Many sales reps find the Metrics component of the Command of the Message customer conversation framework to be a difficult one. To learn more, check out the Force Management blog, "Why Sales Reps Struggle with Metrics in the Sales Conversation." One of the most common challenges is that many customers don't have good metrics, they aren't measuring, and they may not know what to measure. Check out the below video from Nico Ochoa (Strategic Account Executive, US West).
Below are some additional challenges your peers have shared.
The following sections outline practical tips to help demystify the Metrics conversation and overcome the challenges identified above.
Keep in mind that many customers may not understand why their DevOps initiatives are not delivering desired or optimal results. Assist them in their diagnosis and lead with insights to help them accomplish their Positive Business Outcomes (PBOs). Listen to how Nico approaches initial discovery conversations.
Below is just one example of how you could leverage Nico's approach to open the conversation with your customers to begin to understand the specific challenges they are experiencing.
“If you’re like other organizations we speak with, below are some of the common challenges they encounter in their software development life cycle:
Are any of these true for your organization?”
Another critical way to embrace your role as a trusted advisor is to become and stay intimately familiar with the specific problems that GitLab helps to solve. Watch the below video and master your knowledge of GitLab's customer use cases.
The best Metrics conversations are STORIES that articulate quantifiable measurements and proof of the business benefits of the solution to the customer’s problem(s). John May (Strategic Account Executive, US East) leverages this DORA State of DevOps 2019 slide to emotionally appeal to individuals' desire to become elite performers and highlight relevant success stories of organizations (Ticketmaster, Verizon Connect, Paessler AG, and more) that have become Elite Performers by adopting and expanding their GitLab footprint. Learn more from John in this Art Behind Command of the Message sales enablement videocast (GitLab internal only, Oct 2019, 26 minutes).
Listen to how Nico Ochoa (Strategic Account Executive, US West) explains the value of GitLab by talking in terms of a software factory and applying lean manufacturing principles. More specifically, GitLab applies these principles to take waste out of the process of developing and deploying applications to increase operational efficiencies, deliver better products faster, and reduce security and compliance risk.
As a follow on to the above, be sure to familiarize yourself with GitLab's Value Stream Management (VSM) & Value Stream Analytics capabilities. Effectively articulating these capabilities plays to two of GitLab's key differentiators:
Watch the below video and check out GitLab's Value Stream Management solutions page to learn more. In addition, access short customer-facing VSM videos in the Agile Management section of the Learn@GitLab page.
Economic metrics highlight how your solution attaches to the customer's large strategic initiatives.
Listen to Nico Ochoa (Strategic Account Executive, US West) describe his role in helping a large tech firm be able to measure success and improve business outcomes (GitLab internal only, June 2020, 3 minutes).
Technical metrics highlight measurable results that prove the solution's capabilities.
Hear what Nico says about cycle time compression, helping organizations do more with less, and improving developer satisfaction.
To better navigate Metrics conversations, listen to the 7-minute Force Management Metrics in the Sales Conversation podcast and implement these practices:
Link your technical buyers to the metrics and their role in driving the positive business outcomes. If you can emotionally connect those technical metrics-focused buyers on the impact they have for the entire company, they will be better able to internally sell the importance of your solution. With economic or non-technical buyers, lead with and continue to reinforce the Positive Business Outcomes your solution will deliver and help them understand how those Positive Business Outcomes are associated with the project's technical metrics.
| Value Driver | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Increase Operational Efficiencies | - Lower costs (license, FTEs and compute) of development - Increase developer/team productivity - Reduce cycle time (lead time) - Increase deployment frequency - Reduce change failure rate - Reduce MTTR (mean time to recover/restore) - Improve developer satisfaction and retention |
| Deliver Better Products Faster | - Improve revenue, # of customers, and/or market share - Increase developer/team productivity - Reduce cycle time (lead time) - Increase deployment frequency - Reduce change failure rate - Reduce MTTR (mean time to recover/restore) |
| Reduce Security and Compliance Risk | - Decrease % of critical security vulnerabilities that escaped development - increase the % of code scanned - improve audit pass rate - Reduce time spent on audits and/or compliance adherence efforts - Reduce mean time to resolve security vulnerabilities |
By understanding your customer's desired outcomes and their strategic business initiatives, be sure you fully understand and can articulate the answer to the following questions:
And once you have identified compelling answers to these questions, continue to reiterate and reinforce that value with key influencers and decision makers (keeping in mind that different stakeholders may care about different things).
Periodically, conduct a critical review of the below questions. This can be done via a self-assessment and/or with your account team, peers, mentors, or your manager. In some instances, you may even consider reviewing this with your Champion.
Purposeful practice (combined with on-the-job experience) leads to skill mastery. Read the article. Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player of all time, at least in part, because he worked hard at practicing and perfecting his craft. Practice having the metrics conversation with yourself, with a peer, a mentor, your manager, or other. As you become more comfortable and confident, positive results will follow.
