Page 25 - HBR's 10 Must Reads - On Sales

BONOMA

may or may not fulfill its promise. Because benefits have value only
if they actually are delivered, the buyer must be confident that the
selling company will keep its promises. Well-known vendors, like
IBM or Xerox, may have some advantage over lesser-known compa-
nies in this respect.
As marketers know, not all promised benefits will be equally de-
sired by all customers. All buyers have top-priority benefit classes, or
“hot buttons.” For example, a telecommunications manager weigh-
ing a choice between Bell and non-Bell equipment will find some
benefits, like ownership, available only from non-Bell vendors.
Other desired benefits, such as reputation for service and reliability,
may be available to a much greater degree from Bell. The buyer who
has financial priorities as a hot button may decide to risk possible
service-reliability problems for the cost-reduction benefits available
through ownership. Another manager—one primarily concerned
with reducing the social-political risks that result from service
problems—may reach a different decision. The exhibit “Dominant
motives for buying a telecommunications system” schematically

Dominant motives for buying a telecommunications system
The benefits in the shaded column are more highly valued than the others and
represent the company’s “hot button.”

Benefit class
Financial Product or service Social or political Personal
Absolute cost Pre- and postsales Will purchase Will purchase
savings service enhance the buyer’s increase others’
standing with the liking or respect for
Cheaper than Specific features buying team or top the buyer?
competitive management?
offerings Space occupied by How does purchase
unit fit with buyer’s
Will provide self-concept?
operating-cost Availability
reductions
Economics of
leasing versus
buying

15