Presented findings to a hospital system last week - $34K annual savings opportunity with MLGW, mostly rate schedule optimization and power factor correction. Seemed like a slam dunk during the presentation, lots of head nodding, good questions. Then at the end: "This all looks great, we need to think about it and get back to you." Anyone else frustrated by this response? How do you push for next steps without being pushy?
Clients Who Want to "Think About It"
"Think about it" usually means they need to socialize it internally or there's some concern they haven't voiced. I try to ask directly: "What additional information would be helpful for your decision process?"
Good points all. I think Harriet hit on something - I was presenting to the facilities manager and CFO, but they mentioned needing to "run it by administration." Probably should have asked about the approval process upfront.
Frank, offer to present to the administration or whoever the final decision maker is. Shows you're committed and often speeds up the process. Plus you can tailor the message for that audience.
Any update Frank? Curious how this played out with the hospital system.
Frank, hospitals are notoriously slow decision makers. Too many stakeholders, committee approvals, budget cycles. I usually ask specifically what their internal process looks like and when they expect to make a decision.
I always end presentations with specific next steps and timeline. Something like: "I'll follow up next Friday to see if you have any additional questions and discuss implementation timeline." Gives them space but keeps momentum.
Brett's got the right idea. I also try to identify the real decision maker during the presentation. Sometimes you're presenting to influencers, not the actual decision maker, which explains the delay.