The Goal Is to Minimize the Server Purchase in the Scope of Their Entire Infrastructure
New Server
I just bought a new server. We would not make a move like this for another 4 or 5 years.
Objection Strategy
The goal is to minimize the Server purchase in the scope of their entire infrastructure.
· Recognize the emotional attachment to a recent expensive purchase.
· List all other components of their infrastructure to remind them of all of the other things they will eventually be replacing, and that there are other cost centers that can be eliminated.
· Point to doing an apples to apples comparison through a Total Cost of Ownership comparison.
Example Script
While I wish I was here sitting in front of you 6 months ago prior to you spending the money on the new server, timing is never perfect with these sort of things. There is always a server or switch or PC that is dying or needs to be replaced. The nice thing is you don’t have to worry about that any more with the CompleteCloud utility model.
What I wouldn’t want you to do is make a decision not to look in to CompleteCloud just because you recently bought a server. There is so much more that goes into your IT infrastructure: other servers, switches, VPNs, firewalls, PCs for all your employees, security software, Microsoft Software, internet contracts, and obviously all of this has to be monitored, maintained and supported. Lots of moving parts and expenses.
We will go through a process to build out a Total Cost of Ownership comparison, and I think you will probably see, even though you just bought a new server, the model makes sense. Who knows maybe we can help you resell the server after migration.
New PCs
I just bought all new PCs. We would not make a move like this for another 3 or 4 years.
Objection Strategy
The goal is to make them comfortable that they can use their existing PCs with the CompleteCloud infrastructure.
· New PCs will be access devices.
· When they die they will be replaced with Thin Clients.
· Never lose data or time with aging or dying computers again.
Example Script
We rarely replace all PCs with Thin Clients all at once, only when clients have really old PCs. When clients have newer computers like you do, we simply pull all of the data and applications off of the local PC and put them on the virtual machine in the data center. We then use the new PCs as access devices, and we don’t need to use a Thin Client. This saves you money, as the price is lower when we don’t have a Thin Client in place.
The nice thing is when that computer dies, we can just kick it to the curb and put a Thin Client in place. We don’t have to worry about pulling applications or data off of the old computer.
Don’t Trust the Cloud
I like seeing the server in my site, and I don’t think I trust the cloud.
Objection Strategy
The goal is to differentiate Public and Private Cloud, and then do a security comparison (physical and electronic) with an on premise environment.
· Have them first verbalize why they don’t trust the cloud.
· Most trust has to do with media/stories about big breaches in the Public Cloud
· Differentiate Public Cloud vs Private Cloud
o Public – through the internet
o Private – within domain, behind firewalls
· Compare Private Cloud to On-Premise
o Physical Comparison
o Electronic Comparison
· Wrap up by summarizing CompleteCloud as a solution that leverages an enterprise level security infrastructure to provide a better home for their computers.
Example Script
So can you give me a breakdown of why you don’t trust the cloud?
(Respond, or transition to “Don’t Trust the Cloud” objection strategy)
The Cloud can mean so many things to so many people, and unfortunately when something bad happens in the media, all Cloud solutions are tarnished. Let me start by differentiating Public Cloud and Private Cloud at a high level.
The Public Cloud you access over the internet via a browser/website. The Private Cloud sits on your domain, behind your firewalls. While the security can be great in both places, Private Cloud more closely replicates the domain and firewall security you are used to with your on premise infrastructure.
When I compare security between the Private Cloud and an on premise infrastructure, I find it effective to look at it from both a physical security and electronic security standpoint.
First physical security, if you have customer or company data that resides on PCs, or laptops it is easier for physical computer/data theft to happen. For instance, a laptop being stolen out of the back seat of a car, is much more likely to happen than someone stealing a server from a data center. To steal a physical machine from a data center, you have to make it past the security guard, biometric access, video surveillance, locked cabinets, and then good luck figuring out which server your data is actually on. It basically does not happen. So in summary your data is much more physically secure in a Private Cloud Data Center.
As for electronic security, most businesses have a small business firewall in place and hopefully accompanying virus protection and spam filter. CompleteCloud utilizes enterprise level anti-malware, spam filtering, and sophisticated monitoring and intrusion detection software. We have site, server, and edge firewalls in place protecting our clients. In general, the level of sophistication would be unaffordable under an on premise environment for most small businesses, but because it is in the cloud and leveraged by all of our clients it is available as part of our utility fee.
We have defense contractors that make missiles, and healthcare providers operating under HIPAA, and small businesses that don’t require near the security….but have it just in case.
Citrix Hangover
In a previous company, I was on a Citrix desktop, and it was slow. I don’t want to go back to that.
Objection Strategy
The goal is to differentiate our virtual desktops, to that of a Citrix desktop or other terminal solution.
· Acknowledge that you hear this often
· Not all virtual desktops are created equal
Example Script
We often hear this about Citrix solutions, both desktop and applications. We don’t use Citrix for anything. Just like everything in life, all things are not created equal…including virtual desktops.
We utilize VMWare at the Hypervisor, and have otherwise developed all of our own management tools. Each user has a dedicated Windows 7 64B computer. We rarely use terminal server to deliver desktops, which is often times where the Citrix issues come into play.
We have decades of virtualization experience and designed and optimized the CompleteCloud system to work for the users of small to midsized businesses. We have successfully migrated users from both on premise and other cloud platforms successfully. Thousands of users are on the platform, and have been for years. We have a 99% year over year user retention, which points to a solution the works, and an experience that users enjoy.
Out of Business
What if Avatara goes out of business? What would I do then?
Objection Strategy
The goal is to establish staying power and the ability to back us up.
· Avatara has been around since 2005, and a National footprint of clients and partners.
· Discuss high level financial stability
· Establish the ability to back us up locally or with another vender.
Example Script
This is an understandable concern, as you are just meeting Avatara. However, Avatara has been around since 2005 and has thousands of users on the platform and a National footprint of clients and partners. This is not a start-up company that will be gone in 18 months. While you would not put them into “To Big to Fail” category, they are most likely to be acquired or taken over if they were to fall into any sort of financial situation. The business is cash flow positive, and utilizes debt for hardware purchases only.
All of this being said, your data is your data. Your worst case situation would be a migration to another cloud provider or back to an on premise environment. I am sure there would be people lining up at your door to help you do this.
Also, some of our clients do take the measure to backup “our backup”. In other words we setup workflows to send data backups to entities not controlled by Avatara.
My Apps are Different.
You don’t have any experience with my applications, how do you know it will work?
Objection Strategy
The goal is to make them comfortable with our diligence process of reviewing applications upfront, and our ability to maintain going forward.
· Every business has unique applications
· Explain Pre-Proposal Process
· Give examples of Software experience and team’s ability to support and maintain diverse environments.
Example Script
I completely understand your concern, and we often hear this on the front end of the sales process. After all, if your apps don’t work your business will be stuck.
Before we put a proposal in front of you, we will do a complete assessment which will include looking at your applications. We will identify if we have experience with the applications. If we do not, we do research with the software company and on forums to discover the best implementation method for successful long term operation. Often times we will get on the phone with the software provider to review server specifications.
All this being said we have experience with custom home grown applications as well as many off the shelf apps including ERP, CRM, Accounting systems, HR packages, CAD, document management, etc. We actually find many similarities across applications, so we find the diversity of our knowledge to be to our benefit when supporting new software.
$170 seems expensive
$170 a month, but I can get a computer for $1000, that doesn’t make sense.
My managed IT contract is only $100 per user, that doesn’t make sense.
Objection Strategy
The goal is to get to an apples to apples comparison, and then transition the conversation to employee productivity which is most important.
· Establish that all things are being compared to the $170 a month fee including PC, servers, switches/Firewalls, Microsoft SW, internet, support, DR, etc.
· Offer to utilize TCO to help them systematically get to a fair comparison.
· Point the conversation towards productivity and profitability enhancers:
o All new server based hardware/SW
o Access to computers and work from anywhere
o 24/7 support keeping workers working
o Business Continuity, getting users working after a disaster
· Close with predictable cost structure with Utility Model
Example Script
It is important when you make cost comparisons that you look at the whole picture; we often get compared against just the PC or just the support model. CompleteCloud utility fee includes all hardware, software, internet, and support. You buy no more: PCs, Servers, Switches/Firewalls, Microsoft Licenses, Internet, or support. As part of our sales process we can build a Total Cost of Ownership model for you to make a good comparison to our Utility model.
Probably more important than whether or not we are $500 more or less a month is the enhancement of productivity that comes with our platform.
1. Starting with a complete refresh on a server based platform, which is much more reliable than the traditional PC based platform.
2. All employees have access to their computer and network from anywhere and any device, which drives employee satisfaction and productivity.
3. Out 24/7 support gets people back on their feet if their system is having issues. This is huge when work is happening after hours.
4. CompleteCloud provides complete business continuity if something where to happen to your site.
All this drives productivity and profitability. Further the system is delivered on a very predictable pricing model, with no surprises, which CFOs and financially minded business owners love.
When there is no Internet
What do we do when the internet goes out?
Objection Strategy
The goal is to explain what is actually down when the internet goes out, and discuss the appropriate contingency plans.
· How often and for how long have you had outages at your location
· Systems are not down, just access to them
· Discuss options that are appropriate for the business.
Example Script
How often does your internet go down?
For how long is it usually out?
We have found that most ISPs go down 1-3 times a year and it is usually 1-15 minutes. If this is unacceptable for a business, than we start to discuss contingency plans.
In some cases we us 4G modems as a backup to the primary provider. In other cases, people just pop up hot spots from their phones. It just depends on the work environment and user base.
In most cases, business are satisfied with a couple 15 minute outages a year, as they have more than this now with their existing environment. The key thing to remember, is your computers are not actually down, so there is flexibility in an emergency to work at home or another location as well.