Growing your business requires getting multiple components right. One such component is sales operations or sales ops. Sales ops refers to providing direction, data, and support to your sales representatives. It means ensuring they maximize their efficiency and effectiveness to maximize revenue.
Platforms exist that can allow you to provide your sales team with intent data, cross-selling opportunities, and more. All of this can lead to more sales and an accelerated pipeline. By understanding how sales ops can grow your business and equipping your team with the necessary comprehensive technology, you can maximize your chances of sales success.
The Ever-Changing Landscape of Sales Operations
Sales ops first appeared around the 1970s, when it became apparent that additional data could enhance a sales team’s ability to close deals. At the time, sales ops provided limited insights and directions: Company X spends its money on product Y, so maybe we should offer service Z.
At its core, that is how sales ops still work. However, the data that is now available—including intent data, historical trends on purchasing departments, and overall revenue numbers—has exploded. While this has led to amazing opportunities for sales planning purposes, it has also created major challenges. With all this data available, how can sales ops teams sift through the information and create guided pathways to close deals?
The answer lies in an integrated sales ops and revenue intelligence platform. This platform must be intuitive, effective, and use AI-backed insights to craft answers that sales teams can use to close deals.
The Power of Revenue Intelligence: Unlocking the Full Potential of Sales Ops
Revenue intelligence is the data necessary to drive revenue growth. This can come in analytics, sales trends, background research, or more. Its significance is clear: It allows a company to make more accurate decisions and close deals faster.
The data-driven insights and predictive analytics provided by robust revenue intelligence can ensure that your team can overcome many of the challenges associated with this mass of data. With the right information, you can identify trends before the competition can find them. This enables you to get ahead of the curve and offer more robust and useful products and services. You can also make more accurate forecasts, perform more in-depth analyses, and gain more actionable insights.
Traditional approaches may involve spending time on the website or giving a purchasing agent a quick look over LinkedIn. From there, a sales rep may create an impression about what products or services to sell. This information lacks effectiveness.
Alternatively, a data-driven approach means an individual will use technological tools to create engagement scores, a guided-AI action plan, and intent data. This information can be used to find the most effective sales methodology to help sales representatives efficiently close deals.
Key Features and Benefits of Revenue Intelligence Modules in Sales Ops
All sales ops platforms are not the same. To be effective, sales ops platforms should contain the following:
- Comprehensive dashboards and reporting that are easy to use and integrate with existing CRMs.
- Recommendations on process automation and concrete advice on how to maximize efficiency.
- AI-driven deal insights and next-step recommendations create a guided pathway for sales reps to close deals.
- Data analysis that informs territory planning optimization.
- Sales coaching and enablement tools to allow sales representatives to enhance their effectiveness.
Transforming Sales Ops: Implementing Revenue Intelligence in Practice
At Next Quarter, we specialize in helping businesses transform their sales ops. Take Proximus, who used our revenue intelligence tools to create more accurate sales forecasting methodologies, enabling a better allocation of resources. You can also look at Insitu, an aerospace company that lacked comprehensive sales ops metrics, resulting in wasted opportunities and lost sales.
Revenue intelligence impacts sales ops and overall revenue numbers in numerous ways. Your business can increase its bottom line by implementing a comprehensive revenue intelligence strategy.
Building a Future-Proof Sales Ops Team with Revenue Intelligence Capabilities
Implementing a revenue intelligence strategy into your sales ops isn’t easy. It requires a step-by-step approach that includes the following:
- Identifying specific weaknesses within your sales ops.
- Working with experts to craft a step-by-step approach for improvement.
- Create continual training for your sales team to implement the latest sales ops technology.
- Identifying appropriate metrics that will allow you to determine if your efforts have succeeded.
Upskilling your team demands resources and technological support. You will have to invest in these areas to guarantee your chances of success. You also need to engage in ongoing training. Technology is always evolving. Your team needs the latest resources and programs to stay on your game.
However, planning is only part of the story. You must also invest in a revenue intelligence partner committed to your success and with the expertise to help you improve your sales ops.
Partner With Next Quarter
Revenue intelligence gives your team the data to transform sales operations and lead to data-driven business success. However, these benefits don’t happen on their own.
At Next Quarter, we can help you implement a robust revenue intelligence platform. Our tools will give you access to the information your sales team needs. As a Salesforce-native platform, you can access all of your data in one place.
By investing in the latest technology and embracing revenue intelligence, you will stay competitive and effective in sales. Reach out to our sales team today for more information.
