In the Tales from the Trenches in Sales Ops webinar, we glean dozens of valuable lessons from a variety of cautionary case studies in sales operations improvement and optimization. While a couple of these harrowing tales are real head-shakers, we can empathize with most of the stories because it’s fairly easy to understand how and why the mistakes and missteps were made in the first place.
Though every one of these cases is very different, there are some common themes and threads we can identify. In fact, many of the major problems and challenges these sales operations leaders and teams encountered could have been avoided altogether using some of the most basic tools and techniques available.
These fundamental tools…all freely available to every sales operations group…include things like:
- Segmentations and Stratifications — Segmentations and stratifications are the bedrock of a data-driven sales operation. Without solid segmentation models and stratifications, you have no basis for performance comparison, no basis for determining “good” versus “bad” outcomes and behaviors, and no way to prioritize treatments, interventions, or protections. Trying to build an effective and efficient data-driven sales operation without sound segmentations and stratifications is like embarking on a cross-country trip without a map or any sort of plan.
- A Strategic Functional Charter — A sales operations function can never reach its full potential by just “staying in its lane” and focusing on providing tactical sales support and administration. While this might appear to be the safest approach organizationally, it can actually lead to being replaced by more strategic thinkers. By establishing a more strategic functional charter, you send a message…to yourselves as well as others…that moving forward you’ll be focused on improving the overall selling system to generate more revenue and profit. A strategic functional charter is also a license to pursue deficiencies and contributing factors wherever they may occur.
- Installment Plans for Improvement —When you identify a costly systemic problem or deficiency, it’s only natural to want to address it as quickly as possible, with the “best” and most comprehensive solution possible. That said, organizations are wired to vigorously resist change and will usually only accept a small amount of change at any one time. So no matter how good they may be, “boil the ocean” solutions are a recipe for conflict at best, and failure at worst. On the other hand, shooting for a series of smaller changes and improvements…an improvement installment plan…is a great tool for reducing conflict, increasing adoption, and ultimately boosting the odds of successfully addressing the issue.
- The 5 Why Diagnostic Technique — The “obvious” solution to the “obvious” problem is very often wrong…on both counts. So instead of jumping to conclusions, it’s a good idea to get in the habit of digging deeper. One of the most powerful diagnostic tools and techniques is also one of the simplest—just asking “why” five times in succession can help you uncover and address the real root-causes behind problematic symptoms. Then, you’re in a much better position to craft effective solutions.
As the cases we cover in the webinar clearly illustrate, it’s really easy for sales ops leaders and individual practitioners to get lost in the esoterica and lose sight of the fundamentals. And when we think of “sales ops tools” we tend to envision complex and sophisticated technologies that cost a fortune and take months to implement.
But in sales operations… as in most areas of life…mastering the fundamentals is 80% of the battle. And some of the most useful sales ops tools and techniques are actually pretty simple and free of charge—so there’s no excuse for not having them in your toolbox.
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.
The Top Lessons Learned by Sales Ops Leaders
How have Sales Ops leaders become leaders? What can their 20/20 hindsight teach us to streamline our own path? In this on-demand webinar, learn the top lessons gleaned through our research.
Building the Right Sales Ops Habits
What makes someone a Sales Operations professional? Our research has found that it's a powerful combination of behaviors and practices...habits that can be learned and developed by anyone, over time.
