2023 Year In Review with Mollie Bodensteiner: AI in Sales, Tool Consolidation and the Rise of Efficiency
We recently chatted with Mollie Bodensteiner, RevOps leader at Sound Agriculture and former RevOps leader at Deel, to recap the main learnings from 2023 in sales and RevOps. Here are some of our findings!
Efficiency Takes Center Stage
Mollie fittingly summed up 2023 with a single word: efficiency. The overarching theme of the year was the imperative to do more with less, prompting businesses to streamline processes, trim budgets, and optimize their operations. We expect this will carry into 2024 and teams will have to rethink their hiring goals, their tooling budgets, and how they run their sales process -- all in the name of being as efficient as possible.
AI's Evolution: From Skepticism to Curiosity
The discussion then shifted to the evolving perception of AI. At the beginning of the year, there was internal skepticism and resistance, with the early believers/adopters having to sell the idea of AI internally. However, as the year progressed, leaders became more open to embracing AI and recognizing its potential to bring tangible improvements to processes and output.
As 2023 unfolded, AI moved beyond being a novel concept to becoming an integral part of daily workflows, and we saw a shift from merely selling AI as a standalone solution to integrating it seamlessly into existing workflows.
Whether in sales or engineering, the consensus is that AI is most effective when working alongside human teams, enhancing efficiency and productivity.
Consolidation of Tools and the Quest for Product Stickiness
The conversation then touched on the changing landscape of tools and technology. Mollie discussed the ongoing shift from point solutions to platform solutions, emphasizing the need for tools that not only address specific problems but also provide cross-functional support. A major consolidation play is underway, with companies wanting to reduce the number of tools and point solutions, and with tools going after becoming a platform. The focus will be on assessing product stickiness, budget constraints, and return on investment when deciding between consolidating to an existing platform or bringing on a new point solution.
The Changing Dynamics of The Customer Lifecycle and CS
The final trend we explored was how the customer journey and lifecycle is changing. The traditional divide between pre-sales and post-sales is blurring, with account owners now overseeing the entire customer lifecycle. Customer Success teams are gaining more prominence, and the focus has shifted from growth at all costs to sustainable growth with an emphasis on retention. Renewals are no longer assumed, and each one is an opportunity to reassess value delivery.
As 2023 draws to a close, SaaS companies have undergone significant transformations. From the widespread adoption of AI to the consolidation of tools and a renewed focus on customer experience, businesses are adapting to the changing tides.
Let's see what 2024 brings!