Start with the work
Send the provider a short brief with the job, sample fields, expected output and one difficult case. Exclude personal or confidential data; a clearly marked synthetic example is sufficient for a demonstration.
Build the working checklist
- Show the initiating event and the exact account conditions required.
- Demonstrate a human handoff and an updated preference.
- Show a failed integration, duplicate and recovery path.
- Explain the relevant plan, region and usage restrictions.
Check it against a real task
Keep observed behavior separate from statements made by a salesperson. Record date, environment, scope and unanswered questions. Ask for documentation when a capability is essential.
What to take away
A successful demonstration supports only the case observed. It does not establish performance, reliability or suitability for every customer. Validate the actual environment in a bounded pilot.
Take a decision sheet to the demonstration
Scroll horizontally to read all columns.
| Ask the vendor to show | What you should observe | What remains a claim until checked |
|---|---|---|
| Your normal item | The required output in a relevant environment | Suitability for your exact account, region and plan |
| An exception and a handoff | The next owner receives context | Reliability across unseen exceptions |
| A stop or preference change | Later actions reflect the new state | Behavior in every connected system |
| A failure and recovery | A visible failure and a safe retry | Long-term uptime or guaranteed recovery effort |
| An export | Required fields remain usable | Completeness of every historical or proprietary state |
Separate the sales statement from the observation
Write “The representative said…” for an unverified explanation and “In this demonstration, with these inputs…” for behavior you saw. Retain date, environment, plan and the sample used. A demonstration of one scenario is not a performance test or proof that another account has the same feature access.
An example of a useful follow-up
If a vendor demonstrates automatic assignment but not an unavailable destination, ask: “Where will this enquiry be visible if the transfer fails, and who can recover it?” If a critical answer remains hypothetical, keep the requirement unresolved. Do not mark a feature accepted solely because its name appears in a slide.
Working files
Blank templates for your own planning. These contain no customer records and are not submitted to Sales Fit Lab.
A structured place for requirements, observed evidence, vendor statements and unresolved questions.