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Crystal Pieschel

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Sales Manager, Market Awareness

60 points

Market Awareness provides companies with critical intelligence that drives their strategies toward greater competitive advantage and an increased win ratio. As a non-biased 3rd party we help our clients win and retain more customers by uncovering all the true perceptions that prospective and existing customers have of their company.

Jan. 16, 2012

Crystal Pieschel and 1 other person answered this question

What is the best way to prepare a competitve analysis?

Adele is correct - you need to uncover the perceptions of your customers and prospects using interviews. Understanding how your past, present, and future clients perceive you is the key to future growth.
However, you need to be sure that these interviews are conducted by ... more

Competitive Analysis

Market Research

Oct. 21, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 3 other people answered this question

As a sales trainer, how much research do you have to do on a company prior to stepping in?

I would like to add to Michael's excellent points, specifically the one about perceptions. It's important to understand how a sales team is currently perceived by its customers and lost prospects so that they can mitigate their perceived weaknesses and enhance their perceived strengths - ... more

Sept. 19, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 6 other people answered this question

How much knowledge should sales reps have about what their competition is doing?

Michael I couldn't agree more. A company needs to know their own strengths and weaknesses so that they can align to effectively compete.
Competitive Intelligence is more than just analyzing your competitors and reacting — it is gathering intelligence to make your organization more competitive ... more

Aug. 15, 2011

Crystal Pieschel answered this question

How are you leveraging Sales Intelligence and Business Analytic tools to improve effectiveness?

We uncover actionable intelligence from our clients' customers and lost prospects in multiple areas with sales being one of them. Our clients use the intelligence to take necessary actions internally and win and retain more business. Executives will review all issues and trends and then ... more

Information Technology

Analytic Applications

Business Intelligence

Aug. 2, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 4 other people answered this question

Net Promoter Scores: truly effective or a waste of time?

I agree with your comment Tim, it gets a company focused on the importance of customer feedback . To add to your thoughts on how it doesn't provide much data on what needs correcting, or even what you are doing well, its important to obtain ... more

Customer Service

Customer Loyalty

Data Collection

July 27, 2011

Crystal Pieschel answered this question

How have you used surveys as part of your demand generation programs?

Are you referring to using surveys to uncover your customer and prospect's perceptions and needs?
If so, a survey is not the way to obtain actionable intelligence. You will get much more accurate, detailed input if you use an unbiased third party to uncover intelligence ... more

Demand Generation

Lead Generation

Market Research

July 18, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 1 other person answered this question

How do you define business strength?

A strength is only a true strength if your customers perceive it to be. For example, you may think you have a strength in an area such as 'functionality', but your customers may feel that is a weakness or less than strong area for your ... more

Information Technology

Business Intelligence

July 17, 2011

Crystal Pieschel recommends this answer by Michael A Brown

Sales: What do you do when a prospect asks you to "send more information"?

"Let's do even better than that, Mr. Rosenberg! I trust you're at your computer ... so let's gather at the web site right now and zero-in on exactly what you need to see. It's all there. OK?"
Truth or dare time, sir! more

Objection Handling

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 1 other person answered this question

POLL: Do you survey your user/ customer base? (Y/N)

Surveys will not provide nearly as much actionable and objective insight as an analysis that includes detailed interviews conducted by an experienced, unbiased third party.
Usually only those with strong opinions will respond to a survey, the responses are limited to the pre-defined questions and ... more

Customer Service

Customer Intelligence

Market Research

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 6 other people answered this question

What is Competitive Intelligence?

Competitive Intelligence is not just finding information on your competitors. It also consists of gathering intelligence that you can use to be more competitive - such as gathering customer and lost prospect insight, market insight, etc... more

Information Technology

Business Intelligence

Business Intelligence Analysis

Business Intelligence System

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 4 other people answered this question

List and explain five ways in which business research can make a firm more competitive:

1. Gain insights on the real perceptions your customers and lost prospects have of you and your competition.
2. Increase your win ratio by enabling you to strategically align.
3. Use more effective marketing methods
4. Better communicate and differentiate your value proposition
5. Effectively launch new products or ... more

Business Research

Competitive Intelligence

Market Research

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 2 other people answered this question

Do you conduct win/loss reviews at your company? And if so, has it helped you improve win rates?

I should add that our clients are able to increase win ratios significantly. Additionally, they are able to use the intelligence to increase revenues on existing projects by an average of 11%, and re-engage 21% of the lost prospects included! more

General Management

Competitive Intelligence

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 4 other people answered this question

What is predictive sales intelligence?

Understanding how a sales person, sales team, etc, is 'perceived' is also critical data to obtain from an objective third party. This type of data can quickly be turned into actionable intelligence that sales can use to improve upon. It enables organizations to more accurately ... more

Sales Intelligence

Sales Management

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 1 other person answered this question

Would you take a bad deal on the promise of a better one in future from a big corporate client.

Excellent Point Michael. They will respect you less, and that future potential is not a guarantee. more

July 16, 2011

Crystal Pieschel is now following Richard Fouts and 2 other people

May 31, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 5 other people answered this question

Do you use surveys or questionnaires to manage quality on projects?

Excellent Question! A detailed discussion with customers is always best. Additionally, if you want to uncover their TRUE perceptions, you will use a third party.
The company I work for specializes in these detailed interviews. Our customers are in contact with their clients on a ... more

Enterprise Resource Planning

May 30, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 5 other people answered this question

Market Researchers: Is qualitative research more effective in B2C market research than B2B?

B2B firms need insights into their customers decisions - there are so many factors that will come into play affecting perceived value, and the ultimate decision to use a firm or its competition.
Understanding how your past, present and future clients perceive you is the ... more

Market Research

May 26, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 3 other people answered this question

What qualifies as ‘sales intelligence’?

Intelligence that allows sales to better preform. Sales intelligence comes from multiple sources. Importantly, intelligence on the perceptions a customer or lost prospect has on the respected company and sales team. more

Sales Intelligence

Sales Management

May 25, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 15 other people answered this question

What are your tips for overcoming price objections from your prospects?

Uncover the real objections and understand your perceived value. Price is the most common excuse given by prospects. However, in 90% of the cases in which our clients were told they lost on price, our win/loss analysis revealed that price was not even the main ... more

Sales Management

May 19, 2011

Crystal Pieschel and 1 other person answered this question

Are 'customer intelligence' solutions the same as 'sales intelligence' solutions?

I agree. Machines and algorithms will not tell you your customers perceptions and the rational and emotional aspects that play into their decisions. I am not sure what the original question was aimed at, but when I refer to 'solution' I am referring to a ... more

Customer Service

Customer Intelligence

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