Video

Inside RevOps: Fixing your Revenue Frankenstack

Published:


Share this video:
Facebook Logo
Twitter Logo
LinkedIn Logo
Share Email Logo

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Jamie Miller: You've been sharing a lot with your audiences lately about tech stacks. Was there a moment when you realized RevOps leaders needed clearer guidance on tech stacks?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Oh my gosh, yes, definitely. I think the tech stack is always top of mind. Most companies, if you look at their tech stack, you’ll often hear it’s inflated – there’s just too much. That dreaded Frankenstack happens when you start putting technology together, building, and then realize, “Okay, now I’ve got 30 apps.”So I’ve been talking a lot about tech stacks because there’s a much better strategic approach to technology and how to unwind some of that Frankenstack. Have you had that same experience?

Jamie Miller: Oh, absolutely. You come in and ask, “Hey, is this talking to this?” No? Okay, everyone’s just swiveling their heads. What are you recommending to clients right now about unraveling that?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Absolutely. This is the perfect time – end of the year or beginning of the year – when we’re planning budgets for next year. I recommend people assess their technology and understand: What do you actually have? What are you using the technology for?What are those use cases? Identify gaps. Inevitably, you’ll find redundancies. You might discover your SDR team is using one tool while your Americas team is using another, and the technologies conflict. This is a great opportunity to assess your tech stack: What do you have? What are you still using, and why? Then make decisions about sunsetting or consolidating tools – or even buying new ones to fill gaps.

Jamie Miller: Are there best practices for evaluating two head-to-head technologies used by different teams?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Yes, and everyone will say their tech is the best, or that another tool doesn’t work at all. It’s usually somewhere in between. One thing I’ve focused on is tech consolidation. Do we really need three tools for outbound or five for data enrichment? Maybe, but probably not.Managing multiple tools – admin, costs, governance, adoption – is a huge challenge. Do an assessment to identify the top use cases you need to meet your goals for the next year and beyond.

Jamie Miller: With so many technologies, how do you start evaluating for consolidation?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Start with your goals. Understand your strategy and map your tech to those goals. This will help identify gaps. Technology can improve efficiency and optimization, but it won’t solve problems if you don’t have the right data and processes to support it.

Jamie Miller: How do you ensure you’re getting the most out of your existing technology?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: RevOps leaders need to stay on top of tech. Meet with vendors, research, join communities, and learn from peers. There’s so much great technology out there, and staying ahead is crucial.

Jamie Miller: Have you ever been shocked by a client’s tech stack?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Every time. Almost every time you join a company, you find out they’re using way more tools than they realize – 20 or 25 different tools, in some cases. Many organizations don’t even know how much they’re spending or how hard it is to integrate and keep systems in sync.Start with the basics: map your tech stack. Who’s using what? What’s it for? Are you leveraging the features you paid for? A common mistake is buying tech with cool features but only using one or two. That’s not ROI.

Jamie Miller: I’ve been there. We had a territory tool with all these bells and whistles, but we used it maybe twice. We weren’t mature enough to need it.

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Exactly. And when people stop using tech, they turn to manual processes, then blame the tech. Eventually, they say, “This doesn’t work; we need new tools.”

Jamie Miller: How can RevOps leaders stay ahead of those times when technology falls out of daily use?

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Work closely with your CSM and account manager – they’re your partners. Ask them to help you better understand their product’s functionality, show you what you might be missing, and onboard your teams. It’s in their best interest to ensure your success. Otherwise, when renewal time comes, you might switch to the next shiny tool.

Jamie Miller: RevOps isn’t sales, but we need to sell internally on this. Bring in the cavalry.

Rosalyn Santa Elena: Definitely.