How Verizon sets itself apart from the competition in new biz and RFP responses with IdeaCloud’s Account Experience. 

Summary

IdeaCloud’s longest-standing partnership is with Verizon. From its founding, IdeaCloud has been consulting at an executive level for Verizon on sales strategy, keynote presentations, live events, and more. We’ve had the privilege of helping Verizon hone their stories and design their presentations for several years on just about every single one of Verizon’s flagship offerings from 5G to VCC, VIAA, IOT, and more. And after years of helping them shine on the stage, Verizon’s executive team wanted us to start helping individual sales leaders and teams shine in the conference room during executive briefings and sales presentations. 

Challenge 

Prior to this point, Verizon’s IdeaCloud experiences had spoken to more general audiences. These were multi-POV experience simulations that captured the “art of the possible“ -- i.e. what types of forward-thinking innovations could be supported by Verizon’s infrastructure and professional services. The challenge presenting in this new format was to personalize Verizon’s potential innovations to specific audiences. For example, rather than showing the world what 5G means for the larger retail industry generally, we needed to describe how Verizon 5G would benefit individual retailers like Urban Outfitters, Walmart, or IKEA.

Results & Insights

“IdeaCloud has helped us generate and close over $200M in opportunities.” 

Sampath Sowmyanarayan, President of Verizon Business

Our Experience Strategy team began deconstructing our story development process, re-considering the IdeaCloud experience through the lens of smaller group presentations, brand-specific interests and sensitivities, and specific meeting outcome targets. 

We went to work adapting Verizon‘s presentation materials for individual sales groups and customers. We adapted our discovery process to identify key opportunities for innovation that are of particular interest to each customer. We then adapted the context around the Verizon story to be personalized to individual brands Verizon would be meeting with.

The net outcome of this effort put Verizon sales teams in a class of their own when pitching new business. On more than one occasion Verizon sales leaders were told, after closing a fortune 500 level deal, that prior to the live demos Verizon was considered “in last place“ but that their innovative approach to network partnership and interactive simulation had catapulted them into the top spot and earned them the new contract.

While we can’t share specific numbers with the public, we can say that over the course of 12 months Verizon‘s ROI from IdeaCloud was north of 1,200x.  Sampath Sowmyanarayan, President of Verizon Business, was a bit more forthcoming: “IdeaCloud has helped us generate and close over $200M in opportunities.”

Are YOU ready to rethink your new business approach and close more deals by the end of the meeting? Contact an IdeaCloud expert today to find out more!