So what Stilson does for Sensory in working with customers is “in a very odd way, an extension of my passion for the way people interact as a behavioral scientist.”
The intent of the embrace strategist position is to make sure the solutions Sensory provides are actually usable — “that they work from a human-factor standpoint,” Santoro says. “It’s great to identify technology that can solve a problem, but if it doesn’t work well within the culture of the organization it’s not going to be a good solution.”
To address this objective Sensory has a three-step process that’s driven by Stilson:
- 1. Discovery: This is about talking to the customers, understanding their challenges, recognizing who will be using the technology, what they expect to do with it and how they expect to interact with it. Based on discovery, Stilson “helps essentially draft the scope or the solution that our engineering team will come up with,” Santoro says.
- 2. Orientation: Some might call this training, but “we like to think it’s a little bit more than that,” Santoro says. “We go out and deliver written, sometimes video, manuals on the solution as well as train people in how to use it and answer their questions.”
- 3. Metrics: This is where Sensory holds itself accountable for the solving the customer’s challenges and meeting their expectations. “A lot of times [we learn] we’re heading in a really good direction, but we may need to adjust,” Santoro says. The metrics step provides an opportunity to go back to the client, show from a metrics standpoint what’s been accomplished, the value Sensory is delivering and make further recommendations.
Having these processes in place are important, but the execution is critical. It’s fair to say that as a psychologist Stilson is probably a better listener than most. More than anything else, listening to customers is her job.
“I have the luxury of sitting there with no other motivation other than to listen to the client,” she says. “We as an organization really do empower our sales teams to listen and have invested interest in training toward that end, but I do have the luxury of that role around the table and the client knows I’m there for that purpose.”
“I have the luxury of [having no] motivation other than listening to the client.”
Stephanie Stilson, Sensory’s Embrace Strategist
It’s easy to see how skeptics might wonder how this customer-facing, customer-advocating position might conflict with sales objectives. Not the case, claims everybody at Sensory asked about that. In fact, the embrace strategist engagement seems to lead to better utilized systems with higher measurable return on investment (ROI) and stronger customer relationships.
The embrace strategist role, perhaps more than anything else, reflects Sensory Technologies’ relentless commitment to its goals. It hired a developmental psychologist to ensure it truly understands its customers’ needs including the ones they have difficulty articulating. Who does that?
The fact that Sensory is willing to commit is what makes it a mid-sized integration firm that’s on a unique path to long-term success. “We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t believe that to be the case,” Anne says.
Sensory recognizes that in order to complete against the big guys it will have to grow. “Growth is just a plain necessity for any kind of company,” Anne says. “Growth allows you to attract the best employees and give them personal growth. Growth also allows [a company] to do things well and within certain niches and in certain ways gives you nice profits on the bottom line that allow you to fend off the big guys.”
Being big isn’t the same as being better, says Anne Sellers, adding that’s not a comment on the large firms in the integration industry. “My point is sometimes it’s just easier being a $50 million company than being a $500 million company.”
Being big isn’t the same as being better, says Anne, adding that’s not a comment on the large firms in the integration industry. “My point is sometimes it’s just easier being a $50 million company than being a $500 million company. Dollar for dollar you’re keeping more of it as a $50 million company than you are as a $500 million company.”
Make no mistake about it, though, in the 2017 integration market mid-sized firms are in a battle not just against larger firms but against market conditions.
Sensory has a plan for that battle. “We’ve spent a long time on plans and we expect to win,” Andy says. “Will we win every match, will we win every bit of it? No. But when we don’t win we’re going to learn from it.
“I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I think we’re already ahead of many because we have this plan. We’ll continue down that road as long as it makes sense. We intend to win.”
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