较大的供应商已经看到其硬件产品通常转变为商品市场，现在往往带来解决方案顾问，软件专家甚至集成商来解释新的解决方案产品。另一方面，买家，特别是在较大的公司中，将一个人团队带到桌面上讨论潜在的购买。
Before you all get cynical about the buying process, remember that you all need to make purchases of various types in order to keep your plant running. I appreciate buying something I need from a professional sales person. Unfortunately there are all too few—in the automation industry as well as in general commerce. My wife came home a few nights ago after browsing at some local furniture stores. She had a vague idea of some furniture she wanted for the family room. At the first store, a sales person approached and asked what she was looking for. She said, “I’m just looking, but I’m thinking about sectionals.” The sales person said, “They’re over there. Call me if you find something.”
有人为你服务吗？
At the second store, the first part of the exchange repeated itself. The difference was with the sales person. She asked a few questions in a friendly, inquisitive way. “What color did you have in mind? Did you want leather? Do you want recliners with that?” When my wife came home and told me about the trip, I said, “You just experienced a truly professional sales person. Isn’t it great to do business with them?” She didn’t buy right away, but I just got home from a trip to be informed that our next night out will include a trip to the furniture store. Guess which one.
自动化世界专栏作家吉姆佩托喜欢说自动化行业充满了贫困营销人员。我猜这是对许多行业的真实，但我不会用那种刷子画在我们的行业中的每个人。我遇到了我的份额，他的新公司总裁只能完全采取市场份额的市场份额领导者，这些公司的市场份额是“技术上革命的一个明亮的想法”的力量。我只是提出问题，如，你如何分发产品？，你有广告和促销的钱吗？，你有销售部队计划吗？，你的定价策略是什么？他们不会持续太久。
另一方面，我们行业的许多公司都有这样的销售和营销人员，如第二家家具店销售人员。他们真的对你的成功感兴趣。有许多公司有许多不同的策略。从解决方案销售咨询地位，将硬件从传感器提供给网络上的可编程控制器，有创新的公司试图找到提供正确解决方案的方法。如果您正在处理对当今交易只有兴趣的人，我建议您评估您的购买。
在等式的买方方面，涉及许多人在购买决定中的趋势似乎正在加速。十年前，我拍了一篇销售技能课，我们被教导，以便在组织内识别各种类型的买家，并确保我们有一个策略来回答他们的每个需求。有福音学师，技术买家，经济买家，分析师等。在过去的几年里，我讨论过这个主题，无论是卖家还是买家，都告诉我这是越来越多的项目。如果您是这些买家之一，您的生活比曾经是曾经的生活更加复杂。在进行最终谈判之前，您需要在内部达成广泛的共识。更好地刷在那些人的技能上。
