August 10, 2022
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5 min read
TL;DR - Successful sales automation means ongoing engagement with the software. Here are the technical, strategic, and analytical questions that require ownership.
Sales automation software is an incredibly powerful tool. But a “set it and forget it” strategy pretty much guarantees that you won’t get the results you’re looking for.
Instead, think of automation as an ongoing process that requires technical, strategic, and analytical oversight and ownership. Designating clear processes for each of these areas will help you build a strong Sales Engagement plan. In other words, you’ll have a plan where the sales process — and sales team — work together with the automation software to earn results.
1) Technical Oversight: Permissions, Access, and Monitoring
First things first, every team needs a designated person to own the technical side of the software. Think of the software installation as the first step in automation, not the last. This person will need to manage the following:
Permissions & Access
Monitoring
What is the ongoing process for checking that…
How frequently should this monitoring occur?
2) Strategic Oversight: Defining Success & KPIs
Automation can drive significant results. But if an SDR doesn’t see how using software will affect their goals, they won’t use it. An ongoing Sales Engagement progress requires that someone define the following:
Success
KPIs
What metrics define the employees' performance? For example…
Why were these the metrics chosen? Do they align with your overall strategy?
3) Analytical Oversight: Finding Weak Spots and Opportunity
Automation software excels in providing vast amounts of performance information. But if no one digs into the data, the figures are about as useful as a pile of bricks. To use automation software effectively, you’ll need an ongoing Sales Engagement process to regularly evaluate questions like the following:
Performance
Manual Tasks
Conclusion: Automation Alone Won’t Save You
Automation alone won’t solve your sales problems. Without establishing an ongoing Sales Engagement process for automated tasks, opportunities inevitably slip through the cracks. However, having ongoing technical, analytical, and strategic oversight for automation will allow you to take full advantage of your automation software’s capabilities.