What Exactly is a Trusted Advisor? Exploring Insights from 27 Years in Sales Leadership
Keith co-founded Cloud Communications Group in 2009. He leads the company’s vision and strategy execution and has a track record of building high-performing teams that have successfully delivered profitable growth to public and private equity shareholders.
He has held various executive leadership positions in sales and operations over the past 26 years. Most recently, Keith served as Senior Vice President of North American Sales at Masergy where he led sales through two successful acquisitions. Prior to Masergy, Keith served in several senior sales leadership roles at McLeodUSA, PAETEC, airBand, as well as Senior Vice President of Sales at Allegiance Telecom.
Keith earned a Masters of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and a B.A. from Stephen F. Austin State University.
Striking Out to Strike Gold
Throughout my 27-year career in sales leadership within the technology sector, I’ve had the privilege of working with remarkable companies considered best in class. Despite this, the products and services I represented often fell short of solving the precise problems my prospects faced – whether due to budget constraints, implementation timelines, billing issues, or simply not being the right fit.
In my pursuit, I always sought to grasp the business impact of my clients’ challenges to determine if we could provide a solution. If not, we aimed to disengage swiftly, recognizing the value of not wasting time. When I sit back and think about it, I’m actually reminded of the game of baseball in that I would lose more than I would win. Derek Jeter said baseball is “a game of failure. If you fail seven out of 10 times people think you’re great.”. Sales, it seems, follows a similar pattern, or at least it did.
However, there’s a current shift in technology, particularly in procurement models. Rather than merely selling a service, a new breed of solution providers known as Trusted Advisors has emerged. These advisors don’t represent specific products but rather an entire spectrum of industry services. They function as extensions of your team, focusing on delivering tangible business outcomes and guiding you through the complexities of the rapidly evolving IT landscape. They collaborate closely with your team, from design and procurement to implementation and ongoing support. In essence, a Trusted Advisor becomes the ultimate ally for a Chief Information Officer (CIO).
The Transformative Landscape of Technology Procurement
Several factors are facilitating this shift:
- Technology providers are moving towards utilizing sales agents/partners to cut costs, stepping away from dedicated sales and support.
- Enterprise clients are outsourcing services to concentrate on their core competencies, relying on experienced partners for strategic advice and support.
- Services are evolving rapidly, with new offerings such as Cloud, Zero-Trust, IoT, and SD-WAN. Businesses are increasingly seeking comprehensive solutions or as-a-service options due to the swift pace of change in IT.
These dynamics are prompting an evolution in the partner ecosystem, ultimately benefiting today’s businesses through increased competition.
Empowering Enterprises through Trusted Partnerships
Enterprise clients must acknowledge this transition and recognize the value Trusted Advisors bring. By entrusting advisors with technology audits, solution research, provider selection, and ongoing account management, enterprises can focus on innovation while ensuring a high return on investment.
For me, the focus has shifted away from whether my product or service fits the bill. Now, I have the opportunity to truly listen and learn from my clients, striving for a perfect batting average. By collaborating closely with clients, I can help deliver technology solutions that address real business challenges, which is an immensely gratifying experience.
Revolutionizing IT Procurement: Cloud Communications Group’s Role
Cloud Communications Group, as a technology expense management and IT advisory firm, serves as Trusted Advisors to our clients. We are revolutionizing IT procurement by saving our clients time and money, leveraging cutting-edge as-a-Service platforms to drive key business outcomes. Contact us today to embark on your journey towards transformative IT solutions.
