the challenger customer

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The Challenger Customer

© 2015 CEB. All rights reserved

@nick_toman#ChallengerCustomer

Nick TomanGlobal Practice Leader, Sales & Service, CEBCo-author, The Challenger Customer

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Traversing the Solutions Graveyard

Customer Status Quo

Agreement on a Vision

Purchase Decision

Single Stakeholder Agreement

Organizational Consensus

©2017CEB . All Rights Reserved .

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Bigger Groups, Fewer Purchases


n = 3,000.

0%

50%

100%

81%

55%53%

31%

1 2 3 4 5 6+Size of Buying Team

60%Purchase

Likelihood

60%

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n = 3,000.

0%

50%

100%

81%

55%

53%

31%


60%Purchase

Likelihood

60%

5.4Average Buying

Group Size

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n = 3,000.

0%

50%

100%

81%

55%53%


60%Purchase

Likelihood

60%

31%

5.4Average Buying

Group Size

6.8

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Track ‘Em Down, Win ‘Em Over


Stakeholder 1: CIORep Angle: Minimal work-flow disruptionPositioning: Seamless integration with legacy systems

Stakeholder “Closed”

Stakeholder 2: Financial AnalystRep Angle: Cost savingsPositioning: Marketing expense efficiencies


Stakeholder 3: MarketerRep Angle: Deeper customer segmentationPositioning: Micro-segmentation targeting strategies


1. Accessing Individuals

2. C

losi

ng In

divi

dual

s

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Not What You’d Expect


0%

8%

(8%)

4%

(4%)

Cha

nge

in L

ikel

ihoo

d of

Mak

ing

a H

igh-

Qua

lity

Sale

Access to Stakeholders

Evaluating Purchase

Positioning Offering on Value to an

Individual Stakeholder

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The Real Enemy


1.5

Stakeholder Diversity Index

Stak

ehol

der

Dys

func

tion

Inde

x

2.0

2.5

2.5 4.0 5.5

Stakeholders don’t have a fair say

Stakeholders avoid discussing key issues

Stakeholders have multiple disagreements

Kinds of dysfunction:

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Lowest Common Denominator


Stakeholder 1Mental Model

GoalPrioritiesMetricsMeans

Stakeholder 2 Mental Model


Stakeholder 3 Mental Model


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The Seven Stakeholders


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Mobilizer™ Customers Get It Done


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What Now?


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ID’ing Mobilizers

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What Now?


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A Riddle of Sorts


What’s the one thing we all sell?

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A Riddle of Sorts


What’s the one thing we all sell?

CHANGE

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Being Smart Isn’t Enough


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You Must Disrupt


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Break Down the “A”


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Thank You


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