Create a sales model that works on both a small scale and a large scale. Put processes in place that work for everyone on the sales team. Deal with change and new competitors on an ongoing basis.
How hard is it for traditional sales professionals to suddenly start relying on automation to outdo their human efforts? Depends on what tools you rely on. For instance, analytics for the sales industry is a booming industry, and Peter Harvey, Director of Sales at Bedrock Analytics believes using technology and analytics are innovations for good.
Tell us about your journey into sales and revenue industry.
I started in technology when I joined a seven-person start-up in Berkeley. Then, it was producing business software for the PC. This company was acquired by Computer Associates, which later became one of the largest companies in technology. Ever since I have worked for startups and technology companies because I love helping companies grow.
What inspired you to join Bedrock Analytics?
I was wowed by the company culture.
Everyone from the CEO on down is laser focused on providing the highest quality results for our customers with a very high level of integrity and professionalism. Also, analytics is a booming business, since it has become so integral to the growth of just about every type of company in every type of industry. The CPG industry, in particular, is going through a data revolution in which companies realize that the best way to succeed going forward is to embrace analytical thinking and a data-driven mindset. I was attracted to getting into the analytics space, and Bedrock offered the opportunity to work for an up-and-coming company doing truly innovative work.
Directly or indirectly, which sales leaders and companies have made the most profound impact on the way you work with technology for sales and revenue?
Amazon, for its ruthless commitment to efficiency and offering value. Apple, for keeping its eyes on the user experience. Our CEO, Will Salcido, for always doing the right thing for our customers.
How do you define Revenue Management from a current perspective on business intelligence and reporting?
Business Intelligence and reporting tells you what you’ve done and provides a quantifiable breakdown of where your revenue is coming from, how your products are selling, etc. However, revenue management requires vision to see where you want the company’s revenue stream to be in six or twelve months. Revenue management also requires a commitment to customer service and creating true value for the client, as that’s the only way to keep your churn rate down.
So it’s not just about sales but creating customer value.
How do you prepare for an AI-centric world as a sales tech champion?
I think it’s important that we as sales people look for opportunities to use Artificial Intelligence to alleviate much of the tedious day-to-day work that’s being performed by people today — things like running reports, entering sales logs, sending out basic emails that could be automated. AI tools will enable us to automate much of what we do today, freeing up our time so that we can devote it to more strategic efforts that will deliver a better value for our time.
How do you work with data science, process automation, enterprise planning, and advanced analytics at Bedrock Analytics?
Today, Bedrock has a relatively narrow focus. We take elements of data science, advanced analytics, and even enterprise resource planning, but our focus is very specific. As Bedrock evolves, we will incorporate more enterprise data and, in turn, communicate more efficiently with enterprise applications. Our job is to take advanced analytics and data science and make it look easy. Hopefully, we are successful at that today and we’ll continue to improve on that as we go along.
As a sales tech user, which automation tools and technologies do you leverage to connect with customers and close deals faster?
I use Close.io for sales force automation, Yesware for email, Zoominfo for data intelligence, Zoom.io for conferencing, and LinkedIn for research and outreach.
How do these technologies help you sell better and faster?
When people change jobs, often the first thing they do is to change their LinkedIn profiles, so it’s a great source of immediate intelligence. Zoominfo gives us details on companies–their size, departmental structure, number of salespeople and, often, their email information. Close.io manages our customer data and supports analysis and sales reporting.
What are the major challenges for sales team leaders in driving sustainable revenue? How do you prepare your team to achieve sales productivity?
Create a sales model that works on both a small scale and a large scale. Put processes in place that work for everyone on the sales team. Deal with change and new competitors on an ongoing basis.
Are chatbots and AI-driven conversation tools the future of sales process?
Chatbots and AI are very useful. I think they will be a great help in the initial selling stages. Any time you work with the dynamics of enterprise sales I don’t think they will play a great role. Those types of deals still require a heavy human touch.
How do you see yourself playing a bigger role with Bedrock Analytics in making sales a fully-automated journey?
By creating and delivering a very clear value proposition you can pave the way to a more automated experience. Answering all the questions that you can easily answer helps prepare the foundation of a good business relationship. At the end of the day, however, business is based on commitment, follow-through, and trust–things that remain very human-powered today.
What are the major pain points for businesses in putting a 360-degree focus on the sales tracking for better account conversions?
Data entry is done by salespeople who don’t get paid for data entry; Reporting on items that are of narrow interest–perhaps outside of sales and marketing. The “soft” element of sales that’s not quantitative. The requirement to create “buckets” for information that may not be fit easily into convenient frameworks.
Thank you, Peter, for chatting with us about your journey into sales technology!
