Issue #18
In This Issue: Vile Rumour & Gossip | 2023 Buyingtime awards | Local v Global - we buy what we want | Delegate event fatigue - ready for 2024?
We firmly believe that nobody has a clue about what is coming next year, so please avoid reading any and all “predictions” posts - unless you have your head tilted to one side and tongue firmly in cheek.
In fact, don’t believe anything anyone says - including us 🙂
Vile Rumour & Gossip
There is a mini-revolution coming in the land of email. If you’ve read the articles about Google's upcoming changes in Feb 2024 relating to bulk email, then breathed a sigh of relief because you send fewer than 5,000 emails per day - then think again. The conspiracy theorist in us considers it quite possible that Google and others are reducing the effectiveness of email arriving in the inbox in order to “encourage” greater online spend (which is stalling/falling in some areas).
SDR complaints are on the rise. We have had a number of retail merchants in our community complain (again) about over-persistent SDR activity. We all know the temptations here – and with the quarter ending the pressure is on – but it’s an FYI that politeness and context really does go a long way.
Customer Service radicalisation - Could this part of the stack be the most interesting in the next 2 years? At the very bleeding edge we’re aware of a merchant who has ALL the social channels integrated, an AI bot that is proving 40% more effective at closing cases than humans, and a saving of 60% on their old Zendesk platform. If more merchants succeed in tackling this area then online will reap its own rewards.
The SI crisis (be careful what you wish for). In the rush towards composable projects it seems an SI crisis is occuring. Some of our closest relationships have been with agencies over the last 20 years, so we’re truly sad to hear so many client-side leaders get into a blame game about their agency and the delayed project. If we look back at our own content we seem to be engaging regularly in this activity, but we wonder whether something in this new more complex stack inevitably means projects are longer and more drawn-out - but also that vendors point the finger in just one direction.
2023 in review - Not to be taken seriously
🙅♂️ Best Cold Call rejection
“Sorry Trevor. No time, no money, no conversation - Click”
📢 Speaker quote of the year
“We had a big name creative agency presenting - 3 of them were called Hugo, and they all had an earring”
🏆 Most often-heard client feedback about an events audience
“They did / did not match our ICP”
🤓 Most underrated ABM tactic
“Charm, research and jokes on a call”
🏅 Neediest speaker (unnamed)
“I have one more version of my slides (v13)”
Global v Local - The struggle continues
We have spent several years now in the world of “Enterprise” (however you define it). The greatest challenge we see our clients come up against is the struggle between global and local budget holders. A huge telco we spoke to last week described the power struggle in very simple terms - “Whatever the global team wants, we pitch for the opposite, pretty much on principle”.
Whilst this dysfunctional behaviour is still rife then sellers are required to have a foot in both camps, but in reality the issue constantly slows down sales processes and causes huge amounts of wasted work all round 🙁.
Perhaps the eventual retirement of legacy tech platforms will mark the end of the fiefdoms of tech - where the two groups are forced to collaborate effectively?
Meanwhile - 2024 is the year our events practice will largely return to our homeland of high-growth /mid-market businesses - that £25 - £100m turnover business that’s moving quickly and has true agility.
Delegate event fatigue - bring on 2024
After the events boom of 2022, 2023 has been tough for events organisers. Whilst we’ll be fine (we promise), the delegates who are being invited to events are (once again) aware of the desperation among those organising.
We also see our customers doing an increasingly good job at organising their own customer events, but some honest conversations recently make it clear that these are equally challenging, and moreover can take up huge amounts of resource from SDR, partner and AE’s.
We think that 2024 will see a more collaborative relationship between organisers and clients. We see less “sponsorship” of existing formats, and far more events being created that are bespoke for clients and delegates alike. We are, for example, working on a luxury retreat with a group of clients and delegates, as well as more white label events for those who have the foresight to plan 6 months or more ahead.
That said - most vendors do not have confirmed budget for 2024 as yet - which tells you everything you need to know about how tough 2023 has been.
Have a Happy and fulfilling Christmas everyone - and get out for a walk if you can. Borrow a dog or something…
Buyingtime Dictionary
Frequently used (but never about you) phrases from Buyingtime Ltd.
Towtruck
/Towtruck/
adjective
1. On the way to a breakdown
"Seven coffees before lunch, Dave. Really? You ok?." Dave laughs, maniacally. "HahahHA. I'm a towtruck, BROOM BROOM".
