How Gratitude Became Pure Storage's Most Powerful Sales Tool
Industry:
Computer Hardware and Software
Company Size:
1,001 - 5000 Employees
Website:
Joined Thnks:
April 2020
Thnks Solutions:
Challenge
Michelle Scott had just moved to a new territory as an Enterprise Account Executive at Pure Storage and she was chasing after new customers whom she’d never worked with – but there was one problem – it was the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Michelle had always used in-person visits to make an impression with prospects, but now it was difficult to build relationships in this new environment where she couldn’t visit their offices. One tactic that used to work for her was delivering cookies, but with everyone working remotely, there was no comfortable way to ask for personal addresses to send her sweet treats.
Solution
Thnks gave Pure Storage a new way to connect with customers and partners, leading to sales success during a time when everyone was distracted by world events and learning to work in a newly remote environment. Jason Zawacki, Regional Sales Director for Southeast Enterprise, says “The pandemic changed the way you go to market, and for a business leader, you have to figure out how to connect people.” He appreciated the low lift that it took for his team to get started on Thnks and how quickly expressing gratitude positively impacted their business.
The real test for Pure Storage was if they could get attention and responses from contacts who were not taking meetings or responding to emails. The team found that by sending personalized Thnks, they were able to engage new customers. Michelle, who was working in her new territory with no pre-existing relationships, was able to open up major new accounts using Thnks as a tool. “People keep telling me they can’t believe that I’ve been able to do what I’ve been doing in a pandemic – but it’s because of the personalization, and the personalization is what has helped me stand out from the pack,” she says.
Pure Storage’s culture is all about trying to remove the friction of customers using and consuming tech. The team is always looking for points of connection with their clients, which has helped them foster a healthy, natural dialogue and build a reputation as a company that is authentic and genuinely caring. Jason says, “It’s often said that people don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Gratitude is an aspect of caring, and the Thnks platform is the way my team demonstrates gratitude in simple gestures.”
“Thnks let me show off my personal brand as well as my company’s brand, and give a customer next-level attention through sending a personalized gesture and having that capability to circle back when I’ve seen that my Thnks has been opened and redeemed.”
Michelle Scott
Enterprise Account Executive
Results
Thnks gave Pure Storage a new way to connect with customers and partners, leading to sales success during a time when everyone was distracted by world events and learning to work in a newly remote environment. Jason Zawacki, Regional Sales Director for Southeast Enterprise, says “The pandemic changed the way you go to market, and for a business leader, you have to figure out how to connect people.” He appreciated the low lift that it took for his team to get started on Thnks and how quickly expressing gratitude positively impacted their business.
The real test for Pure Storage was if they could get attention and responses from contacts who were not taking meetings or responding to emails. The team found that by sending personalized Thnks, they were able to engage new customers. Michelle, who was working in her new territory with no pre-existing relationships, was able to open up major new accounts using Thnks as a tool. “People keep telling me they can’t believe that I’ve been able to do what I’ve been doing in a pandemic – but it’s because of the personalization, and the personalization is what has helped me stand out from the pack,” she says.
Pure Storage’s culture is all about trying to remove the friction of customers using and consuming tech. The team is always looking for points of connection with their clients, which has helped them foster a healthy, natural dialogue and build a reputation as a company that is authentic and genuinely caring. Jason says, “It’s often said that people don’t care what you know until they know that you care. Gratitude is an aspect of caring, and the Thnks platform is the way my team demonstrates gratitude in simple gestures.”
When They Send
- Stay top of mind throughout sales prospecting
- Follow up after a meeting
- Reconnect when a campaign goes quiet
- Say thanks for a referral or reference
- Celebrating a win or major milestone with a customer
How They Say Thnks
The way Pure Storage users send Thnks varies by individual, and as users mature with the platform, they’re finding new use cases wherever it makes sense for their role. “There’s not just one use case,” says Ellen Lail, Regional Sales Director for Southeast Commercial. “I love that my team can spend anywhere from $5 to $500 on the Thnks platform depending on their needs.”
Michelle loves how simple it is to send a Thnks and find an item that she knows will be appreciated by her client. “Every time I search for a favorite item of mine on Thnks, you have it. You have a breadth of offerings.” For her, it’s about the connections that come from sending a Thnks. One of her clients shared with her how much he loved cheese, and after their meeting, Michelle went into Thnks and sent him her favorite cheese from Holland. “He cracked up and couldn’t believe that I found it – it’s that extension of conversation that shows I was paying attention to him. I sent him something he really enjoyed and he knew it came from a good place.” Thnks is not just about selling – it’s about growing relationships with your clients.
