If you missed the event, not to worry! This recap will dive into all of the highlights and unpack the knowledge and tactics that were shared. Read on for our official RevOps in Action recap.
Charting Unconventional Paths to RevOps Success
From unconventional beginnings to unique trajectories, each panelist shared their journey of discovery and growth. Maxey embarked on an unexpected shift from program management to operations. Lavin changed his career trajectory from mechanical engineering to strategy consulting before immersing himself in the operations world. Chan navigated a diverse career, weaving through finance and account management roles to eventually land in the realm of RevOps. And Larson transitioned from a Salesforce consultant to an essential player in sales ops.
These firsthand stories showed that a career in RevOps is, more often than not, not a straight-line path, and that a variety of experiences can be beneficial to the RevOps role, which interfaces with so many different parts of an organization, from Sales to Marketing to Finance to Customer Success.
RevOps Adapts to Company Dynamics, Size, and Goals
The panelists shared how RevOps, as a function, takes on an adaptable role that can flex to the diverse needs of different companies.
Chan reflected on the varied nature of RevOps. “During my time at Okta, we had a very standard RevOps setup; we reported to our CRO, who reported to the CEO.” Meanwhile at Render, a smaller company, RevOps operates more closely with the CEO, collaborating extensively with the product team to leverage data insights.
Lavin’s insights highlighted the placement of RevOps in various company stages. “I prefer placing RevOps under a different reporting structure, like under Finance, particularly in the early stages when testing pricing strategies and refining the go-to-market approach.” As processes mature, RevOps might transition to fall under Sales or Finance, depending on the company’s evolution.
The question of when to introduce the first RevOps professional sparked a diverse range of opinions. Maxey emphasized the potential of experienced RevOps leaders in early stages. “I think early on, if you get someone who’s seasoned enough, they can do everything."
In contrast, Lavin’s perspective warned against stifling a startup’s natural agility. “There’s a danger in implementing RevOps too early. Rather than iterating and trying to find the right fit, you can hinder the free-flowing process of startups.”
In light of these diverse viewpoints, attendees learned key insights about the role of RevOps as a tailored solution that adjusts to individual company requirements and growth paths.
How RevOps Strategies are Changing in a Challenging Market
The panelists shared the RevOps strategies that they had adopted in the past year, given a downturn in the SaaS market.
At LeanData, Maxey moved beyond the standard top-line revenue focus and rolled out programs to safeguard earnings. “We are all about spotting those early warning signs that could impact revenue — like changes in customer roles or a shift in the market,” she explained. Her approach is all about meeting customers where they're at, even if it means adjusting contracts temporarily to secure future surges down the line.
In an impactful strategic shift, Lavin recounts how Crowdbotics adjusted its focus to prioritize the health of its revenue over top-line bookings growth. They shuffled responsibilities, letting Customer Experience shine in interactions and upsells, while Sales concentrated on existing portfolios. “This shift cultivated good revenue by targeting the right audience and abandoning chaotic practices,” shared Lavin. A transition to value-based selling “increased ASP by 50%,” reflecting the benefits of sustainable growth.
Over at Render, things took a different turn. Chan shifted gears to focus on customer retention, all thanks to deep diving into product usage data to spot those telltale signs of churn. Their secret sauce? “Digging into historical data shows us a strong correlation between slow month-to-month revenue growth and a dip in our expansion efforts.” This strategic shift was complimented by a timely repricing strategy, resulting in a 60% increase in revenue, aligning seamlessly with a redefined Ideal Customer Profile.
As for Larson, she’s focused on revamping processes and reporting to leverage data insights at her organization. Transitioning from past chaos, she's building structures for comprehensive reports that boost sales cycles like never before. She’s also investing in Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) because the old framework just wasn’t cutting it. “It’s all about putting that rigor in place,” she said. “I’m hopeful this time next year will be a different story for us.”
The Need for Tool Consolidation and Enhancement
During the discussion, the panelists shed light on their strategies for streamlining their tech stacks, revealing the tools they're scaling back on, the areas where they're making cuts, and the tools they're choosing to double down on for optimal efficiency.
In contrast to previous tool-heavy experiences, Larson found value in Near’s streamlined toolset, which includes a single data enrichment platform as a reliable source of truth. She stressed the importance of “investing only in the things that we really need,” highlighting the smart repurposing of unused licenses and leveraging add-on functionality with existing vendors, rather than buying something completely brand new.
Chan highlighted a shift from relying solely on well-established brand name tools. “I’m hearing a lot of new competitors coming up, and they are proving themselves with solid data and competitive pricing.” This trend reflects a broader shift in evaluating tools based on performance rather than simply brand recognition.
On Crowdbotics’ journey towards tool optimization, Lavin addressed unwieldy tech stacks and curbing excessive platform usage. With a proactive approach, he explained, “We issued vendor specific-cards and turned off unnecessary tools, using complaints as a guide to effectively trim mid-level tools.”
When it comes to tools, a lean and strategic stack can work wonders, as seen through the experiences of these experts.
AI’s Current and Future Role in RevOps
In a world where AI’s practicality often contends with its hype, the panelists offered insights into their real-world experiences with AI-driven tools. They all agreed that we’re still in the early stages of seeing true, meaningful impact from AI on the RevOps function, but that there are some areas that show great potential.
Larson recognized that AI for deal engagement insights, alerts, and forecasts could be extremely helpful, and there are some sparks of innovation occurring with tools like Gong and Clari. Moreover, Larson found that AI's role in content creation had the most impact on her day-to-day job, as she’s able to leverage ChatGPT to generate sales enablement documents swiftly and effectively.
Chan posited that much of the AI rush we’ve seen in recent months has not truly introduced anything new in the RevOps space. While there have been a few applications she’s tested that do help with modeling, analyzing data, or generating queries, aside from that, she believes any game-changing AI solutions have yet to come.
Recognizing the current AI wave as a blend of hype and actual potential, Lavin believes that while some of today’s generative AI technologies can be beneficial in producing content for Sales or Finance, he sees more potential in analyzing data and developing automated insights. He emphasized how structured data models and AI could be transformative tools, empowering sales leaders to delve into pipeline shifts and the dynamics of deals or allowing finance teams to streamline strategic forecasting and financial modeling.
“AI keeps me up at night,” Maxey said. While her organization currently uses some AI tools for generating personalized emails and support documentation, she’s still hesitant to take on more. A major concern of hers is data safety and sensitivity and if being an early adopter of some of these technologies may put your data at risk.
The RevOps in Action event was truly a journey of discovery. From Maxey’s agile revenue protection to Larson’s data-driven transformation, these stories showcased the versatility and impact RevOps can have in any organization. As the panel event concluded, our panelists and attendees continued the lively discussion over drinks and appetizers in the Varsity Theatre’s beautiful courtyard space. If you missed this RevOps in Action event, keep an eye on our blog or LinkedIn page, as we’ll be announcing more RevOps in Action events in the coming months!
