Brooke Hattie · May 22, 2024 · Case Studies
About this engagement
A market downturn and a hiring freeze left our client's sales team doing more with fewer people, at the same time as it shifted from a balanced inbound and outbound strategy to a mostly outbound one.
With the team struggling to hit its targets, the CRO brought us in for the visibility to understand rep behavior, identify the top performers, see where others could improve and make informed decisions on headcount.
Our partnership enabled the following results:
The Challenge
The move to a mostly outbound approach put more strain on a team that couldn't grow. The CRO couldn't see how reps were spending their effort: inbound and outbound activity weren't tracked separately, LinkedIn activity wasn't tracked at all, and performance was judged on outdated metrics rather than current activity.
Reps had large account volumes and no easy way to tell which accounts to work next. Speed to lead turned out to matter a great deal, but reps were often unable to meet an eight-hour SLA.
The Solution
We set up the CRM and its integrations to track rep activity accurately, and built dashboards for the CRO and for each rep, so everyone looked at the same information and could prioritize accounts. From what the most effective reps were doing, we set clear metrics and a ranking system for data-driven decisions on hiring and firing.
At a high level, here is what changed:
| Before | After | |
|---|---|---|
| Inbound and outbound activity mixed together | → | Tracked separately in Salesforce, so effort is measured accurately |
| LinkedIn activity invisible | → | LinkedIn activity tracked for the first time |
| An eight-hour SLA often missed | → | LeanData BookIt, so high-intent prospects book straight onto reps' calendars |
| Performance judged on outdated metrics | → | A ranking system built on current activity |
And now, here is how we got there.
Tracking every activity
We analyzed the client's sales and account management processes to understand where things stood, then set up the CRM and integrated the tools that capture rep activity. Inbound and outbound activities are separated in Salesforce, and LinkedIn activity is tracked for the first time, which gives a full view of what each rep does.
Dashboards for the CRO and every rep
The CRO and the reps work from the same dashboards. Reps use theirs to find unworked accounts and manage large account volumes, prioritizing by account activity, open tech roles and past engagement, without changing how accounts are divided between them.
Speed to lead
Our analysis of rep behavior showed that speed to lead correlated with a higher win rate. We implemented LeanData's automated scheduling tool, BookIt, so high-intent qualified prospects book directly onto reps' calendars, which cuts the time to first touch and increases meetings booked.
A ranking system for AEs
Based on what the most effective reps were doing, AEs are ranked on:
- Outbound activities (emails, calls and LinkedIn messages)
- New accounts worked
- Depth of contact within accounts
- Meetings booked
- Speed to first contact
- Trials or demos started
Coaching on outbound
We gave reps templates and coaching on personalized outbound, including how to prioritize accounts with recent signals and past engagement.
The Results
LeanData BookIt doubled the number of first-call meetings and cut response times, with high-intent prospects booking straight onto reps' calendars. Outbound activity rose substantially once the dashboards and new strategies were in place, and reps followed up on high-potential accounts consistently.
The CRO now has real-time dashboards to performance manage reps on data, with outbound activity and meeting bookings tracked and analyzed and LinkedIn activity counted for the first time. The ranking system shows who the top performers are and who needs support.
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