Why does assessment coverage matter
Survey over survey has consistently shown that for enterprise B2B software and services purchases the analyst community is a major influencer early in the buy cycle for identifying what differentiates suppliers (helping to define RFIs), who may best fit a given set of requirements (to longlist or shortlist) and later, downstream, to validate potential decisions and ensure buyer confidence.
Our own biennial survey of suppliers has consistently shown that inclusion in a marquee assessment has significant impact on business opportunity. Figure 1 shows the breakdown from our most recent survey cycle in 2024.
Figure 1: 2024 survey looking at impact assessment inclusion has had on the business (n=132)
No great susprises
It will surprise nobody that best results were attained by firms showing strongest overall performance across assessment axes, closely followed by those showing high ratings in vision/strategy implying a strong future fit for buyer organizations. Overall though – as we often ask – companies have been clear that in over 90% of cases inclusion anywhere led to better business outcomes, including Niche. Indeed smaller firms were those who showed the greatest benefits, for example in being invited to many more buyer RFI processes.
In planning your approach to assessments you need to consider the potential value of each additional customer that success could deliver, the potential impact that strong performance could have on overall market visibility and credibility, how strong positioning could add value to objectives you may have as a business to seek additional funding, sale or IPO. These assessments are influential market radar for many stakeholders in the technology market.