The verdict in three sentences
Among B2B software buyers, the shortlist is increasingly drafted with AI assistants like ChatGPT: an operations lead asks for alternatives, a CIO checks compliance, a CFO compares pricing models. A funded Amsterdam software company that does not appear in those answers, or appears with outdated pricing, loses demos before anyone has visited its site. The work is decided on a dated diagnostic, priced on quote, and no honest provider promises that your product will be recommended.
The questions that build the shortlist
Buyers no longer just type "scheduling software". They ask long questions that carry their constraints, in English or in Dutch.
| Question put to the assistant | Buyer role | Buying stage |
|---|---|---|
| "What are the alternatives to our current tool for an 80-person procurement team in the Netherlands?" | Head of procurement | Discovery |
| "Which invoice automation tools integrate with Exact Online and are GDPR compliant?" | CFO | Shortlist |
| "Is this vendor ISO 27001 certified, and where is customer data hosted?" | CIO, security lead | Verification |
| "Dutch workforce scheduling vendor with EU data hosting?" | Head of operations | Shortlist |
| "How much does this tool cost for 200 users, and what is in the enterprise plan?" | CFO | Comparison |
| "What do customers say about this vendor's onboarding time?" | Project lead | Verification |
| "Which Amsterdam scale-ups offer logistics software with an open API?" | CTO | Discovery |
Note that at least three of these seven questions are about verifiable facts: integrations, certifications, pricing. That is where answers most often go wrong about young vendors.
What makes a vendor appear, and what makes it vanish
AI assistants like ChatGPT draw on what is published clearly and repeated elsewhere. For a B2B vendor, that translates into concrete items:
- Factual pages per topic: one page per integration, a security and compliance page that lists only certifications actually held (SOC 2, ISO 27001), a readable pricing page, even a partial one.
- Third-party mentions: software review platforms, integration marketplaces, trade press, independent comparisons. A product only its own site talks about is rarely named.
- Consistent information: same positioning, same category, same entry price on the site, profiles and directories.
- Freshness: release notes, real and dated case studies. Never invented customers or figures.
- Structured data describing the organisation, the product and its plans.
On the Dutch framework, your demo forms and analytics tools fall under the GDPR (AVG), supervised by the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens. This is not legal advice.
What the work costs on the market in 2026
The ranges below are a 2026 ballpark based on typical quotes from specialist agencies in Europe. The market is recent and the spread remains wide.
| Workstream | 2026 ballpark | What moves the price |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic of current answers | EUR 2,500 to 7,500 | Number of questions, languages, competitors tracked |
| Factual pages (integrations, security, comparisons) | EUR 6,000 to 25,000 | Number of pages, product and legal review |
| PR and third-party mentions | EUR 2,000 to 8,000 a month | Ambition, target markets |
| Monitoring and adjustments | EUR 1,500 to 5,000 a month | Recording frequency, board reporting |
| Additional Dutch version | +15 to 30% | Content volume |
At Kolonell, this work is on quote, after an initial diagnostic.
How to measure it without fooling yourself
A funded vendor has to show its board a defensible measure. It rests on a dated record of the answers to the same questions.
| Indicator | How it is recorded | Frequency | Example reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Share of answers naming the product | Same questions, archived | Monthly | 6 out of 40, or 15% |
| Accuracy of facts | Checked against pricing and security pages | Monthly | Outdated price quoted in 3 answers |
| Competitors named alongside you | List per question | Monthly | Two competitors in 70% of answers |
| Demos citing an AI assistant as source | "How did you hear about us?" field | Ongoing | 4 demos out of 60 in a quarter |
| English versus Dutch gap | Record in each language | Quarterly | Absent in Dutch |
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Answers fluctuate: read trends over 3 to 6 months, never a single record.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: "Grachtwise", a procurement software vendor, Series A, average annual contract value of EUR 18,000. The initial record covers 40 questions: the product appears in 6 answers, or 15%, and 3 answers quote a pricing grid withdrawn last year.
Six-month budget, ballpark: diagnostic EUR 5,000 + monitoring and content 6 x EUR 3,000 = EUR 23,000. That is about 1.3 average annual contracts: two deals won through better shortlists would cover the investment. Nothing guarantees those deals; it is the threshold to set against the decision.
FAQ
How fast do the answers change?
Corrections of wrong facts sometimes show within weeks, new mentions more often in 3 to 6 months. You need at least 3 monthly records to speak of a trend.
Should we publish our prices?
A pricing page, even with a simple "from" figure, reduces errors in answers. Without it, AI assistants often repeat old prices found on third-party sites.
Are our certifications enough?
They only count if they are actually held and clearly described on a dedicated page. A vague "compliant with industry standards" answers none of the 2 or 3 typical security questions a CIO asks.
Do we need Dutch if we sell in English?
For Dutch SMEs and the public sector, often yes. A record of 20 questions in Dutch shows within a month whether you are absent there.
What budget should we plan to start?
On the market, a diagnostic costs EUR 2,500 to 7,500 as a 2026 ballpark. At Kolonell, the scope is set on quote.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. We record what AI assistants like ChatGPT say about your product, in English and Dutch, and price what needs fixing before your next sales quarter. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
