Value Accelerator Wiki
Milestone 5: Business Case
Introduction
The Business Case Milestone is part of the Engagement Phase of the Value Accelerator Framework.
This milestone is optional and becomes relevant when the customer organization needs to formally evaluate the investment in the vendor’s solution by assessing its expected business impact, return on investment, and alignment with strategic objectives.
In contrast, for smaller engagements where alignment can be quickly achieved through direct communication, the Business Case Milestone may be skipped or integrated into previous milestones. In such cases, Value Presentation and buying decisions often occur more informally.
By preparing a clear and compelling business case, the vendor supports the customer in driving internal alignment and securing decision-maker commitment.
Purpose
The Business Case Milestone is designed to align the vendor and customer on the financial impact of the proposed solution. This includes not only the vendor’s price offering but—most importantly—the quantifiable value the solution is expected to deliver for the customer organization.
While pricing activities are typically well-defined within most vendor organizations, many vendors still struggle to effectively calculate, validate, and communicate the customer’s business case—that is, the financial benefits and return on investment the customer can expect.
This milestone provides practical guidance to:
Structure and quantify the customer business case
Validate key assumptions with customer stakeholders
Build alignment around expected outcomes and financial returns
The goal is to help the customer justify the investment internally and gain stakeholder buy-in, especially in complex decision-making environments where multiple business units, procurement teams, and finance departments are involved.
Important: A business case is only effective when the customer actively participates in its development. Even the most sophisticated financial model will fall short without shared ownership. This milestone emphasizes collaboration—engaging customer stakeholders in shaping the business case to ensure it reflects their priorities, context, and success criteria.
By co-creating the business case, the vendor strengthens its position as a strategic partner and builds credibility around the proposed value.
Methodology
Quantitative Value Proposition
The Quantitative Value Proposition—also referred to as the Value Hypothesis—represents the measurable positive impact that the vendor’s solution is expected to deliver for the customer.
It is the financial backbone of the Business Case Milestone and provides the foundation for calculating the Customer Business Case.
A strong Quantitative Value Proposition translates business value into clear and quantifiable terms. It typically aligns with four key impact areas:
Time – Gains in speed, reduced delays, and improved time-to-value.
Money – Cost savings or revenue generation linked to addressing priority challenges.
Resources – More efficient use of assets, labor, or materials.
Risk – Reduction of potential costs associated with operational, financial, or compliance risks.
Examples of Quantitative Value Propositions: Cost Savings
Energy Savings
Example: “20% reduction in energy costs, equivalent to $200,000 annually for a site currently spending $1 million.”
Labor Cost Reduction
Example: “30% reduction in manual effort, saving $150,000 annually for an operation with $500,000 in labor costs.”
Materials Optimization
Example: “15% decrease in material waste, generating $75,000 in annual savings on a $500,000 materials budget.”
Maintenance Efficiency
Example: “25% drop in maintenance expenses, reducing annual costs by $50,000 from a $200,000 baseline.”
Examples of Quantitative Value Propositions: Revenue Growth
Increased Sales Capacity
Example: “10% boost in production output, driving $500,000 in additional revenue annually.”
Upselling / Cross-Selling Enablement
Example: “15% increase in revenue per customer through better targeting, yielding $300,000 in added annual revenue.”
New Market Entry
Example: “$1 million in new revenue by expanding into two additional markets with 20% forecasted growth.”
Examples of Quantitative Value Propositions: Time Efficiency
Accelerated Production Cycles
Example: “20% faster cycle times, unlocking $250,000 in additional quarterly output.”
Reduced Downtime
Example: “30% less unplanned downtime, restoring $100,000 in monthly productivity.”
Faster Decision-Making
Example: “20% time savings in decision workflows, saving 300 hours annually—valued at $45,000.”
Examples of Quantitative Value Propositions: Resource Optimization
Inventory Reduction
Example: “25% reduction in inventory carrying costs, saving $200,000 per year.”
Asset Utilization
Example: “15% improvement in equipment usage, driving $100,000 in extra output annually.”
Compliance Cost Reduction
Example: “$50,000 annually saved by avoiding regulatory fines.”
Examples of Quantitative Value Propositions: Cost Avoidance
Risk Prevention
Example: “Estimated $500,000 annual savings through cybersecurity risk mitigation.”
Deferred Capital Expenditures
Example: “$1 million deferred by extending infrastructure lifetime by 5 years.”
Penalty Avoidance
Example: “$100,000 saved annually by eliminating regulatory fines through improved reporting.”
Customer Business Case
The Customer Business Case quantifies the financial advantage the customer expects to gain by adopting the vendor’s solution. It is calculated as the difference between the Customer Business Opportunity (the monetizable value generated by the solution) and the Sales Price (the amount the customer pays for the solution):
Customer Business Case = Customer Business Opportunity − Sales Price
For the business case to be favorable, the value delivered must exceed the cost of the solution:
Customer Business Opportunity > Sales Price
This equation is not just a mathematical exercise—it is the foundation for making a compelling case to the customer’s financial stakeholders and decision-makers. A well-structured Customer Business Case demonstrates that the vendor’s solution is not an expense, but a smart investment.
The Customer Business Case must always be expressed in monetizable terms. Showing the impact in euros, dollars, or other currency units ensures clarity and credibility, especially when presenting benefits like cost reductions, increased revenue, or avoided expenditures.
To calculate a sound and credible Customer Business Case, four key inputs must be defined:
Quantitative Value Proposition
Customer Current Situation
Time Horizon
Customer Future Situation
1. Quantitative Value Proposition
This is the measurable benefit the vendor’s solution can deliver. It is based on the vendor’s experience with similar customers, industry benchmarks, or pilot project results. Whenever possible, the vendor should use real customer data to validate these estimates. When data is unavailable, the vendor should formulate hypotheses backed by logic and reference examples, and validate them collaboratively with the customer.
Example:
“18% reduction in yearly energy consumption based on post-implementation analysis from three comparable industrial sites.”
2. Customer Current Situation
This is the customer’s baseline before the solution is implemented. The customer should provide the relevant operational or financial data as a starting point. This ensures that the business case is grounded in the customer’s reality—not in abstract assumptions.
Example:
“Average energy consumption over the past five years: 2,000,000 kWh annually.”
3. Time Horizon
This defines the timeframe for evaluating the benefits of the solution. The longer the time horizon, the greater the cumulative value—but assumptions must remain realistic. A typical time horizon ranges from 1 to 5 years, depending on the type of solution.
Example:
“3-year evaluation period for the deployment of an energy optimization system.”
4. Customer Future Situation
This represents the expected outcome at the end of the defined time horizon, after applying the Quantitative Value Proposition to the Customer Current Situation. It describes the improved state the customer can achieve.
The projected future outcome is calculated using the following formula:
Customer Future Situation in Year n = Customer Current Situation × (1 − Quantitative Value Proposition)^n
This formula allows vendors to demonstrate how the solution delivers incremental value over time, visualizing both short-term gains and long-term impact. The stronger the improvement over time, the more compelling the business case becomes.
Business Case Representation
Once the Customer Business Case has been calculated, it is essential to present it in a clear, persuasive, and stakeholder-relevant format. Depending on the audience and the complexity of the engagement, the vendor should select one or more representation methods to communicate the business case effectively.
Below are two common and effective ways to represent the Customer Business Case:
Net Gain
Net Gain provides a direct view of the total financial benefit the customer would realize by adopting the vendor’s solution. It is calculated by subtracting the Customer Purchase Price from the total Customer Value—i.e., the monetizable value generated for the customer.
Net Gain = Customer Value − Customer Purchase Price
This representation offers a simple and compelling way to quantify the advantage of the proposed solution.
Example:
If the Customer Value is $500,000 and the Customer Purchase Price is $300,000:
Net Gain = $500,000 − $300,000 = $200,000
The result shows the absolute value the customer gains from the investment, making the financial benefit clear and tangible.
Return on Investment (RoI)
Return on Investment (RoI) is a widely recognized metric used to express the profitability of an investment as a percentage. It quantifies how much return the customer receives for each dollar invested and is particularly effective when addressing financial stakeholders.
RoI (%) = (Net Gain / Customer Purchase Price) × 100
Where:
Net Gain = Customer Value − Customer Purchase Price
Customer Purchase Price = Total investment made by the customer
Example:
If the Customer Value is $500,000 and the Customer Purchase Price is $300,000:
Net Gain = $200,000
RoI (%) = ($200,000 / $300,000) × 100 = 66.67%
This means the customer receives a 66.67% return on their investment—demonstrating the efficiency and profitability of the proposed solution.
Payback Period
The Payback Period indicates how long it will take for the customer to recover their initial investment through the benefits delivered by the solution. It is a simple yet effective way to demonstrate how quickly the customer can expect to break even.
Payback Period (years) = Customer Purchase Price / Annual Cash Flow
Where:
Customer Purchase Price is the total upfront investment made by the customer.
Annual Cash Flow represents the estimated yearly value generated by the solution (typically calculated as Customer Value / Time Horizon).
Example:
If the Customer Purchase Price is $300,000 and the expected Annual Cash Flow is $200,000:
Payback Period = $300,000 / $200,000 = 1.5 years
This means the customer will recover the full investment in 1.5 years.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) reflects the full financial commitment of adopting the solution over its lifecycle. This includes not only the initial investment, but also all ongoing costs required to operate and maintain the solution.
TCO = Customer Purchase Price + Total Ongoing Costs
Ongoing costs may include maintenance, support, energy consumption, software subscriptions, and other recurring expenses.
Example:
If the Customer Purchase Price is $300,000 and ongoing costs are $50,000 per year over a 5-year period:
TCO = $300,000 + ($50,000 × 5) = $550,000
This representation helps customer stakeholders—especially in finance or operations—understand the long-term cost implications of the investment.
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)
The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) expresses the expected annual return of the investment, considering the timing and amount of future cash flows. IRR is particularly relevant when comparing multiple investment options.
IRR is the discount rate (r) that sets the Net Present Value (NPV) of all future cash flows equal to zero:
0 = Σ (Cash Flow in Year t / (1 + r)^t) − Customer Purchase Price
Where:
Cash Flow in Year t is the value generated in each year of the Time Horizon.
r is the IRR that makes the NPV equal to zero.
Example:
If the Customer Purchase Price is $300,000 and the projected benefits are:
Year 1: $120,000
Year 2: $150,000
Year 3: $180,000
Then the IRR is the rate r that solves:
0 = (120,000 / (1 + r)^1) + (150,000 / (1 + r)^2) + (180,000 / (1 + r)^3) − 300,000
The resulting IRR indicates the average annual return the customer can expect on their investment.
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The Payback Period is the time required for an investment to generate enough returns to cover the initial cost, offering a clear understanding of how soon the customer can break even.
The formula to calculate the Payback Period is:
Payback Period (years) = Initial Cost of Investment / Annual Cash Flow
Where:
Initial Cost of Investment is the Customer Purchase Price.
Annual Cash Flow represents the estimated yearly benefit (Customer Value divided by the Time Horizon).
For example, if the Customer Purchase Price is 300,000 USD and the Annual Cash Flow is estimated at 200,000 USD:
Payback Period (years) = 300,000 USD / 200,000 USD = 1.5 years
This calculation shows that the initial investment would be fully recovered in 1.5 years.
Execution
The Business Case Milestone is composed by the following activities:
Select Customer Problems With Financial Impact
Collect Customer Data
Calculate Customer Cost Of Inaction
Sales Price Calculation
Calculate Customer Business Case
Business Case Presentation Draft
Commercial Coaching Session
Business Case Validation Meeting
The execution of this Milestone is led by the sales rep, who ensures coordination across internal teams and engagement with customer stakeholders.
To support successful execution, the sales rep may be supported by:
Bid Manager – if applicable within the vendor’s organization
Customer Success Manager – if applicable within the vendor’s organization
This Milestone requires active collaboration with the customer, particularly in sharing baseline data and validating the underlying assumptions. Close engagement with customer stakeholders ensures credibility, transparency, and alignment on expected value outcomes.
The following sections provide detailed guidance for executing each activity listed above.
1. Select Customer Problems With Financial Impact
The first step in building a compelling business case is to identify and prioritize customer challenges that carry a clear and measurable financial impact. These challenges are typically uncovered during earlier Milestones—starting with Value Discovery, refined through Value Presentation, and deepened during the Value Design Workshop and Value Demonstration.
At this stage, the sales rep should have a strong understanding of the customer’s most pressing business issues, as well as clarity on which of the vendor’s offerings can address them effectively.
For example, it may have been established that the customer is experiencing elevated energy costs, which are significantly impacting profit margins. Because the customer cannot increase pricing without risking competitiveness, this inefficiency has become a critical concern. Adding to the urgency, the company has set ambitious profitability targets toward its shareholders, making this challenge a top priority.
In such a case, the sales rep should center the business case around the specific challenge of reducing energy costs—ensuring that the financial impact is clearly articulated and connected to strategic business objectives.
2. Collect Customer Data
Once the priority challenges have been identified, the next step is to gather the data required to quantify their financial impact. In many cases, this information will have already emerged during previous milestones. Where possible, the sales rep should also consult internal sources or review the customer’s publicly available documents—such as annual reports or investor presentations.
If direct data is not available, the sales rep should formulate initial estimates based on industry benchmarks or reference cases. These estimates can then be validated through a dedicated business case development conversation with the customer. The goal of this meeting is to align on the key input data needed to calculate a credible and relevant business case.
During this session, the sales rep should clearly explain the purpose of the conversation and ask the customer for transparency around cost structures, baseline metrics, or operational data related to the targeted use case.
For example, if the business case is focused on energy savings, a data point such as “$200,000 in annual energy spend” becomes foundational for calculating the Customer Business Case.
Beyond direct costs, the sales rep should also explore related or hidden impacts that may amplify the business case. Continuing the example above, rising energy costs may not only reduce margin but also limit competitiveness or restrict investments in growth. Quantifying these indirect effects can significantly strengthen the business case.
At the end of this activity, the sales rep should ensure that all necessary input data—both direct and indirect—has been gathered, validated, and documented. This creates a strong foundation for the next steps.
3. Calculate Customer Cost of Inaction
The cost of inaction quantifies the financial consequences the customer faces by not resolving a priority challenge. This calculation shifts the conversation from “Why should we buy?” to “What will it cost us if we don’t act?”—creating urgency and strengthening the case for change.
To estimate the cost of inaction, the sales rep must start with a clear quantitative value proposition—a projection of the measurable impact the vendor’s solution could deliver. This projection is also referred to as the value hypothesis and should be based on previous customer engagements, validated benchmarks, or published industry research.
If no validated value hypothesis is available, the vendor should rely on indicative use case estimates or results from pilot projects. Over time, these hypotheses should be refined based on actual project outcomes and feedback loops with reference customers.
For example, assume the customer spends $200,000 annually on energy and has stated that energy inefficiency is impacting overall profitability by 5%. If the vendor’s solution typically delivers an 18% reduction in energy consumption, the improvement could increase profitability by an estimated 1.5%, equivalent to $400,000 annually.
In this case, the cost of inaction could be summarized as:
“If this challenge remains unresolved, the customer will continue to incur $600,000 annually—$200,000 in avoidable energy costs and $400,000 in unrealized profit.”
It is essential to emphasize that this calculation does not depend on the vendor’s sales price. At this stage, the goal is to establish a credible, data-driven argument for action. By framing the opportunity in financial terms, the sales rep lays the groundwork for meaningful engagement—independent of budget availability or pricing concerns.
4. Sales Price Calculation
While every vendor organization has its own pricing model, this Milestone provides a structured overview of the key components that make up the customer-facing sales price.
The sales price is the total amount the customer is expected to pay to adopt the proposed solution. It typically includes:
Capital expenditures (CapEx): One-time, upfront costs to initiate the project.
Operational expenditures (OpEx): Recurring costs associated with operating and maintaining the solution over time.
The sales rep and bid manager (if available) work closely together to define the full breakdown of the solution pricing. This calculation should be informed by the following elements:
Bill of Materials (BoM) and Scope of Works (SoW)
BoM: A detailed list of all products required to deliver the solution, including hardware, software, quantities, unit prices, and relevant assumptions or exclusions.
SoW: A description of all service activities needed to implement and sustain the solution, including estimated effort (e.g. man-days), timeline, roles and responsibilities, and delivery assumptions.
Project delivery plan
The delivery plan outlines the sequencing of all project components. It typically includes:
Service and product delivery timelines (e.g. Gantt chart)
Roles and responsibilities (e.g. RASCI matrix)
Shipment planning, logistics, assumptions, exclusions and dependencies
Vendor cost of delivery
This is the internal cost borne by the vendor to deliver the solution, including:
Product and service costs (CapEx and OpEx)
Resource allocations
Risk contingencies
This calculation is usually prepared by the bid manager (if available).
Invoicing plan
A clearly structured invoicing schedule is essential to ensure transparency and alignment with contractual terms. The plan should account for:
Project phases
Payment milestones
Customer preferences
This enables smoother commercial execution and reduces payment delays.
Vendor cash flow
The cash flow plan maps incoming and outgoing payments over the course of the project. Maintaining positive cash flow is critical to project viability, and it should be monitored throughout by the bid manager.
Recommended pricing approach
The Value Accelerator strongly encourages the use of a value-based pricing model. In this model, the sales price is aligned with the measurable value delivered to the customer, rather than the cost of delivery. This approach increases fairness, improves win rates, and shifts the conversation from price to impact.
Best practices
Minimize CapEx: Lower upfront costs to reduce entry barriers for the customer.
Emphasize OpEx: Build recurring revenue streams and create long-term engagement and more stable cash-flow.
Validate internally: Run internal reviews with product management, delivery, and finance teams to ensure accuracy and alignment.
5. Calculate Customer Business Case
Once the customer cost of inaction and the sales price have been defined, the sales rep consolidates this information into a clear and compelling customer business case.
The objective is to demonstrate the tangible financial benefits the customer can achieve by addressing the identified pain points—compared to the investment required to realize those benefits. The result is a credible business case that supports decision-making and justifies the vendor’s offering.
Before presenting the business case externally, the sales rep should validate it internally. This includes confirming that:
The value created for the customer clearly exceeds the proposed investment
The projected return is significant enough to motivate a purchase decision
The calculations are aligned with customer expectations and vendor delivery capabilities
Example: customer business case calculation
This example illustrates how to calculate and present a business case based on energy cost reduction.
Step 1: Define the input data
Pain point: High energy consumption
Customer current situation: 150 kWh/m²/year
Quantitative value proposition: 18% year-on-year reduction in energy use
Time horizon: 5 years
Cost per kWh: $0.25
Customer facility size: 100,000 m²
Step 2: Calculate energy consumption with and without the vendor’s solution
Without vendor’s solution (cost of inaction):
Annual consumption = 150 kWh
5-year total = 150 × 5 = 750 kWh/m²
Total for full area = 750 × 100,000 = 75,000,000 kWh
Cost of inaction = 75,000,000 × $0.25 = $18,750,000
With vendor’s solution (future situation):
Year-by-year calculation using the formula:
Future value = Current × (1 − reduction rate)^n
Year 1: 150 × 0.82 = 123.00
Year 2: 150 × 0.82² = 100.86
Year 3: 150 × 0.82³ = 82.71
Year 4: 150 × 0.82⁴ = 67.82
Year 5: 150 × 0.82⁵ = 55.61
Total energy consumption over 5 years = 429.99 kWh/m²
Total for full area = 429.99 × 100,000 = 42,999,000 kWh
Future cost = 42,999,000 × $0.25 = $10,749,750
Step 3: Calculate the customer business opportunity
Customer business opportunity = Cost of inaction − Future cost
$18,750,000 − $10,749,750 = $8,000,250
Step 4: Define the value-based sales price
The value-based pricing model allocates a fair share of the business opportunity to the vendor. For example:
Fair value share rate: 25%
Sales price = $8,000,250 × 0.25 = $2,000,062.50
Step 5: Calculate the customer business case
Customer business case = Business opportunity − Sales price
$8,000,250 − $2,000,062.50 = $6,000,187.50
Final outcome
The business case clearly demonstrates that by addressing the identified pain point, the customer can unlock a net financial benefit of $6 million over 5 years, after accounting for the cost of the vendor’s solution.
Best practices
Use conservative assumptions: This increases trust and reduces risk perception.
Focus on simplicity: Highlight the top three financial figures for clarity.
Validate with customer data: When available, use real customer inputs. Otherwise, use industry benchmarks as a basis for discussion.
Test with internal stakeholders: Review calculations with technical and financial teams before presenting to the customer.
A credible and well-structured business case not only supports purchasing decisions—it strengthens the relationship with the customer and reinforces the value of a structured, insight-led sales approach.
6. Business Case Presentation Draft
Once the customer business case has been calculated and validated internally, the sales rep should prepare a tailored presentation to communicate it clearly and persuasively to customer stakeholders.
The first step is selecting the most appropriate business case representation for the audience. As described in the methodology section above, multiple representation formats are available.
For instance, the sales rep may choose the RoI representation to highlight the financial efficiency of the investment. Here is an illustrative example:
Example: RoI-based representation
Assumptions:
Customer business opportunity: $8,000,250
Sales price (value-based): $2,000,062.50
Net gain: $8,000,250 − $2,000,062.50 = $6,000,187.50
RoI calculation:
RoI (%) = (Net gain / Sales price) × 100
RoI (%) = ($6,000,187.50 / $2,000,062.50) × 100 = 300%
This means that for every $1 invested, the customer gains an additional $3—indicating a strong return on investment.
Payback period calculation:
Payback period (years) = 100 / RoI (%)
Payback period = 100 / 300 = 0.33 years, or approximately 4 months
Best practices
Validate before presenting: Ensure all inputs and assumptions have been internally reviewed and approved.
Use conservative numbers: Understated projections build trust more than overly optimistic claims.
Keep it simple: Highlight no more than three key metrics to maintain clarity.
Anticipate questions: Prepare explanations for methodology, assumptions, and sources of data.
Building the presentation
The business case presentation is not a formal proposal or binding agreement. It is a communication tool designed to:
Summarize the value of the vendor’s solution
Confirm alignment with customer expectations
Initiate internal discussions with additional customer stakeholders
The presentation should include the following sections:
1. Recap of previous milestones
Summary of the commercial insight introduced in the Value Presentation milestone
Key results from the value design workshop and value demonstration
Names and roles of customer stakeholders involved in prior activities
2. Customer business case
Clear statement of the customer cost of inaction
Definition of the customer business opportunity
Overview of the sales price
Selected business case representation (e.g., RoI, payback period)
Explanation of methodology and data sources
Names of customer stakeholders who contributed to or validated the analysis
3. Sales price breakdown
Split between CapEx and OpEx components
Brief explanation of how the pricing model was constructed
Reference to value-based pricing principles, where applicable
4. High-level delivery plan
Summary of the solution or service offering
Key delivery milestones and expected timeline
Alignment with customer project requirements
5. Commercial model and terms
Overview of the business model
Any proposed terms and conditions that deviate from standard templates
Clarifications on billing structure, licensing, or contractual arrangements
6. Next steps
Outline of next actions for internal approval and alignment
List of typical decision-makers involved in the customer’s buying process (e.g., procurement, IT, legal)
Expected timeline for customer internal review and feedback
7. Commercial Coaching Session
Before presenting the business case to the full customer buying group, the sales rep should schedule a one-to-one coaching session with a key customer stakeholder—typically the mobilizer, champion, or a similar role actively driving the initiative from within the customer organization.
This session serves as a collaborative alignment meeting. Its purpose is to test, refine, and prepare the business case presentation to ensure it resonates with the wider decision-making team.
Customer role in the coaching session
The customer stakeholder should be encouraged to:
Review the business case presentation and provide feedback on clarity, structure, and relevance.
Highlight missing elements that may be required to secure internal buy-in, such as specific KPIs, cost breakdowns, or executive-level summaries.
Evaluate commercial alignment, assessing how well the business case supports the company’s strategic and financial goals.
Identify key internal stakeholders, including budget owners and final decision-makers who should be involved in the upcoming presentation.
Support next steps, such as organizing the final business case presentation meeting with the broader customer stakeholder group.
Sales rep role in the coaching session
The sales rep plays an active role in enabling the customer to become an internal advocate for the solution. Their responsibilities include:
Explaining the customer’s typical buying journey, especially if the solution or engagement model is new to the customer organization. This includes identifying internal steps such as procurement alignment, legal review, or cross-departmental approvals.
Equipping the customer to communicate the business case effectively, recognizing that the most critical internal conversations often happen without the vendor in the room.
Adapting the coaching to the stakeholder’s communication style:
For storytelling-oriented stakeholders, encourage them to connect the solution to a compelling narrative, while helping them prepare for detailed questions.
For detail-driven stakeholders, help them focus on the bigger picture and guide them to structure the message around business value—not just technical detail.
Final refinement and next steps
Following the session, the sales rep should incorporate the customer’s input into the presentation and share a revised version for final confirmation. Once approved, the customer stakeholder—ideally the mobilizer—should take the lead in organizing the next internal meeting with the full buying group.
This internal alignment step significantly improves the likelihood of deal progression, ensuring the business case is well understood, endorsed by key influencers, and ready to be positioned for executive approval.
8. Business Case Validation Meeting
The business case validation meeting is the final activity of the Business Case Milestone. In this session, the sales rep presents the business case to a broader group of customer stakeholders—typically including decision-makers, budget owners, and process influencers.
Objectives of the meeting
The meeting is designed to:
Secure validation of the customer business case from key stakeholders
Confirm budget availability and alignment
Identify budget and process owners involved in the upcoming purchasing steps
Define next steps in the customer’s internal decision-making and procurement process
It is important to note that final approval is rarely granted during this meeting. In most cases, the customer will require an internal follow-up session—often led by the mobilizer or another internal advocate—to review the business case with additional decision-makers. This internal conversation, which typically takes place without the vendor present, is often where the final buying decision is made.
Typical progression
Securing commercial approval usually involves multiple touchpoints. The process may follow this sequence:
Validation meeting: The sales rep delivers the business case presentation to key customer stakeholders.
Internal customer discussion: The mobilizer or champion leads internal alignment meetings to socialize the proposal.
Vendor follow-up: The sales rep stays engaged to answer questions, clarify figures, and maintain momentum.
Final decision: The customer communicates the outcome and next steps, which may include progressing to procurement, legal review, or a formal commitment.
For more guidance on managing post-validation steps, refer to Milestone 6 of the Value Accelerator Framework.
Best practices
Lead with the top three figures: Open the presentation by highlighting the most impactful numbers—typically net gain, RoI, and payback period. Group smaller values into a single figure to avoid distraction.
Balance ambition and credibility: Use optimistic but realistic projections. Overly conservative estimates may dilute the perceived value, while inflated figures can raise doubts and trigger validation from customer finance teams.
Keep the math simple: Use straightforward, easy-to-understand calculations. Complex formulas may delay decisions or introduce unnecessary friction. Where possible, visualize the business case with clean tables or charts.
Quality Gates
Customer business case is calculated and approved internally within the vendor’s organization
Customer approves the Business Case
Customer’s budget is validated
Customer budget and process owners are identified
Sales Enablement Artifacts
List of Quantitative Value Proposition examples: A curated list of quantitative value propositions, organized by industry and use case. These examples help sales reps articulate measurable benefits aligned with customer pain points and strategic initiatives.
Template for Business Case Presentation: A template to present business case in a compelling manner.
Note: all templates and tools referenced above are available in the Value Accelerator Academy. The academy provides Sales Reps with ready-to-use resources developed by the Value Accelerator team to support the effective delivery of each milestone.
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