Selling to a CHRO
How to sell services to a CHRO. What they own, how they're judged, what they ignore, the signals that matter and an opener that gets a reply.
· 3 min read
A CHRO doesn't buy technology. A CHRO buys a way to keep good people, hire faster and stop the CEO from asking why it's taking so long.
If you sell services into HR, start with the people problem. The system comes second.
What a CHRO owns
The chief human resources officer owns the workforce. Hiring, retention, compensation, benefits, learning, performance, culture and the HR team itself. At larger companies, HR technology and people analytics report in. At smaller ones, HR systems might live in IT and the CHRO is the business owner.
They sit close to the CEO. In a reorganization, a merger or a layoff, they're in every meeting. They carry a lot of confidential weight.
What they're measured on
A CHRO is judged on whether the company has the people it needs. That means time to fill critical roles, retention of top performers, engagement, and the cost of the HR function. Increasingly, it means data. The board wants workforce numbers they can trust.
They're judged on surprises too. A wave of departures in a critical team, a compliance failure or a botched reorganization lands on their desk.
What they ignore
They ignore pitches that lead with a platform. A CHRO has heard every HR software pitch there is. Ten minutes on configuration options won't land.
They ignore anything that sounds like more work for an HR team that's already stretched. Implementation projects that pull HR staff away from employees for months are a hard sell.
And they ignore generic talk about the future of work. They live it. They don't need a vendor explaining it.
The signals that matter
A new CHRO is the strongest signal here. They're usually hired with a mandate. Fix retention, rebuild the HR function, prepare for growth or integrate an acquisition. Their first 90 days are when they decide which partners help.
Restructuring is next. When a 10-K or an earnings release mentions a reorganization or a workforce reduction, HR carries the operational load. Systems need updating, roles need mapping, and the remaining team needs attention.
Hiring is a strong tell. A company posting for an HRIS manager, a people analytics lead or a Workday specialist is building or fixing the foundation. A tech stack signal like that tells you exactly what platform they're on.
Funding and deals matter. An acquisition means two HR systems, two pay structures and two cultures to merge. There's more on that in post-merger integration and the first 100 days.
And watch what CHROs post. Many write openly about retention, culture and leadership. Their posts tell you what they're proud of and what they're worried about.
An example opener
Say a CHRO joins a fast-growing logistics company. The company just announced the acquisition of a regional competitor, and it's posting for an HRIS lead and two HR operations analysts.
You joined as CHRO just as the acquisition of the regional carrier was announced. That puts two workforces, two pay structures and two HR systems on your desk in your first quarter. My guess is the systems merge is less urgent than keeping the drivers and dispatchers from the acquired company, and the data to see who's at risk doesn't exist yet. Is that accurate, or is the bigger issue something else?
It leads with people, not software. It connects the deal to her first quarter. And the binary exit lets her redirect you in one line.
Reach the rest of the committee
The CHRO is often the economic buyer, but rarely alone. The champion is usually the head of HR operations or HR technology, the person who'll run the project day to day. The technical lead might sit in IT and own integrations with payroll and finance.
Write each a version that fits their seat. The HR operations lead cares about the workload of the migration. The IT lead cares about data and security. The CFO might be in the room too, if cost is driving the change.
And go warm first. CHROs get flooded with cold outreach. An introduction from someone they trust, like a former colleague or a board member, gets read. There's more on that in the warm intro is the most underused channel in services.
Lead with the people. The systems follow.