Technical Fit: Integration with existing Microsoft ecosystem, search accuracy benchmarks
- Business Case: 12-month payback period required, productivity metrics must be quantifiable
- Vendor Stability: Financial health, customer references, long-term product roadmap
Stakeholder Dynamics
- VP Operations: Primary champion, focused on business outcomes, budget authority up to $150K
- IT Director: Technical gatekeeper, concerned about security and maintenance overhead
- CFO: Recently engaged, focused on ROI validation and contract terms
- End Users: Skeptical due to previous failed implementations, need hands-on proof
Outstanding Items:
- Business Case Development: Custom ROI analysis with their specific productivity metrics - due by [date]
- Reference Customer Call: Similar financial services company implementation - scheduled for [date]
- Security Deep Dive: Technical session with IT Director on compliance requirements - needs scheduling
- Competitive Comparison: Head-to-head analysis vs Microsoft SharePoint - requested by IT Director
- Pilot Program Proposal: 30-day trial with specific department - scope to be defined
- Contract Terms Review: CFO requested custom terms discussion - legal review needed
Meeting Preparation:
Suggested Meeting Objectives
- Primary: Present customized business case with ROI projections based on their specific metrics
- Secondary: Address remaining technical concerns and finalize pilot program scope
- Tertiary: Establish decision timeline and next steps toward contract negotiation
Strategic Follow-up Questions
- "Based on our ROI analysis showing $280K annual savings, how does this align with your productivity improvement targets for this year?"
- "Given your concerns about user adoption, what specific change management support would make you most confident in a successful rollout?"
- "The IT Director mentioned SharePoint integration - can we walk through how our Microsoft ecosystem integration addresses your specific workflow requirements?"
- "What would need to happen in the pilot program to give you confidence to move forward with a full implementation?"
- "From a timing perspective, what's the latest decision date that would still allow for your Q2 busy season deadline?"
Meeting Success Metrics
- ✓ Business case accepted and approved for internal socialization
- ✓ Pilot program scope and timeline agreed upon
- ✓ Technical concerns resolved with IT Director buy-in
- ✓ Clear next steps and decision timeline established
- ✓ Budget and approval process confirmed
