The past few months have made it very clear that there’s often a big difference between the “ideal solution” and reality. Everyone has had to do the best we can with what we’ve got. Some examples:
- In an ideal world, graduates would have had a live graduation ceremony where friends and family could gather to celebrate their achievements. But in our current reality, a drive-through graduation is a better option.
- In an ideal world, couples might want a huge, lavish wedding to celebrate their union. But in our current reality, a “minimony” is a better option.
- In an ideal world, preschool teachers would greet their young students at the school building with high fives and hugs every day. But in our current reality, saying hi over Zoom to kids wearing jammies and eating cereal at home is a better option.
- In an ideal world, ministers would offer their congregants blessings and prayers while standing much closer than six feet away. But in our current reality, at least one priest decided that holy water in a squirt gun was a better option.
These stories remind us of one of the most important “lessons learned” we’ve heard in our conversations with Sales Ops leaders:
The best solution is the solution your organization will actually execute.
Many of us who work in Sales Ops have some pretty definite ideas about what the ideal solution for a given situation would be. We have likely mapped out what an ideal sales process is. We know what information the sales team should be inputting into the CRM. We know what ideal quarterly numbers will be and whether we’re on track to meet them.
But in reality, our organizations almost never achieve those ideals.
One of the things that separates good Sales Ops teams from great ones is knowing when to compromise. You see, it’s okay to settle for a less-than-perfect solution. In fact, it isn’t just okay, it’s often the very best thing to do.
Instead of trying to implement best practices all at once, it’s often more effective to implement a series of baby steps over time. Sometimes small changes yield an outsize benefit on the bottom line for the amount of effort required. They may not get you to your ideal, but that doesn’t mean they’re not really helpful.
Your job in Sales Ops is to identify which small changes would be the most beneficial — and doable — for your organization. For help with that process, check out the “Better” Practices for Sales Operations webinar. It includes a lot of real-world examples of simple solutions that other teams have found helpful.
You might also want to look at Tales from the Trenches in Sales Ops. It offers nuggets of wisdom from other Sales Ops leaders who’ve made mistakes that you don’t have to repeat.
It’s great to have some ideals in mind. But don’t let those ideals keep from implementing some “good enough” solutions — during the times we’re currently in and after.
"Better" Practices for Sales Operations
That lofty place of "best practice" can sometimes seem very far away. Fortunately, amazing results can be generated by just getting "better." In this webinar, learn how to adapt best practices in less than ideal situations.
Tales from the Trenches in Sales Ops
Driving sales effectiveness and efficiency at-scale can be messy. In this on-demand webinar, glean insights from seven cautionary case studies so you don't repeat the same mistakes and miscalculations.
