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66 • The 100 Greatest Ideas for Building the Business of Your Dreams

The second point of concern for salespeople at this stage is to make sure that
their products and services can do what the customer requires. From an under-
standing of their offerings and of the competitions', they will try to ensure that any
unique elements in their portfolio have a place in the customer requirement.

The end of this stage is the production of a document outlining the exact speci-
fication of the technology the prospect wants to buy. You must get involved in this.
You will be at a significant disadvantage during the tendering process if your com-
petition is helping the customer write the specification.

I well remember in times gone by, a British manufacturer spelt the word for
computer storage 'disc', while their main American competitor spelt it 'disk'. Sales
people were always eager to see which spelling the prospect chose in the tender
document, as this was an indication of where their preference lay.

Step 6 - Select the necessary productsand services and their suppliers

Senior management has a number of concerns. The key issue for them is that their
managers choose the correct suppliers. This ensures that the project is successful,
measured by 'on time and within budget'. They want the best deal possible, some-
times measured by 'the cheapest', but in complex projects frequently described as
'best value for money'.

Another issue is that their managers subject the project to their normal tender-
ing procedures. They want to be sure that no-one brings unreasonable pressure on
their technicians or buyers which would lead to them selecting a particular supplier
and making a mistake.

The board looks at any capital investment project in terms of its relevance to
the business and to its main strategies. 'Is it hitting at the key issues we are facing
and assisting with the implementation of our key strategies?' 'Is it part of our general
direction and will it remain so for the life of the project?'