Join the founders of Brightr to fight the “nihility” in technology consulting

The Neverending Story is my favorite movie of all time. If you grew up in the ’80s or ’90s, chances are it’s yours, too. I love how it shows the transformative power of imagination in overcoming harsh realities.

The protagonist Bastian is a bullied boy who discovers a magic book called “The Neverending Story”. As he reads, he learns about Fantasia, a fantasy land threatened by “the void,” the consequences of human apathy and loss of creativity. Entering the story, Bastian realizes that Fantasia needs the help of a human child. He meets a child queen who urges him to save Fantasia through imagination. Together they recreate a fantasy world.

Interestingly, the moral of the movie applies entirely to the world of technology consulting. We must use our imagination to conquer the nothingness of technology and build solutions that make a difference.

But how do we stimulate this imagination? Like Bastian, we need a good story.

I’ve worked in technology consulting for over a decade, using storytelling to inspire my teams, clients, and prospects. I am passionate about exploring new ways for service providers to effectively communicate and share their stories with the world. Three years ago, I founded Brightr, a storytelling platform for technology services.

Marketers use stories to build brands, sales people use stories to build trust with prospects (it’s not like we have a product to demo), and delivery people use stories to develop new ideas for customers.

I love talking to other technology consultants and hearing their project stories about how they overcame challenges or used technology elements innovatively. Like Bastian who was inspired by the books, these project stories inspire me to imagine new and better ideas for my clients.

Craft good customer stories

Getting clients excited about your work and remembering you requires more than the traditional problem-solution-results structure commonly found in technology consulting firm case studies. Because of its emotionally detached approach, this structure often falls short when it comes to engaging audiences. It also limits storytelling to a linear progression that lacks emotional connection, fails to differentiate or leaves a lasting impact.

By looking beyond this traditional structure, tech companies can harness the power of storytelling, emotion, and unique perspectives to create compelling narratives that engage and resonate with their audiences on a deeper level.

“Stories are remembered 22 times better than facts themselves.”

Dr. Jennifer Acker
Professor at Pan Atlantic University, Stanford University

A good customer story is a narrative that describes business collaboration, focusing on how real people (with names) came to a solution. It describes the human and technical aspects of business—the struggle to overcome complexity, design innovation, take satisfaction and pride in work, and build professional relationships.

start telling stories

At Brightr, we developed and tested a customer story framework called Moments of Truth.

Moments of Truth depicts real-life interactions between a technology consulting firm and its clients on a project. Unlike case studies, they make the story relatable and bring it to life. A good client story can give anyone an idea of ​​how a consultancy operates, what its culture and key people are like.

Here are some examples of moments of truth, some tips to help you describe your moments of truth, and what team members/customers/prospects can learn from them.

moment of trust

Building trust in the technology services world is critical. It defines the success or failure of the project. It starts with building rapport and empathy during initial customer interactions and understanding their business goals and challenges. This trust is further solidified by past successes in demonstrating expertise and solving technical problems.

This is how you establish initial contact with your client and launch your project.

hint: How do you connect with your customers? How did you start this project?

eureka moment

Aha moments are transformative experiences solving problems in technology services. It represents the moment when everything falls into place, and after carefully listening to and digesting a customer’s problem, the ideal solution becomes clear.

“Oh, of course!” It’s usually when a unique insight or perspective emerges that bridges the gap between the customer’s needs and the team’s capabilities. Such breakthrough implementations are often a synthesis of diverse perspectives, innovative thinking, and domain expertise.

hint: When did you become aware of a concrete solution to a customer problem?

red moment

Red moments represent critical moments in any project when challenges, doubts, or uncertainties come to a head, causing friction or disruption. At this stage, stakeholders may question the direction or feasibility of the project, leading to rigorous scrutiny and pressure to deliver results. All meaningful projects will at some point experience high levels of doubt or uncertainty and turn “red.”

hint: What was the “red” moment for this project? How did you get through it? How does your organization handle these types of situations?

ROI Moment

The payback moment is a critical stage in our project journey, representing the transition from implementation to creating real results and value for our clients. When we see a solution being implemented, making a positive impact and driving meaningful results – the moment a project goes live, it’s clear that the solution is working well and making a difference for the customer.

hint: When did you realize the solution was having a positive impact on your customers? How does it move the needle?

Other key moments include: The ribbon-cutting moment (go-live), the introduction moment (how clients get to know your team), and the deal-clarity moment (how you scope the project).

I like to pick 3-4 of the most memorable key moments from my projects, write them down, and organize them chronologically.

additional story elements

The “Description” section of a customer story is where we delve into the classic case study problem: problem, solution, and outcome. It’s critical to elaborate on the customer’s initial challenge or pain point and highlight the specific problem that needs to be solved. By clearly defining the problem, we lay the foundation for understanding the importance of the solution and its impact.

Continue with “About the Customer”. This section provides valuable background information on the client’s background, industry and project investment motivations.

Technology adds depth to customer stories by showcasing innovative tools and technologies used in solutions.

Finally, emphasize the “people” involved in the project to recognize the dedicated team members who contributed to its success. Recognizing their expertise, contributions and collaborative efforts is critical, demonstrating the human element behind project achievements.

Add a few of these elements to your key moments, and bam —-You have a client story that would make a kid queen proud.

Try using this customer story framework to showcase one of your latest projects and see what a difference it makes!

The role of Gen AI

Using Gen AI in our storytelling is a game changer. Gen AI has become our trusted writing partner, helping us generate ideas, suggest improvements, and make our drafts better.

Of course, Gen AI is a powerful tool, but it cannot replace human contact. It complements our storytelling skills and helps us refine our stories while maintaining an authentic atmosphere that connects with our audience.

I believe humans should write stories. You can tell when a story comes from the heart. Beyond that, what’s left for us mere mortals?

Live happily ever after

Exploring key moments in customer stories and storytelling, coupled with the integration of Gen AI, highlights the synergy between human creativity and technological innovation.

As we build trust, breakthroughs, and challenges, we come to realize that storytelling is more than just words, but a deeper connection.

As we lead the technology industry, let’s continue to blend our expertise, passion, and tools to build customer stories that inspire, connect, and drive success in new, more creative ways!

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