Sell What You Can Deliver; Invoice What You Sell; Deliver What You Invoice

It sounds simple: sell what you can deliver, invoice what you sell, and deliver what you invoice. Yet, many organizations struggle to achieve this level of operational harmony. Success in this area requires consistent processes, minimal human error, and the strategic use of automation. When your systems are properly configured, your business can hit these targets efficiently. Here’s how:

Sell What You Can Deliver

1. Streamline Service Offerings
   Create service offerings that are easy for your sales team to understand and present. When solutions are straightforward, sales representatives can focus on selling value rather than deciphering complex product configurations and pricing structures.
2. Maintain Accurate Sales Templates
   Use a robust Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ, or other) tool to standardize and maintain your sales templates. Regular updates ensure accuracy and eliminate confusion during the sales process.
3. Train Sales Teams on Operational Impact
   Educate your sales team about how their actions influence downstream processes. Mistakes in sales can create bottlenecks in delivery and invoicing, so training on the full operational workflow is essential.

Invoice What You Sell

1. Establish Clear Back-Office Processes
   Define a consistent and clean administrative process for handling sales-to-invoice transitions. This should include documenting each step to ensure accountability and consistency.
2. Streamline Sales-to-Back-Office Handoffs
   Implement automation and standardization to eliminate the need for manual translations between sales and administrative teams. A clean handoff ensures invoicing is accurate and reduces delays.
3. Build Error Identification Mechanisms
   Design processes that highlight discrepancies early. Your system should alert teams to mistakes before invoices are sent, saving time and reducing client frustration.

Deliver What You Invoice

1. Ensure Accurate Conversions
   Properly configured systems allow for seamless conversions of sales data into actionable tasks for service delivery. This ensures the correct information flows to the right teams.
2. Focus on Communication and Accountability
   When teams have clarity on their roles and responsibilities, service delivery becomes more efficient. Any mistakes can be traced back to their source for timely corrective action.

The Secret Service Approach

When the Secret Service trains agents to identify counterfeit bills, they expose them to countless authentic bills before slipping in a counterfeit one. This method teaches them to recognize discrepancies immediately.

Your business can adopt a similar strategy. With well-defined, automated processes, errors in your workflow will stand out like a counterfeit bill. By quickly identifying issues, documenting their root causes, and implementing corrective actions, you can create a cycle of continuous improvement.

Why This Matters

A well-executed process not only saves time and money but also builds trust with your customers. According to industry reports, organizations that leverage automation in operational workflows see a 30-50% increase in efficiency and a 25% reduction in manual errors. Streamlining your workflows through a tool like CW can make a significant difference in profitability and customer satisfaction.

References

1. “The Business Value of Automation in IT Processes” – IDC
2. “ConnectWise: A Guide to Operational Efficiency” – ConnectWise Resources
3. “Improving Sales to Delivery Workflows” – MSP Insights