How to win, support and challenge customers ... methodically, with ICON9's tools & best practices for field...

There’s a lot more to technical work …

… than technology, as anyone in contact with clients will know—and most engineers, scientists and technicians have some sort of client to worry about. Experience shows that the relational and commercial aspects of customer-facing technical roles are as difficult as the ‘hard science’. And, to succeed professionally, you have to shine in all these areas … simultaneously!

Client Encounters of the Technical Kind describes a set of tools and methods that help ‘Customer-Facing Engineers’ to overcome this constant challenge. Based on over 20 years’ experience in direct customer support as well as the management and training of field support teams, the book addresses Sales, Support and ‘Own Organisation’ topics, and also tackles delicate issues, such as how to stand up to customers whose views you do not share. Using a wide range of practical examples, it:



Helps engineers to bring new and existing customers over to their point of view
Improves support outcomes by facilitating the analysis of client situations, making it easier to choose the right next steps
Enables engineers to challenge their customers in a constructive and low-risk manner
Gives a structure to pre- and post-sales work, facilitating teamwork and helping engineers consolidate their experience.


Topics and tools are organised around a five-step Encounter Process, making them simple to learn and remember, and web-based resources facilitate day-to-day recall and use. The system of tools and methods, called ICON9®, has proved its worth in many companies—small, large and multinational—where Customer-Facing Engineers are recognised as being critical to success in Business-to-Business (B2B) operations.


Andrew K Betts

I am Andrew Betts, ICONDA Solutions is my company.

A coach and trainer specializing in professional communication, I catalyze people's growth as communicators at the interpersonal level and as organizational influencers. This work ranges from posture, through problem resolution and difficult conversations to client-facing issues.

Whatever the challenge, I enjoy developing programs to suit new needs and use training, coaching, and mentoring in due measure. In doing so, I assume that, though my clients may be performing well in complex circumstances, even greater things can be achieved by looking at problems in a new light.

I agree with Frankl about the importance of meaning and believe this generally comes from working with and for others – we human animals are wired that way! For example, I feel the greatest sense of fulfillment and flow when working to transmit knowledge and skill.
My other key anchor points are the Schutzian notion of truth as a fundamental enabler and Isaiah Berlin’s plurality. Though not as exciting as extremism, it's a sensible approach to the world's complex problems.
For their long-term support and active collaboration I am particularly grateful to the following people: Séverine Hessel, Suraj Ethirajan, Lionel Touchart, Paul Double and François Cerisier.

Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 13.97 x 1.24 x 21.59 cm

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