Pipeline Tools & AI Analysis

AI Pipeline Tool Analysis – Who needs Me?

I’ve had a few similar conversations recently, “What should I use for my pipeline tool?” That question is pretty common with smaller organizations who fall somewhere on the continuum of “Don’t Have a Pipeline” through “We’re growing and trying to mature our processes.” Larger companies generally already have a pipeline tool and only consider changing if there’s a compelling event – say changing financial systems or a merger.

Now, I’ll provide a very quick summary of my advice… but I’ve also conducted a little AI experiment. I’ve asked ChatGPT for an analysis of pipeline tools. And I was surprised by how accurate it is. I don’t think we’d want to make a purchase decision based on GPT, but I think it might be very handy to give us a first draft analysis that leads to more detailed discussion.

But first: Adam’s Analysis

The three most common that I find are Microsoft Excel (notionally free), Salesforce (or the GovCon specific version called GovBD), and the DelTek pipeline add on to the widely used GovCon accounting platform.

Excel - There’s no shame in using Excel. It maintains a good, orderly list and allows you to total up values and apply risk scoring (or win percentages.) Ever GovCon has Excel licenses and it’s a solid option to get started. It becomes challenging when your capture/BD team grows. It also hits a scaling challenge when people start making changes and saving local copies.

Adam’s Score: C+. It works, it’s efficient, you’ll outgrow it.

Salesforce – This is the gold standard. All the fancy things you can think of… sales stages, dashboards, reports, automated GovWin record entry, mobile device access, real time action item assignments. Here’s the issue, you need someone who knows how to set all that up and a disciplined team who will use all those functions. ?

Adam’s Score: This is a mirror. If you have a resource to use it and you run an A+ capture team… it’s an A+. If you don’t… it’s a really expensive web version of Excel.

GovBD – This is SalesForce with training wheels. The GovBD instance is Salesforce developed/configured by a Salesforce partner specifically for GovCon sales. The upside is that you get a solid GovCon implementation with much less effort. The drawback is that you’re likely going to want customization after a year or two… and I’ve experienced that to be challenging with GovBD.

Adam’s Score: B. It’s better than Excel and easier than Salesforce but you’ll probably outgrow it.

DelTek Pipeline – You can dig a ditch with a pool cue, but it’s not really meant for that. This tool (and I’ve used it) feels like an accounting tool that decided to add pipeline functionality. It’s confusing. Customization required expensive outside consultants who were generally slow or non-responsive.

?Adam’s Score: D. Only use this if someone says you have to, and then ask that person why they don’t like you.

WHAT DID CHATGPT SAY? Take a look at the ChatGPT analysis. It’s accurate, but not highly detailed. This makes me think it’s worth running tool analysis scenarios through GPT to help select the short list of tools for more detailed analysis.

Here is an analysis of the best pipeline tool between Salesforce, DelTek, and Excel, including their pros and cons:

Salesforce: Pros:

• Offers a robust set of features for managing sales pipelines, including lead management, forecasting, and opportunity tracking.
• Provides customizable dashboards and reports to help sales teams monitor and analyze their pipeline data.
• Integrates with a wide range of other tools and applications, such as email and marketing automation platforms, to streamline workflows.
• Has a mobile app that allows users to manage their pipeline on-the-go.

Cons:

• Can be expensive, especially for small businesses or startups.
• Requires some level of technical expertise to set up and customize the tool to fit the business needs.
• May not be the best fit for businesses that don't have a sales-focused workflow.

DelTek: Pros:

• Designed specifically for government contractors, DelTek offers a range of features for managing pipeline data, including opportunity tracking and forecasting.
• Integrates with other DelTek tools, such as accounting and project management software, to provide a comprehensive solution.
• Offers advanced security features to protect sensitive government data.

Cons:

• May not be suitable for businesses outside of the government contracting industry.
• Can be expensive and require a significant investment of time and resources to set up and customize.
• Has a steep learning curve and may require training for new users.

Excel: Pros:

• Widely available and familiar to most users.
• Offers a low-cost solution for managing pipeline data, especially for small businesses or startups.
• Provides basic features for organizing and tracking pipeline data, such as filtering and sorting.

Cons:

• Limited functionality compared to dedicated pipeline management tools, which can make it difficult to scale as the business grows.
• Lacks advanced features such as lead management and forecasting.
• Can be prone to errors if not managed carefully, especially when dealing with large amounts of data.

In conclusion, the best pipeline tool depends on the specific needs of the business. Salesforce is a robust tool with advanced features for managing sales pipelines, but it can be expensive and require technical expertise to set up. DelTek is designed specifically for government contractors, offering a comprehensive solution for managing pipeline data, but may not be suitable for businesses outside of that industry. Excel is a low-cost solution that is widely available and familiar to most users, but lacks the advanced features of dedicated pipeline management tools.

#govcon #pipeline #salesforce #FedTrendsShow