Tools & Technology are one of the four core pillars of RevOps. An optimized and intentional tech stack, built proactively rather than managed reactively has a direct impact on RevOps’ success in any organization. Tech Stacks empower businesses and RevOps to garner efficiency and impact that would have been unthinkable otherwise.
The exact tech stack and what part of it falls within RevOps’s purview will depend, so this isn’t a strict guide. However, in the majority of cases, an established RevOps function will be responsible for most tools listed below.
Let’s take the example of a hypothetical company, Niksen Tech, and see how they’d leverage the different tools in their tech stack.
Disclaimer: This isn’t an exhaustive list and new tools are always disrupting the space. It’s important to keep up with the latest trends and tools that can further support your commercial teams. An example is tools like HoneySales, offering “Meetings as a Service”. Maybe you want to explore if AI agents can book qualified sales meetings, maybe you don’t. It’s still good to keep up with fast-paced changes, especially in today’s world.
Okay, enough banter. Let’s get down to business.
What is the RevOps Tech Stack?
Quite simply, a RevOps tech stack is a combination of tools and technologies designed to manage and optimize revenue generation processes. These tools help streamline sales, marketing, and customer relationship management, ultimately driving business success. So what are the tools in the RevOps Tech Stack and how would Niksen Tech leverage them?
The RevOps Tech Stack Arsenal
1. Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
– Popular choices: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Dynamics, PipeDrive, Zoho CRM
– Purpose: Centralize customer data, track interactions, manage the sales pipeline, forecast revenue and reporting
– Usage example: A Sales Director could use Salesforce to monitor the sales pipeline, track team performance, and forecast quarterly revenue. Account Executives and SDRs use it to do things like manage contacts, track leads, and log sales activities.
2. Marketing Automation Platform (MAP)
– Popular choices: Marketo, Paradot, HubSpot
– Purpose: Automate marketing campaigns, manage leads, track marketing performance, and nurture prospects.
– Usage example: Marketing Managers and Content Marketing Managers can create and automate email marketing campaigns, manage lead nurturing workflows, and track campaign performance. Digital Marketing Specialists can run digital campaigns, analyze their effectiveness and report on it.
3. Sales Engagement Platform
– Popular choices: Outreach, SalesLoft, Groove, Lemlist, Lavender
– Purpose: Streamline sales communication, automate outreach, track engagement, and enhance productivity.
– Usage example: SDRs and full-cycle sales reps use Lemlist to automate follow-up emails, schedule calls, and track customer engagement.
Note: CRMs like HubSpot generally offer sales engagement functionality but in my experience, they’re a lot clunkier and difficult to personalize. If you’re in a sales-heavy organization, investigate the feasibility of a platform like Lemlist or Lavender. They also offer seamless integrations with almost every CRM.
4. Call Recording and Analysis
– Popular choices: Gong, Chorus, CallRail
– Purpose: Record sales calls, provide analytics, offer coaching insights, and ensure compliance.
– Usage example: Sales leaders review recorded calls to provide feedback and coaching to the sales team, while Account Executives can use insights from Gong to refine their sales pitch.
5. Customer Success Software
– Popular choices: Gainsight, ChurnZero, Totango, Planhat
– Purpose: Manage customer onboarding, track health scores, predict churn, and facilitate renewals and upsells.
– Usage example: Customer Success Managers would use Gainsight to monitor customer health scores and track onboarding progress, while Customer Support Specialists log interactions to improve support processes.
6. Forecasting Tool
– Popular choices: Clari, InsightSquared, Anaplan
– Purpose: Provides revenue forecasting, pipeline management, and predictive analytics.
– Usage example: RevOps Manager and Sales leaders collaborate by leveraging forecasting tools to create accurate sales forecasts and identify potential revenue gaps.
Note: Forecasting tools aren’t something young start-ups generally spend on. It’s when you’re scaling up at lightning speed and have sufficient data and research that a forecasting tool can really be a game changer.
7. Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) Tool
– Popular choices: Salesforce CPQ, DealHub, Apttus, Pricefix
– Purpose: Streamline the quoting process, ensure pricing accuracy, and automate approvals.
– Usage: An Enterprise AE uses Salesforce CPQ to quickly generate accurate quotes and proposals for potential clients.
Note: Especially in organizations where pricing isn’t clear (too subjective) and everyone is a decision maker, a CPQ tool can be a godsend for your sales teams. They add clarity, speed and extreme efficiency to the sales process, ultimately leading to a better customer experience. These tools also often offer a price optimization & management (PO&M) solution. PO&M solutions aren’t always necessary, but worth considering if you’re dealing with complex pricing structures, market fluctuations and global operations.
8. Business Intelligence (BI) and Analytics
– Popular choices: Tableau, Power BI, Looker
– Purpose: Analyze business data, create dashboards and reports, and provide actionable insights.
– Usage example: Data Analysts create visual dashboards in Tableau to provide insights on sales performance, marketing ROI, and customer success metrics.
Note: Depending on your company’s set up, you might be just fine depending solely on your CRM. A combination of an SQL database and Google Sheets could also work. Where a BI tool really shines is at scale, to empower everyone to flexibly work with data.
9. Sales Performance Management
– Popular choices: Xactly, Spiff, Anaplan, Everstage
– Purpose: Manage sales incentives, track performance, and ensure accurate commission payments.
– Usage example: Sales leaders would use Xactly to design and manage the sales compensation plan across territories and track team performance. RevOps could act as a secondary stakeholder, guiding incentive plans to align with overall business goals.
10. Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
– Popular choices: DocuSign CLM, Cogna, Icertis
– Purpose: Manage contract creation, execution, and analysis to maximize operational and financial performance.
– Usage example: AEs use DocuSign CLM to streamline contract creation and ensure quick turnaround times for approvals.
11. eSignature Solutions
– Popular choices: DocuSign, PandaDoc, Adobe Sign, HelloSign
– Purpose: Facilitate electronic signing of documents, ensure legal compliance, and speed up contract processes.
– Usage example: Jane Doe uses DocuSign to get contracts signed quickly and efficiently, reducing the sales cycle time.
Note: CLMs (see above) often come with eSignature solutions too, so check that you aren’t paying for the same functionality twice between 2 tools.
12. Learning Management System (LMS)
– Popular choices: Lessonly, MindTickle, SalesHood
– Purpose: Provide training and onboarding for sales teams, track learning progress, and ensure skill development.
– Usage example: Sales and CS managers use Lessonly to onboard new sales and customer success reps and provide ongoing training.
Note: Learning & Development, especially in start-ups is often an afterthought. Effective and motivating training just doesn’t happen via stale documents in Google Slides or Confluence. For a company serious about developing their customer facing teams, a LMS is definitely worth exploring.
13. Data Enrichment Tools
– Popular choices: ZoomInfo, Apollo.io, RocketReach
– Purpose: Enhance customer data quality, fill in missing information, and ensure data accuracy.
– Usage example: SDRs could use ZoomInfo to enrich lead data and ensure they have the most accurate information before outreach.
Note: Not all data from these tools is 100% reliable, no matter what they say. Especially for e-mail IDs, always use a tool like Bouncer or Vocus.io to verify their validity. The last thing you want to do is get blacklisted by spam detection bots.
14. Workflow Automation and Integration
– Popular choices: Zapier, Workato
– Purpose: Automate repetitive tasks, integrate various systems, and ensure seamless data flow.
– Usage example: Marketing uses Zapier to automate data flow between tools, reducing manual work and ensuring data consistency. RevOps uses Zapier to feed inbound leads from the website CMS to the CRM and set Slack alters.
15. Field Sales Management
– Popular choices: Badger Maps, MapAnything, Geopointe
– Purpose: Optimize field sales operations, manage territories, and improve route planning.
– Usage example: Jane Doe uses Badger Maps to plan her visits to client sites efficiently, ensuring she covers the most ground in the least time.
I’m guessing you don’t deal with field sales regularly, but good to know that the tools exist. 🙂
16. Customer Data Platform (CDP)
– Popular choices: Segment, Treasure Data, mParticle
– Purpose: Unify customer data from various sources, create a single customer view, and enable personalized experiences.
– Usage example: System Integrators could use Segment with other tools to ensure all customer data is unified and accessible across the organization.
Note: CDP tools are generally more suited for B2C companies that go heavy on marketing.
17. Productivity Tools
– Popular choices: Asana, Trello, Monday.com
– Purpose: Manage projects, track tasks, and improve team productivity and accountability.
– Usage example: All teams use Asana to manage projects, assign tasks, set deadlines, and track progress across different initiatives.
Note: These tools are generally used within departments, but RevOps can step in to support adoption, or link usage between departments.
18. Revenue Operations Orchestration Software
– Popular choices: Coefficient, Default
– Purpose: Provide a common frame of reference for broader tech stack integration, automate form generation, lead routing, and other processes. Easily import data from different sources into one accessible view (such as Google Sheets)
– Usage example: RevOps could benefit from using Coefficient to integrate data from different sources and automate routine tasks, ensuring data accuracy and efficiency.
19. Sales Enablement Tools
– Popular choices: Showpad, MindTickle, Highspot
– Purpose: Provide sales teams with the tools, content, and information they need to sell more effectively.
– Usage example: Sales reps use Showpad to access up-to-date sales materials and presentations, ensuring they have the latest information during client meetings.
Note: If you’re highly organized with a compelling case of OCD, a shared drive (e.g. Google Drive) can serve this purpose well into the company’s maturity.
20. Call center & communication platforms
– Popular choices: Aircall, CloudTalk
– Purpose: Facilitate efficient call management with features like call routing, IVR, and automated call distribution. Enhance customer interactions by providing detailed call analytics and integrations with CRM and helpdesk software.
– Usage example: Sales reps could use Aircall to manage inbound and outbound leads, ensuring no lead is missed. CS can use CloutTalk to handle customer queries efficiently, track call metrics, monitoring and constantly raise the bar for service.
21. Collaboration and Communication Tools
– Popular choices: Slack, Zoom, MS Teams
– Purpose: Facilitate team communication, collaboration, and virtual meetings.
– Usage example: All teams use Slack for real-time communication, creating dedicated channels for different projects and departments.
Note: In most cases, this is a subjective choice, and probably not one RevOps have a lot of influence on. However, some tools offer highly beneficial features so if you identify obvious limitations or adoption of the existing communication tools, speak up. Slack for instance, is super intuitive and makes it very easy to create channels with prospects, partners etc., for seamless collaboration.
Integrating Your RevOps Tech Stack for Success
To ensure seamless operations and drive revenue growth, it’s crucial that all tools in your RevOps tech stack integrate well with each other and fit your specific business needs. By leveraging these technologies effectively, a company like Niksen Tech can streamline processes, improve data accuracy, and enhance team productivity. Ultimately, and most importantly, the benefit is to the wider organization, enabled to earn more revenue.
Conclusion
A well-structured RevOps tech stack is not just a fleeting trend but a crucial strategy for staying competitive in today’s dynamic business environment. By thoughtfully selecting and integrating the right tools, businesses can break down silos, foster collaboration, and drive sustained revenue growth.
Evaluate at least 3 to 4 options before making a decision. Choose tech that’s future proof so you don’t have to spend your days on migration projects. Make sure your tech stack functions like a well oiled machine or an orchestra, if you will.
Lastly, you might have to work with ABM tools like 6Sense or integrate booking software like Chilipiper. The set up in every organization is vastly different, but one thing is certain… somewhere in there, forever and for always, will be Excel and/or Google Sheets. 🙂
