3 ms·

Enterprise Software Lessons:If you are Going to Pick Up a Fight, Hit the Big Guy

15 points by jesusmrv 14y ago

mbesto 14y ago
These are the good things about Enterprise software, but what about the bad? Just want to make sure we paint a realistic picture of the enterprise here. Just a couple of note to consider: - Good products that have superior technology and end-user benefit, must take a long-tail approach (i.e. many small customers first and then big boys next) - In general it requires large amount of sales teams and long sales cycles. - Remember who is buying the software. It's most likely not the end-user. (this is wildly different from selling a photo-sharing app) They normally have long standing relationships with IBM, Oracle, SAP, etc. and value their relationships sometimes largely more than pleasing their end-users. - It hurdles are usually a pain. It requires getting sign off by not only a large number of stakeholders but through a vigorous set of checks. This also means you might need to shed out extra money for certifications, etc. There's lot more and I'll be writing a blog post about this in case anyone is interested.
- umjames 14y ago
  I'm interested.
- ams6110 14y ago
  Remember who is buying the software. It's most likely not the end-user. (this is wildly different from selling a photo-sharing app) They normally have long standing relationships with IBM, Oracle, SAP, etc. and value their relationships sometimes largely more than pleasing their end-users. This is absolutely true. Many "enterprise" buyers are showered with free meals, conference tickets, drinks, and simple brown-nosing by their sales reps. They don't want to give that up for your software that your earnest salesperson tries to sell on actual value propositions. Furthermore, once a decision is made, the decision-maker becomes defensive. Changing software is admitting they made the wrong decision with the first product. Nobody in an enterprise organization likes to admit they were wrong about anything.
alberich 14y ago
There is this requisite: if you have a solid product or service Then you can go directly after enterprise customers. Now one just needs to come up with a way of building solid enterprise products without customers in the first place.
- jesusmrv 14y ago
  Absolutely, but that might not be enough to get over the initial inflection point. Tapping into a customer community that has been nurtured by your bigger competitors is always an interesting strategy. Cheers, JR

15 points by jesusmrv 14y ago

These are the good things about Enterprise software, but what about the bad? Just want to make sure we paint a realistic picture of the enterprise here. Just a couple of note to consider: - Good products that have superior technology and end-user benefit, must take a long-tail approach (i.e. many small customers first and then big boys next) - In general it requires large amount of sales teams and long sales cycles. - Remember who is buying the software. It's most likely not the end-user. (this is wildly different from selling a photo-sharing app) They normally have long standing relationships with IBM, Oracle, SAP, etc. and value their relationships sometimes largely more than pleasing their end-users. - It hurdles are usually a pain. It requires getting sign off by not only a large number of stakeholders but through a vigorous set of checks. This also means you might need to shed out extra money for certifications, etc. There's lot more and I'll be writing a blog post about this in case anyone is interested.

umjames 14y ago
I'm interested.
ams6110 14y ago
Remember who is buying the software. It's most likely not the end-user. (this is wildly different from selling a photo-sharing app) They normally have long standing relationships with IBM, Oracle, SAP, etc. and value their relationships sometimes largely more than pleasing their end-users. This is absolutely true. Many "enterprise" buyers are showered with free meals, conference tickets, drinks, and simple brown-nosing by their sales reps. They don't want to give that up for your software that your earnest salesperson tries to sell on actual value propositions. Furthermore, once a decision is made, the decision-maker becomes defensive. Changing software is admitting they made the wrong decision with the first product. Nobody in an enterprise organization likes to admit they were wrong about anything.

alberich 14y ago

There is this requisite: if you have a solid product or service Then you can go directly after enterprise customers. Now one just needs to come up with a way of building solid enterprise products without customers in the first place.

jesusmrv 14y ago
Absolutely, but that might not be enough to get over the initial inflection point. Tapping into a customer community that has been nurtured by your bigger competitors is always an interesting strategy. Cheers, JR