In an industrial company, one person almost never buys alone. A machine, a component or a piece of software passes through several hands before anyone signs. If you only talk to one of them, you can have an excellent meeting and never move forward.
Who usually takes part
- General or business unit management. Approves the investment and looks at the business impact: growth, risk and timing.
- Technical or engineering management. Checks that the solution works, fits with what they already have and meets the standards.
- Purchasing. Compares suppliers, negotiates terms and checks that the supplier is reliable.
- Production or operations. The people who will use the solution every day; if they do not want it, the project stalls.
- Quality, safety or compliance. They can block the purchase if a certification or an approval is missing.
In an SME, one person often holds several of these roles. In a large group, each one may be in a different country.
Who really decides
The person who signs is not always the one who decides. The real decision is often made by whoever has the problem, usually the technical or operations side, and management backs it. Purchasing comes in later to close the terms. That is why it pays to identify three people: who has the problem, who approves the budget and who can veto.
How to find out before the first contact
- Study the company: structure, plants, recent news and ongoing projects.
- Review professional profiles to see who holds each role and since when.
- Look for signs of need: expansions, new products, changes in regulations or management.
- Ask. In the first conversation, asking how they make decisions is not intrusive: it is what a serious supplier does.
What matters to each profile
- To management, the business result and the risk.
- To the technical side, that it works, that it integrates and that someone responds if it fails.
- To purchasing, the total cost, the terms and the strength of the supplier.
- To operations, that it does not complicate their day-to-day work.
The same message does not work for everyone. Prepare a short argument for each one.
Common mistakes
- Talking only to whoever answered first.
- Going straight to purchasing without a technical champion inside.
- Assuming the most senior person is the one who decides.
- Not asking about their buying process and timing.
How it fits into our work
Identifying the decision-maker is at the heart of our method. With the IBD Method we validate which companies make sense for you and who decides in each one, and we put you in touch with that person. To prepare for that first meeting, read how to arrive well prepared for your first meeting with the decision-maker.
