Why IT Fails at Selling Solutions (And How to Fix It)

 The Problem: IT Still Sells Technology, Not Solutions

Despite countless reminders to sell solutions, not technology, IT professionals continue to bombard customers with jargon. Cloud, AI, Python, Spring Boot—these terms mean nothing to customers looking for a real solution to their problem.

I recently experienced this firsthand while searching for an online learning system. I found a site that looked promising, but the experience left me frustrated.

My Pain Points as a Customer

1. Unclear Features & Icons:

   • The homepage showed icons, but without hovering over each one, I had no clue what they represented.
   • First impression? Confusion.

2. Wrong Prioritization:

   • The first visible option was Dashboard—but as a learner, my priority was test papers, courses, and subjects.
   • The focus should be on what the customer needs first, not an admin feature.

3. Tech-Centric Messaging Instead of Customer Needs:

   • A prominent icon read "Cloud"—but why should I care?
   • As a customer, I want to know what the LMS does for me, not where it's hosted.
   • Cloud vs. on-premise is the business’s problem, not mine.

4. Buzzwords Over Benefits:

   • Instead of emphasizing how the platform makes learning easier, it talked about responsive design, microservices, AI, and scalability.
   • These are backend concerns, not customer priorities.

Why Selling Digital Solutions Is Hard (And How to Fix It)

Take Paytm as an example. They don’t sell QR codes, mobile wallets, or payment gateways. Instead, they sell ease of payment on the go. The technology enabling this (mobile, QR code, UPI) is secondary.

Now, contrast this with a typical IT sales approach:

Bad Approach – Bob, the IT Guy

Bob meets a potential client who is looking for an AI-based solution. Instead of understanding the problem, Bob dives straight into:

• “We will implement it in Python.”
• “We know machine learning.”
• “We use Spring Boot and bag-of-words algorithms.”

The client thinks:

• “Wait, do you even know my problem yet?”
• “Why are you deciding the technology before knowing what I need?”
• “I’m not comfortable with this—thanks, but no thanks.”

Bob leaves thinking the meeting went well because the client smiled and said, "pleased to meet you"—but in reality, the deal is lost.

Better Approach – Bob, the Solution Expert

Bob starts the conversation by asking:

• “What challenge are you facing?”
• “How are you currently solving it?”
• “What would make this process easier for you?”

Bob then presents a solution without mentioning technology first:

• “We can help you automate this manual process.”
• “Your employees will save X hours per week with this system.”
• “You’ll reduce errors by X%.”

Only after the client is convinced does Bob discuss how it will be built.

---

Recommendations for Different Stakeholders

🔹 For IT Sales & Presales Teams
✔ Focus on the customer’s problem first, not the technology stack.
✔ Use language that resonates: benefits, ease, cost savings, efficiency—not programming languages and frameworks.
✔ Only discuss technology once the customer understands and agrees with the solution’s value.

🔹 For Product Managers & UX Teams
✔ Design interfaces that align with how customers think, not how engineers structure backend systems.
✔ Prioritize core needs on the homepage (e.g., courses and test papers for an LMS, not dashboards and cloud details).
✔ Use simple, clear labels instead of jargon-heavy feature lists.

🔹 For Consultants & Implementation Teams
✔ Remember: if the customer already floated an RFP, you are not selling—they are buying.
✔ Your job is to implement, not convince them of the problem.
✔ Focus on execution, timelines, and how your approach minimizes risk.

---

Key Takeaway

🚀 Core need first, technology later.
Customers don’t care about your tech stack—they care about how you solve their problem. IT must shift from selling technology to selling outcomes.

What’s your experience with IT sales? Have you seen this issue in your industry? Let’s discuss!