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If you sell HCM software for a living, stop what you’re doing for two minutes and read this. Selling season is in full swing and your time is stretched thin. This is obvious, so why waste time on activities that aren’t a strength? If you work for ADP, you know all about Marcus Buckingham and his work on talent activation. If you’re not familiar, here’s his key message: double down on your strengths!
The concept is simple, but often overlooked. Trying to be all over every detail in an implementation is detrimental to your success when the tasks don’t align with your strengths.
Here are three reasons why you should attach an outside specialist to all your new clients:
1. Your new logo came from a referral source.
If a broker, CPA, or advisor referred you into one of their clients for a January 1st start, it’s incredibly important to get it right to keep the referrals flowing. Whether it’s the first or tenth new client from your referral partner, you’re always looking to prove why the technology you sell is the best in the industry. In order to do so, the technology needs to be FULLY implemented (not just payroll and TLM) and utilized at full capacity to be at its most powerful. According to SHRM, 70% of HCM implementations would be considered a failure. Take this fact and go on the offensive! Separate from those who choose to not be different and strategic. Why are so many implementations falling short in the eyes of your clients? That brings us to point number two...
2. Your clients are short staffed!
One of the most common questions I get from both potential clients and HCM sales reps is: “There’s already a payroll implementation team; would a third party consultant be replacing them?” The answer is NO! A strategic third party consultant sits on the side of the client and provides additional resources for them to execute on the project plan.
They also provide best practices for setup, and most importantly, can help make your deals even bigger by helping you sell more. Strategic third party implementers offer unbiased guidance to your clients and can help identify gaps in the technology purchased and have a higher likelihood of selling those modules that weren’t sold during the original sales process.
3. Reduce mistakes.
Data conversion is hard! While the new payroll vendor will extract the data from the existing system, that doesn’t even scratch the surface of the work ahead. There are essentially three parts to this process: data extraction, data validation, and maintenance of dual systems. The key to a successful implementation is pouring hours of detailed and concentrated effort into checking, testing, fixing, and then re-testing the new platform to ensure that it is properly loaded. What client has the bandwidth to do that in addition to their actual job? Doing this right means that mistakes during the first processing will be significantly reduced or eliminated.
The evidence is clear: duplicate yourself by focusing on your strengths and bring in specialists to complement your skillset. Shameless plug coming… HCM Unlocked is REALLY good at what we do! We’re staffed with a team of consultants who all worked for the leading HCM organizations. Contact us to learn more!
(561) 419-8409
hcmunlocked.com