QWhiz

Founding AE / ex-SDR

Valued Contributor

how does it feel having an SE?

Ours is ed-tech tool for students in schools and districts. Teachers are main users of the tool. Buyers are school admins, principals, academic coordinators. Our internal sales org does not have a solutions consultant department. Why does it not?

They say it's not needed because the platform is simple and easy. So salespeople give all product demonstrations here.

I am a first-time AE so I am taking all my demos myself. I agree with the management that a separate SE team isn't required. But at times I just feel it would have been great if there were a couple of solutions consultants available to make our lives a bit easier. Or maybe just to give someone like me more confidence on product demos.

Like on last friday I had someone on the call who was an expert in the domain and asked such specific and highly educated questions I literally did not have a single answer with me readily available.

How does it feel to have an SE with you on the call? Do you feel more confident? More relaxed? Or on the contrary it's more of a mess because of multiple voices and maybe conflict of opinions at times?

😀 Sales Engineer

14

14 comments

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Pachacuti

Politicker

9

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Unless you're selling an extremely technical solution requiring specific education, an AE should be able to do their own demos. Shows that you have the product knowledge needed to sell.

That said, having an SME on your side to help with a demo and Q&A provides a high level of comfort to the prospect. Its nice for the sales person to take a step back, introduce a non-sales sales person (the SME) who can command respect and trust from the prospect.

If your org doesn't want to hire this type of Expert, then they need a management person to be able to step in and be that other voice within the company. Prospects want to know there's a team behind the sales person and support for when/ if they invest in your company.

jefe

Arsonist

6

🍁

This is all TRUTH.
Most people don't need an SE, but an SME is invaluable.

Most EdTech really doesn't need an SE.

DataCorrupter

Politicker

2

Account Executive

Agreed, agreed, agreed. It’s not about what the SE does for you, but about what the SE does for the prospect’s trust and confidence.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

This is exactly right.

QWhiz

Big Shot

0

Founding AE / ex-SDR

This is a great point. I always thought SEs are there to support AEs. Love this new pov

GDO

Politicker

3

BDM

I loved it. But sometimes you need to explain to them how selling works before the call. They tend to solve solutions, one SE even solved the pain we uncovered without using our product. teach them is my tip

Diablo

Politicker

2

Sr. AE

As you mentioned the product is simple, not sure if SE would be must. How often do you get these types of questions?
We don’t have SEs but if we know the discussion is going to be very technical, we pull someone from the product development side to lead those calls. I am sure your would have them as well :)

Beans

Big Shot

2

Enterprise Account Executive

Team selling wins deals, a rep needs to be an expert in the process and understanding of the pains/gaps, having an SE to break down the HOW is so key to true success.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

2

🦊

They come in clutch for me, but I also need the hell outta em. I know enough to be dangerous 🤣

SonnyVaccaro

Good Citizen

1

Growth Lead

I'm a fan of owning as much the conversation as you can but sometimes there are prospects that want to get a level deeper into the integrations, data flows, etc. They should be able to speak to an expert about that.

bendandsnack

Politicker

1

Account Exec

If it's just a SaaS product & you're able to get through a demo solo I would nix the SEs and just get a "client architect" so like one client facing internal person who can help everyone.
Having an SE is like dating, sometimes they're great, sometimes they suck. In my experience a lot of the SEs I work with are divas and try to cross the line of their role into qualifying/disqualifying when they don't want to work on something.

2/3 SEs I've worked with this year have also ended up in therapy, so maybe it's just the ones I work with, idk.

AnchorPoint

Politicker

0

Business Coach

Too much of a control freak to want anyone with me... LOL

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

0

Sales Rep

If you use a SE, they will be the reason you win a majority of the time

0

Retired Sales Professional

I agree with many of the responses, but I believe an AE should have enough or expert knowledge of the product they are trying to sell. This is what the customer needs in order for them to feel at ease or comfortable with you as the go to person. Making it easier for them to make a buying decision. To be quit frank, no pun intended, I would peronally call on the person that has the most product knowledge.

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