What did Documentum learn from its experience with the first two customers Boeing and Syntax?

Authors Avatar

Sandra van der Bilt

MBA-Fulltime

What did Documentum learn from its experience with the first two customers?

The first two customers, Boeing and Syntax, were challenging customers. Documentum learned that although their application was functional, it needed to be reworked to completely satisfy each customers needs. Documentum was selling more than just an application; they were selling a process to enhance efficiency.

In addition, for each customer, Documentum had to work with partners to complete the solution. Documentum needed technology partners to fill in the product holes, and system integrators that could put together the multiple pieces of software and help customers integrate this into their business processes.

Should Documentum accept the Marsh & McLennan deal?

Based on the criteria identified in the Chasm Group study for potential target industries, Marsh & McLennan would fit within the five identified groups. Although Jeffrey Miller went through the exercise with Chasm Group to focus first on one industry and build from there, building the business in two industries simultaneously may be a less risky proposition. Based on the Scenario Rating Worksheet the first target industry would be the Pharmaceutical NDA, not only do they rate the highest, it would be an easy transition as they had just completed work for Syntax off of which they could build easily.

At the same time, the sales team is skeptical of the new vertical approach; the Marsh McLennan deal came through their horizontal sales efforts. In essence the product does not change, just the name and focus its being given. Obviously the fact that Marsh McLennan is interested is a strong factor for consideration. It is a company that is in the mainstream and could generate the “buzz” that Jeffery Miller is looking for. Although ranking fourth on the Scenario Ranking Worksheet, the insurance industry is one of the targets that Documentum plans to focus on.

Join now!

Change cannot occur overnight. Employees need time to adjust to the new focus in order to embrace it. For the sales representatives who have already built a pipeline and are working their contacts it would be most costly to just veer on a different course, the leads they already have should be worked and evaluated. The evaluation could be within the context of the new vertical approach the company is taking, but cannot discredit the work done and the potential revenue that is there. The secondary consequence of forcing a new path is that the sales force becomes extremely ...

This is a preview of the whole essay