Businesses don’t buy things the way consumers do. This is particularly true for the larger organizations.
One of the biggest influences on purchase decisions by consumers is the message it conveys to others. This goes some way to explain both fashion and the success of premier brands. It applies to houses, cars, clothing, appliances and in some places can even apply to grocery store they shop in. What people buy is an indication of their wealth, their personal interests, their taste and what they want others to think of them. The only time price is the sole consideration in consumers’ choice of purchase is when they don’t care about whatever they’re buying.
Purchase decisions by businesses are much more complex. They aren’t much influenced by fashion or what outsiders will think. Price is important and return on investment a pre-requisite. They don’t get made unless the management’s defined them as part of strategy, unless they’ll improve bottom line performance and unless there is a general consensus supporting the changes.
The junior salesman knows there needs to be a budget. The senior salesman understands there also needs to be the business imperative, a reason. Only the sales professional looks for the third factor- the time frame. Even if there is management support and a budget, it won’t be a deal for anybody until there’s a time-frame. No time frame suggests no consensus, and without consensus, it won’t happen. Businesses only make decisions in groups and those groups guard all of the vested interests in the organization.
Any one faction can and will protect its vested interest by delaying the implementation of the decision and the best sign of that delay can be spotted in the absence of time frame.
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