Sales Engineer : an Intelligence Agent ?

In certain internationally-sized IT service companies (ESNs), Sales Engineers are nicknamed "Big Ears."

Their primary mission is to gather raw information on accounts during the different phases of the opportunity lifecycle.

Given that the rules for responding to tenders generally restrict communication after submitting the proposal, the key is to capture as much information as possible beforehand about the account.

The main information collected about the account:

• The strategy and its operational breakdown

• The real & hidden stakes of the project

• A detailed scope of the expected services

• The real selection criteria

• The decision-making process & power dynamics

• The positions and strategies of the different stakeholders (consulting firms, software vendors, integrators, etc.) on the account

• The budget

  
  

The use of information collected by the response team is crucial to ensure the right decisions are made during key phases:

• Go-NoGo review

• Construction of the response strategy

  
  

To successfully collect this level of information, the Sales Engineer, like an intelligence agent, must manage a network of internal and external informants around the account throughout the opportunity’s lifecycle.

Although the hallmark of a commercial profile is possessing strong emotional intelligence that generates empathy, reaching out to all stakeholders on the account can be complex, especially at the Executive Management level.

Therefore, the Sales Engineer defines a "Face Off" that outlines how different client contact points are addressed by members of their own organization. Typically, the Sales Engineer seeks to facilitate engagement with General Management by doing the same with various departments involved in decision-making: project management, technical teams, AMOA (Assistance to Owner), etc.

Due to the internal and external influence dynamics at play on the account, intelligence work must be conducted continuously throughout the tender period.

Quote from Sun Tzu in "The Art of War":

"A wise prince and a brilliant captain always emerge victorious from their campaigns and are covered with glory that eclipses their rivals thanks to their ability to forecast. However, this foresight does not come from spirits or gods; it is not derived from analogy with the past nor is it the fruit of conjectures. It comes solely from intelligence gathered from those who know the adversary’s situation."