Common Sales Tech Stack Mistakes [Webinar Recap & Recording]
Nick Primo
Arguably, sales technology’s primary goal is to discover the right data to make the sales process more seamless, enabling sales teams to use more of their time selling. And yet with over 1500 technologies currently available today, many teams still struggle to use their time and sales tech stack efficiently. So where is the disconnect? Why do sales teams struggle to adopt sales technology?
These were the questions Jake Dunlap recently asked his LinkedIn audience in a poll in the lead-up to a discussion with InsightSquared CEO Todd Abbot. Though most respondents pointed to a lack of training (49%) and a lack of integration (33%), this is only the beginning of the conversation. Below we highlight some of the main takeaways in our discussion on modernizing and optimizing the sales tech stack.
Sales Tech Stack Trends
The Covid-19 pandemic was the obvious focal point from which to start the chat. Specifically, how strapped budgets had forced sales organizations to re-prioritize and re-justify tools in sales tech stacks. Yet innovation comes from disruption like the current economic environment sales teams find themselves in today. And how they ultimately adapt is essential.
Currently, friction exists between customer success and sales. The more siloed internal teams are, and the information they don’t share, the more disconnect there is in customer experience. A consistent process is crucial to easing this friction and ensuring business success and growth. Being able to measure the customer’s engagement level with data shows the health of a business deal. Tools that track this data in the sales tech stack, particularly ones that don’t burden sales reps, are key.
Both Jake and Todd agreed that we’re entering a stage where consolidation in the sales tech stack will begin rapidly. But very few people know how to fully use the data they provide. Teams have to move away from the report of the week because it doesn’t help improve the process. It’s not about the next dashboard. Sales leaders have to establish a continuous improvement process that is grounded in quantitative data. Tools add information, and teams will likely need machine learning to understand it all and improve the sales process overall.
And the audience chimed in with their own questions on sales tech stacks, including:
- Can you expand on how to use machine learning to measure prospect engagement?
- Where is the #1 spot you’re seeing overlap in tools?
- At what size should we seriously be looking at automating the process?
Webinar Highlights
For quick reference on the major points of the discussion, refer to the timestamp list here.
2:45 – The main frictions in RevOps
8:18 – The driver of RevOps is business process
11:45 – Covid’s impact on sales tech stacks
14:20 – Things we should automate in the sales process
20:24 – Things we should not automate in the sales process
25:30 – How to consolidate sales tech stacks
30:21 – Where resistance to change starts and how do you break it down
34:35 – The things you can’t measure in your sales tech stack
42:30 – Audience questions and answers
Skaled is happy to discuss any other challenges you’re facing to optimize or implement your tech stack and increase rep efficiency and effectiveness.