It seems that win/loss analysis is in the air these days. We’ve had a sharp uptick in incoming inquiries for projects analyzing why enterprise software deals are won or lost when there is a competitor in the mix.

The major factor in successful Win/Loss projects is the ability to identify stakeholders who were deeply involved in the process and are willing to talk about their experiences. Here are our top tips to get the right people:

1. Ensure anonymity – during an enterprise sales process, prospects can develop relationships with their account management team. They may be hesitant to discuss issues that happened during the sales process if they are worried that they’ll be putting someone they know in a bad light.
2. Expect more effort to secure losses – it’s easier to get people to talk about wins. Once a company has chosen a vendor to have a relationship with, they are more vested in that relationship and willing to put the time into making it work. If a customer has chosen another vendor, they will be less likely to talk to you. Plan for this when building target lists.
3. Keep it short – Senior IT executives value their time above all else. They are busy. It’s difficult to get an hour of their time, but asking for 15 or 30 minutes feels like much less of a commitment and they will be more likely to participate than if they feel it is a big and onerous conversation. Of course, once they’re on the phone, if they want to keep talking let them! But don’t start with the big ask.