# Contortomat / Easiflo — Verbatim Implication Question Dialogue **Source:** SPIN Selling, Neil Rackham, Chapter 4 (The SPIN Strategy) This dialogue is the book's central worked example of how Implication Questions transform a small Implied Need into a problem large enough to justify a large-sale solution. The value equation shifts from "$120,000 seems outrageous" to "when you put it that way, those machines are creating a very serious problem indeed." --- ## Part 1: Without Implication Questions (the failure case) > **SELLER:** (Situation Question) Do you use Contortomat machines in this division? > > **BUYER:** Yes, we've got three of them. > > **SELLER:** (Problem Question) And are they difficult for your operators to use? > > **BUYER:** (Implied Need) They are rather hard, but we've learned how to get them working. > > **SELLER:** (jumping to solution) We could solve that operating difficulty for you with our new Easiflo system. > > **BUYER:** What does your system cost? > > **SELLER:** The basic system is about $120,000 and... > > **BUYER:** (amazed) $120,000!!! Just to make a machine easier to use! You must be kidding. **What went wrong:** The buyer perceives only a small Implied Need ("they are rather hard"). The problem does not feel large enough to justify a $120,000 solution. The value equation is out of balance — cost outweighs perceived problem severity. --- ## Part 2: With Implication Questions (the success case) > **SELLER:** (Problem Question) And are they difficult for your operators to use? > > **BUYER:** (Implied Need) They are rather hard, but we've learned how to get them working. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) You say they're hard to use. What effect does this have on your output? > > **BUYER:** (perceiving the problem as small) Very little, because we've specially trained three people who know how to use them. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) If you've only got three people who can use them, doesn't that create work bottlenecks? > > **BUYER:** (still seeing the problem as unimportant) No, it's only when a Contortomat operator leaves that we have trouble while we're waiting for a replacement to be trained. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) It sounds like the difficulty of using these machines may be leading to a turnover problem with the operators you've trained. Is that right? > > **BUYER:** (recognizing a bigger problem) Yes, people certainly don't like using the Contortomat machines, and operators generally don't stay with us for long. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) What does this turnover mean in terms of training cost? > > **BUYER:** (seeing more) It takes a couple of months before an operator gets proficient, so that's maybe $4000 in wages and benefits for each operator. On top of that we pay Contortomat $500 to put new operators through off-site training in their Southampton plant. So add perhaps $1000 for travel costs. You know, that's about $5000 for each operator we train — and I guess we must have trained at least five this year already. > > **SELLER:** So that's more than $25,000 in training costs in less than 6 months. (Implication Question) If you've trained five people in 6 months, it sounds like you've never had three fully competent operators at any time: how much production loss has this led to? > > **BUYER:** Not much. Whenever there's been a bottleneck, we've persuaded the other operators to work overtime, or we've sent work outside. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) Doesn't the overtime add even more to your costs? > > **BUYER:** (realizing the problem is quite serious) Yes, we've been paying overtime at two and a half times the normal job rate. Even with the additional pay, the operators aren't very willing to work the extra hours — which I'm sure is one of the reasons we're getting such high turnover. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) I can see how sending the work outside must also increase your costs, but is that the only implication of sending work out? Is the quality of work affected, for example? > > **BUYER:** That's what I'm most unhappy about. I can control the quality of everything we produce internally, but when anything goes outside I'm at the mercy of other people. > > **SELLER:** (Implication Question) And presumably, being forced to send work outside also puts you at the mercy of other people's delivery schedules? > > **BUYER:** Don't talk about it! I've just spent 3 hours on the phone chasing a late delivery. > > **SELLER:** (summarizing) So from what you've said, because your Contortomat machines are so difficult to use, you've spent $25,000 in training costs this year and you're getting expensive operator turnover. You've bottlenecks in production, and these result in expensive overtime and force you to send jobs outside. But sending jobs outside isn't satisfactory, because you're losing quality and getting late deliveries. > > **BUYER:** When you put it that way, those Contortomat machines are creating a very serious problem indeed. --- ## The Value Equation — Before and After | | Before Implication Chain | After Implication Chain | |---|---|---| | Perceived problem | "They are rather hard to use" | $25,000+ training costs, overtime, quality risk, delivery delays | | Perceived solution cost | $120,000 (outrageous) | $120,000 (now feels justifiable) | | Buyer state | Dismissive | "When you put it that way, this is very serious" | --- ## Planning Notes (how this maps to the 3-step sub-workflow) **Problem identified:** Contortomat machines are difficult to operate. **Related difficulties written down (Step 5b):** 1. Only 3 trained operators → bottleneck risk 2. Hard-to-use machines → operator turnover 3. Turnover → retraining costs (~$5,000/operator × 5 = $25,000/year) 4. Bottlenecks → overtime (2.5× rate) 5. Overtime → increased turnover (circular) 6. Work sent outside → quality risk, delivery delays **Questions each difficulty suggested (Step 5c):** - "If you've only got three people who can use them, doesn't that create work bottlenecks?" - "It sounds like the difficulty of using these machines may be leading to a turnover problem. Is that right?" - "What does this turnover mean in terms of training cost?" - "If you've trained five people in 6 months, it sounds like you've never had three fully competent operators at any time: how much production loss has this led to?" - "Doesn't the overtime add even more to your costs?" - "Is that the only implication of sending work out? Is the quality of work affected?" - "Being forced to send work outside also puts you at the mercy of other people's delivery schedules?"