6 December 2007
8:30 – 11:00 IST

The Leela Palace Kempinski, Bangalore, India

Overview

Customer loyalty is becoming an oxymoron. Customers today want high-value solutions, but a low price. They want trusted advisors, but they’ll jump ship tomorrow for a better deal. And, thanks to technological advancements that have eliminated the constraints of location and time and created a global market for solution delivery, customers today have more choices than ever before.

During this Briefing, ITSMA’s Ajit Maira will present findings from ITSMA’s recent study, How Customers Choose Solution Providers, which reveals insights into customer buying behavior that can help you fine-tune your marketing and sales strategies. Just a few of the key findings Ajit will reveal include:

• The selection criteria customers use for evaluating and selecting solutions and a solution provider
• The steps customers take to identify solution-provider alternatives
• The effectiveness of different marketing vehicles in getting customers’ attention
• The value propositions most likely to entice customers to want to learn more about a vendor and solution
• The solution-provider-sponsored programs that are most valuable to customers
• The top three drivers of loyalty for customers

The presentation will also include six recommendations of where to invest to increase opportunities and better penetrate new and existing customers:

1. Invest in a robust thought leadership program to build credibility
2. Publish success stories to validate past performance
3. Invest in segmentation and account-based marketing
4. Orchestrate a client experience that creates advocates
5. Invest in high-touch, content-rich executive-level customer relationship programs
6. Rebalance push and pull marketing

This Briefing is complimentary for ITSMA members and $75 for nonmembers. Breakfast is included.

ITSMA specializes in helping companies market and sell services and solutions more effectively. As a membership organization, we work with the world’s leading technology, communications, and professional services providers to generate increased demand, strengthen customer relationships, and improve brand differentiation. ITSMA members include business leaders such as Accenture, Cisco, Cognizant, Deloitte, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Microsoft, Patni, SAP, Satyam, Tata Consultancy Services, and Wipro, among others. Our comprehensive research, consulting, and training on topics including ITSMA Account-Based Marketing^SM, Brand Positioning, and Solutions Development provide the insight and experience companies need to improve business results. ITSMA is based near Boston, has offices in London and Tokyo, and has an established presence in Chennai, India. Learn more at www.itsma.com.

With forty years of experience in marketing, strategy, sales, and consulting, Ajit leads ITSMA’s member engagement team, which works with member companies to provide advisory support on marketing and sales challenges and to ensure that they receive maximum value from their memberships.

His areas of expertise include:

• Entering and establishing new markets
• Building marketing, sales, and services organizations
• Improving sales and marketing processes
• Strategic assessments, strategy development, planning, and positioning
• Understanding the potential value and application of emerging technologies in business

Prior to joining ITSMA, Ajit served as principal and owner of a management and marketing consulting firm where he worked with over 25 companies on a variety of projects. Before launching his consulting practice, he served as a senior vice president and technology strategist at CA. Over the years, he has held leadership roles in marketing, sales, and services for Steinbrecher Corporation, Concord Data Systems, Raytheon Data Systems, Burroughs, Xerox, Digital Equipment Corp., and IBM.

Ajit received a Bachelor of Technology (Mechanical Engineering) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi. He guest lectures at Bryant University and has guest lectured at the Sloan School. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Gift of Hearing Foundation.