Optimizing the productivity of a sales team is critical for any business that relies on driving revenue through that revenue engine. Yet most sales leaders need more expertise in transforming back-end sales operations for peak efficiency. Without effective sales workflows, technology stacks, data utilization, and process management, even the most talented sellers struggle to maximize deal flow.
When organizations consult with a sales operations expert, it becomes essential to improve their sales results. Leadership can confidently move forward with changes that translate directly into accelerated revenue growth by leveraging an outside specialist to evaluate current operations, identify performance gaps, and map targeted optimizations.
Assessing Current Sales Operations
Before making any changes, evaluating current sales operations thoroughly is essential. A sales operations consultant can conduct an in-depth analysis of the following:
Sales processes
- Lead generation and handoffs
- Account assignment
- Opportunity management
- Forecasting and pipeline reviews
- Proposals, contracting, and closing
A consultant will look for process gaps and inefficiencies that slow down deals or result in lost opportunities. They may need to identify clearer handoffs between marketing and sales or inconsistencies in forecasting practices across the team.
Sales technology stack
Today’s sales teams rely on various technologies to manage relationships and streamline workflows. A consultant can audit existing tech solutions and analyze usage and adoption across the team. They may uncover missing functionality, tool integration challenges, or opportunities to consolidate systems.
Data practices
While most sales organizations have no shortage of data, turning that data into insights can only prove difficult with the right expertise. A consultant can evaluate what reports and dashboards sales reps and leadership utilize to guide decisions and coaching. They can determine whether teams leverage data to target ideal customer profiles, personalize outreach, and monitor team health KPIs.
Identifying Performance Gaps
In addition to evaluating current processes, technology, and data practices, an operations consultant will help uncover sales productivity gaps limiting revenue growth.
They may interview sales reps and see that inadequate lead follow-up processes lead to poor lead conversion rates. Forecast accuracy is suffering due to inconsistent opportunity stage definitions among reps. An analysis could also reveal overburdened sales development reps needing more pipelines for account executives.
By pinpointing problem areas through spend analysis, win/loss reviews, and rep interviews, a consultant can develop targeted strategies to close performance gaps. Sales leadership can better understand where their team needs to catch up to competitors to motivate change initiatives.
Creating an Optimization Roadmap
With a clear picture of existing sales operations and performance gaps established, a sales operations consultant will ideate and prioritize solutions to resolve issues for greater efficiency and revenue.
Potential areas of an optimization roadmap include:
Process improvements
Can sales and marketing alignment be increased through defined SLA agreements and structured account mapping rules? Can opportunity stage definitions and forecast categories be standardized to improve accuracy? Implementing such process changes can speed up deal cycle times and connectivity across the revenue engine.
Technology enhancements
Critical functionality gaps may be filled by adding new sales tools to the mix. Increased automation around data entry tasks could help reps focus on selling activities rather than manual admin work. Deeper analytics on buyer interactions can feed predictive lead scoring models. Consolidating tech systems could resolve complex interfaces.
Analytics investments
Building analytics capabilities is critical for understanding win/loss trends, measuring sales reps’ productivity, calculating lifetime value, and segmenting target customer profiles. Investments in skills, technologies, and even centers of excellence focused on analytics will fuel data-backed decisions.
Organizational realignment
Assessing productivity metrics may reveal overburdened sales development reps failing to keep pace with lead volumes. Alternatively, account executives’ territories may signal an imbalanced alignment. A consultant may present possible solutions, such as expanding certain teams, redrawing territories, or even specializing roles.
Regardless of the recommendations, a strong optimization roadmap will outline tangible steps that sales operations leaders can undertake to connect to revenue growth paired with projected impact forecasts.
Implementing and Measuring Improvements
With buy-in on the optimization roadmap from sales leadership, the operations consultant can guide the implementation of proposed solutions. Based on organizational bandwidth, they will establish realistic timelines for process changes, tool evaluation, and more. Ongoing project management ensures initiatives remain on track against the expected efficiency and revenue impact outlined.
A vital aspect of optimization engagements is measuring the success of deployed changes and proving ROI. The consultant will define quantifiable metrics aligned with each solution, such as:
- Increased lead conversion rates
- Faster opportunity cycle times through improved handoff processes
- Higher win rates in targeted customer segments from data-driven account selection
- Lift in forecast accuracy and pipeline attainment against goals
Monitoring these KPIs demonstrates how impactful the sales optimization initiatives are and can guide additional improvement efforts.
Partnering for Long-Term Sales Growth
The most effective sales operations consulting engagements establish an ongoing partnership between advisor and client. The consultant serves as an extension of the internal sales ops team, continually monitoring for new performance gaps once initial projects are completed. They advise on process and technology enhancements as the sales organization scales in headcount and revenue.
This long-term partnership ensures sales operations excellence is sustained, leading practices are maintained, and the organization can adapt quickly to market changes. With a lean operations machine, sales teams are positioned to capitalize on all revenue opportunities and maximize growth year after year.
Drive Lasting Revenue Growth Through Continual Improvement
The most productive sales operations consulting engagements establish long-term, trust-based partnerships focused on continual improvement. With the support of an expert advisor, keeping processes, technologies, and skills ahead of the curve, an organization is armed to capture every revenue-driving opportunity in the market. Management receives regular guidance to shape operations for scalability and sustained excellence. Reps are equipped with world-class support to increase productivity.
This drive towards elevation through outside analysis and objective recommendations transforms average businesses into elite market leaders. Those putting in the work to perfect sales operations will far outpace competitors who are still relying on outdated and inefficient approaches. Partnering with specialized consultants builds the foundation for lasting success, year after year.
