Integration is about more than systems
Welcome to this week's edition of RevOps Unplugged, where we dive deep into the challenges and opportunities facing modern revenue operations teams. Today, we're tackling a topic that's as crucial as it is often overlooked: the power of integration in RevOps.
Like any shared service, RevOps is a lot like herding kittens. Chaos is a very likely scenario unless you’re quick to adjust and keep the parade in line.
Stepping away from our feline friends, that experience is exactly what happens when the three pillars of RevOps aren't in harmony. Those pillars are:
1. People The strategic approach
2. Process: The step-by-step execution
3. Technology: The tools and technology
These three elements need to work together like a well-oiled engine, an expertly conducted orchestra, or whatever you want your simile to be.?
But there's a catch: people are at the core of all three. Without the right folks in place, even the best methodology, process, and systems will fall flat.
Getting everybody on the same page is tough
As businesses grow in complexity, so too do the needs of the various departments that RevOps supports. Growth operates as a stress test on your team’s ability to row in the same direction.
Common roadblocks to this sort of unity include:
Sound familiar? Yeah I figured… But remember, acknowledging the problem is the first step to solving it.
What this looks like in action
There was one organization I was with that relied heavily on using a BDR motion. They did leverage the team for outbound but the team did a hefty bit of lifting to filter inbound leads—and with good reason.?
It was a complex go-to market for this organization that had literally 15,000 SKUs at one point because of how many markets they were in, the breadth of products they sold, etc. Some people that reached out didn’t even know that they were clients.
This meant the organization really needed a human touch in order to filter people through properly as sometimes a lead wasn’t really a lead. Sometimes a client would call in and wouldn’t even realize they were a client unless we dug into Salesforce.?
So what we had was a process and technology with people filling in the gaps.
Here’s where we get to the lack of communication.?
Then a new COO was selected. From the get-go there was a huge disconnect in communication as much of the organization wasn’t aware of the human element the BDR team added.?
Based on what they had seen, the COO didn’t see or understand the value of this team and the departments surrounding the BDR team were extremely siloed.?
Then COVID hit. Both of these situations became even more pronounced leading to the whole team being let go.
It then fell to my Ops team to somehow connect inbound leads with the right member of the team. Easier said than done.?
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We no longer had people or processes in place and our technology was questionable at the ability to handle this exact situation.
There were 3 major BD teams, constantly shifting divisions of “who sells what to who”, and an unwillingness to invest in lead routing tools. This meant having to build an extremely convoluted way to route any inbound leads to the right team member which we’ll talk about another time.
And to top it all off? The work spent building that system was a moot point. About 8-10 months after parting ways with the organization, the COO had stepped down as well.?
The organization rehired a team of BDRs and reinstituted the original system that was in place.
??♀?
What could have been done differently?
I could continue griping about that situation but instead let’s look at solutions. What can be done instead of trying to shovel sand against the tide??
Foster cross-functional collaboration and communication - This was the biggest obstacle in getting anything done. Marketing did not have a seat at the table in these discussions as it was viewed as a Sales function.
Document processes and methodologies clearly - Tribal knowledge and the like can be a burden as teams grow. Likewise, when new executives come in, documented processes are a lot more reliable than “trust me dude”
Invest in continuous training and enablement - C-suite executives rely on their teams to be the expert in the field. If they don’t feel as though you have a strong grasp on the situation, they’ll trust their gut and sometimes their gut is out of wack.
Leverage the right technology stack - Tools should make your life easier, not harder. If something is missing like the lead routing tools, lean heavily on the relationships you’ve built in order to show
Hold regular stakeholder updates and alignment meetings - This goes back to fostering collaboration, but you’ve got to keep everyone on the same page.
What this adds up to:
When teams are aligned and processes are smooth, magic happens:
Now, I've got a challenge for you:?
Take a hard look at your current RevOps setup. Where are the gaps? Where could better integration make a real difference??
Drop a comment below and let's keep the conversation going.
And hey, if you're feeling a bit overwhelmed and could use some expert guidance, we're here to help. Book a free consultation with KTone Consulting, and let's start turning your RevOps dreams into reality.
?? Facing complex RevOps challenges or temporary team gaps? Interested in leveraging my skill sets for your RevOps needs? I currently have a few open slots for fractional RevOps work right now. Feel free to DM me! ??
Loved this read Kanako T. thank you! What I loved most about it is I could replace RevOps with anything and it holds true! "When teams are aligned and processes are smooth, magic happens"
Making it easier for people to make software together.
7 个月Love the anecdote and thanks for writing. People and the communication culture are such a huge part of ops, including DevOps!