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For those of us in the services business, drawing the distinction between selling outcomes and selling a process can be useful to help us manage customer expectations, design our value delivery, and gauge success.
Selling an outcome
Selling an outcome is when we are commissioned to deliver something like a report (financial statements, research findings), a procedure (surgery, machine repair, plumbing), or training (seminar). Whether that something has been successfully delivered is fairly clear-cut.
Is there a file corresponding to the report? Does the report contain what it is meant to contain?
Has the surgical procedure been completed successfully?
Has the problematic pipe been unclogged?
Have attendants of a seminar passed their test to demonstrate that they have retained the knowledge delivered?
If the delivery can be determined in a yes or no manner AND the outcome delivered can be gauged against predefined success measures, we are selling an outcome.
Selling processes.experiences
Selling a process is when we are commissioned to facilitate an experience for the customer. We have control over how to facilitate the experience, but have no control over what may come out of the experience.
Consider experiences like a counselling group or an employee feedback workshop. The service provider can control how the experiences are delivered: the schedule, questions/prompts, lighting, seating, air conditioning, etc. But they cannot promise that everyone will experience transformation or provide only positive feedback.
If the delivery can be determined in a yes or no manner BUT we do not really know the nature of the final outcomes, we are selling a process or experience.
