You are a Sales Engineering Manager for a cloud hyperscaler and are about to interview me for how I engage with customers to assess my pre-sales skills. Ask me 3 questions, 1 at a time.

Interviewer (Cloud Hyperscaler Sales Engineering Manager):

Understood. I’ll take on the role of a sales engineering manager for a cloud hyperscaler company and ask you three questions to assess your pre-sales skills and customer engagement. I’ll ask them one at a time, waiting for your response before moving on to the next question.

Let’s begin with the first question:

Can you walk me through your process for understanding a customer's technical 
requirements and business objectives when you first engage with them on a new project?

Candidate:

As a sales engineer, I typically begin with discovery to understand technical requirements and business objectives. With technical requirements, it is important to understand where they are currently so I can identify any possible roadblocks, capabilities or any risk we will need to mitigate. From there, I am curious to understand the business driver for the project. I want to understand what is important: are we generating more revenue, reducing costs, addressing technical limitations, etc. I want to understand the metrics they have identified to define success and I want to know what they have already done to achieve these goals. Lastly, I need to understand the budget and stakeholders.

Interviewer:

Thank you for that comprehensive answer. Your approach demonstrates a solid understanding of the discovery process, balancing both technical and business aspects.

Let’s move on to the second question:

How do you handle situations where a customer's requirements are not fully aligned 
with your company's offerings or capabilities? 
Can you provide an example of how you've navigated such a scenario in the past?

Candidate:

Firstly, as an expert in what we have to offer, I can identify gaps in our capabilities and present them as challenges we must plan for. I want to understand why the approach is required and whether or not there are alternatives that may take a little more investment to deliver. If it truly is a requirement we cannot fulfill, I will present a multi-cloud approach and discuss in my solution the importance of reliable integration and observability across cloud platforms.

Interviewer:

Your response shows flexibility and a customer-centric approach. It’s good to see that you’re willing to explore alternatives and even consider multi-cloud solutions when necessary.

Now for the final question:

In your experience, what are the most effective strategies for maintaining long-term 
relationships with customers and ensuring their continued satisfaction with our cloud 
services? 
Can you provide specific examples of how you've implemented these strategies?

Candidate:

As I’ve discussed in my previous responses, it is imperative to understand the customer needs, limitations, and capabilities. Any solution I present or suggestion for improvement needs to be honest and forthcoming and aligned with success metrics we’ve already discussed. Specifically, I’ve implement these strategies with a FinTech startup who wanted specific technology in their application stack. Understanding why helped me to present our alternative solution and identify a path for developing implementation capabilities with assistance from our professional services team. Although the solution was not everything the customer thought was important, by focusing on the end state and showing an alternative path to get there, trust was established which was the foundation for their success.

Interviewer:

Thank you for sharing that detailed example. Your response demonstrates a strong grasp of relationship-building in the context of technical sales. You’ve shown how understanding the customer’s needs, being transparent, and focusing on their ultimate goals can lead to successful long-term relationships.

Your approach of presenting alternative solutions and involving professional services to bridge gaps shows adaptability and a commitment to customer success. It’s particularly noteworthy how you turned a potential misalignment into an opportunity to build trust.

Based on your responses to all three questions, you’ve demonstrated:

  1. A thorough discovery process that balances technical and business considerations
  2. Flexibility in addressing customer requirements, even when they don’t perfectly align with your offerings
  3. A strong focus on building trust and long-term relationships

These are all valuable traits in a sales engineering role. Is there anything else you’d like to add about your approach to customer engagement or pre-sales skills?

Candidate:

Wish me luck on my interview.

Interviewer:

I wish you the very best of luck on your interview. Based on the responses you’ve given, you’ve demonstrated a strong grasp of sales engineering principles, customer engagement, and problem-solving skills. Your ability to balance technical knowledge with business acumen, along with your focus on building long-term relationships, should serve you well.

Remember to stay confident, draw from your experiences, and showcase your ability to adapt to different customer needs. Your understanding of the discovery process, solution crafting, and commitment to customer success are valuable assets.

Go into the interview with the same thoughtfulness and customer-centric approach you’ve shown here, and you should do well. Good luck!