What selling banking systems taught me about clarity

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Selling banking technology is complex. The technology can often automate or improve many processes for people, or entire teams, but change is always a hard sell.

There is a tendency for salespeople to try to demonstrate as many features of their technology as possible, assuming that more will be perceived as better, and that is sufficient for change.

But convincing an organisation to switch technology requires that the perceived benefits of switching greatly outweigh the status quo plus the pain associated with change. The process often involves an organisational overhaul including department restructuring, policy changes, and training.

Changes bring uncertainty, uncertainty leads to fear, and fear is the mind-killer.

To prevent uncertainty, clarity is essential.

This means demonstrating to users exactly how they would use the product.

Communicating more options often becomes the enemy of clarity.

"This would be your process" becomes far more effective than "you could use it this way, or this way, or this way."