By Sam Nelson, VP of CX for Telarus
At this point, artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer just a trendy term. It’s now an essential technology that’s transforming how businesses operate across all sectors. According to the newly released Telarus Tech Trends Report, AI remains the leading driver of IT investment, with 58% of IT buyers identifying it as their top priority.
As AI continues to evolve, technology advisors must adapt their sales strategies accordingly. And one of the most effective techniques that advisors should utilize is outcome-based selling, not just AI for AI’s sake. Let’s take a closer look at why outcome-based selling matters, and how to use it when communicating with buyers.
What is Outcome-Based Selling?
Just as the name suggests, outcome-based selling focuses on solving specific challenges and delivering clear, measurable results.
Outcome-based selling is the opposite of feature-driven selling, which centers around product specs and capabilities without a clear connection to the customer’s desired outcomes.
Simply put, outcome-based selling puts the emphasis on what the product delivers, instead of what it does. It’s a powerful technique that technology advisors can use to structure sales conversations and help customers understand the value of complex AI technologies.
Why Outcome-Based Selling Matters
In today’s competitive market, simply showcasing the features or technical specifications of a product is no longer enough to secure sales. Decision-makers increasingly want to understand how a solution will create a meaningful impact on their business. They also demand measurable and tangible results, which requires sellers to shift their approach to align solutions with real business outcomes.
As we discussed during a recent High Intensity Tech Training (HITT) session, buyers don’t want AI for AI’s sake. Through a CX lens, for example, buyers want fewer support tickets, faster onboarding, lower churn, more productivity, and stronger customer satisfaction (CSAT) scores. AI is simply a vehicle that can help reach these goals.
Outcome-based selling prioritizes conversations around the client’s core challenges and objectives. This tailored approach not only ensures that solutions meet the specific needs of the client but also fosters trust and strengthens relationships between sellers and buyers.
Three Things to Remember About Outcome-Based Selling
One of the biggest takeaways from the HITT session is that you can’t simply “go out and buy a box of AI.” In other words, it’s not a tool that you can purchase off the shelf, plug in, and generate immediate results. As an advisor, you essentially have to custom-build solutions to meet customers’ specific needs—and that starts with selling based on measurable impact.
With this in mind, here are three things to remember about outcome-based selling when approaching customers.
1. Understand the outcome: Initiate discussions by identifying the specific goals of your client, whether it’s reducing customer churn, driving revenue growth, or scaling their operations. Focus on their major pain points, and what they want to achieve.
2. Consider the impact: Next, you’ll want to explore why these objectives are important—and what risks or rewards are associated with achieving them. During this process, you may uncover additional pain points that can lead to additional conversations or initiatives.
3. Identify the solution: Clearly illustrate how your AI solutions can help meet the customer’s objectives. Work backward from their main goal to identify the metrics that will drive success. Then, offer solutions that will improve those metrics. This keeps the focus on measurable impact and will allow you to re-anchor the conversation if it goes off track.
Pro Tip: Use a Template to Map Outcomes
When it comes to outcome-based selling, it’s important to stay organized and visualize the process end-to-end. As such, we recommend using a template that lists:
- Outcomes (what the customer wants)
- Impact (why it matters)
- Metrics (how they measure success)
- AI-powered solution (how AI helps)
Here is an example of what this looks like in practice:
Outcome-Based Selling Drives AI
|
Outcome (What do they want?) |
Impact (Why does it matter?) |
Metric (How do they measure success?) |
AI-Powered Solution (How does AI help?) |
| Reduce call volume |
• High support cost • Long wait times |
• Calls per day • Avg handle time • CSAT |
AI virtual assistant for Tier 1 inquiries |
| Improve agent performance |
• Long ramp time • High error rates |
• QA scores • Average handle time |
Real-time AI coaching & call summarization |
| Boost online conversions | Lost revenue from drop-offs |
• Conversion rate • Cart abandonment rate |
AI chatbot with product recommendations |
| Retain more customers |
• High churn • Expensive to replace |
• Retention rate • NPS • Renewal rate |
AI churn prediction + proactive outreach |
| Shorten resolution time |
• Poor CX • Higher repeat contacts |
• First contact resolution • Average hold time |
AI knowledge base + smart routing |
The Bottom Line: AI is a Custom Solution
At the end of the day, advisors must tailor AI to the outcomes their customers want to achieve. Suppliers often make it sound easy by advertising plug and play services, but the reality is that AI requires much greater care and planning. This is critical for delivering optimal results and developing customer trust.
Technology advisors who can clearly demonstrate how AI supports their clients’ strategic priorities will be better positioned for long-term success.
We get that this can be challenging. But with Telarus in your corner, outcome-based selling becomes much easier. Be sure to check out our AI Adoption Roadmap, which breaks down exactly how to develop tailored AI journeys.
And for a deeper dive on AI in CX, tune into our recent HITT session.