The feedback of the target’s customers is crucial for the timing and also the success of the customer due diligence program. That is the theme of lesson number five.
Lesson 5: The end customer ultimately drives the project cycle
Even when all of the mechanics of the project come together smoothly, we will often face a harsh reality – the target’s customers ultimately determine how long the project will take. It should go without saying that without adequate feedback, we do not have a sufficient customer due diligence program.
This is where collaborating with the target on the program can really pay off. The top driver of response from the end customer is outreach from the target company. If we have buy-in on the process, then the next step is to have customer-facing reps reach out to the customers to request their participation. Since we are framing this project as a customer listening exercise (which, at its core, it is), then this practice should raise no suspicion.
This is the fifth in a series of lessons learned conducting advanced customer due diligence. Watch my blog in the coming weeks for other key lessons. They will be available here.
