Outsourcing sales functions has become an incredibly popular trend, and for good reason. From cost savings to immediate access to skilled sales professionals, the reasons to outsource sales are numerous.
However, you have to go about outsourcing the right way, and there are several pitfalls firms can encounter when working with a third party, especially when it comes to such a vital business function. In this blog, we’ll be going over some of the most common SDR outsourcing pitfalls.
Choosing the Cheapest Option
When it comes to SDR outsourcing, you get what you pay for. If you select the cheapest outsourcing providers, there’s a very high chance you aren’t going to get the comprehensive and effective SDR outsourcing program you are seeking. Although you might be excited to get your sales team up and running as quickly and as cost-effectively as possible, be aware of the risk of cutting corners. Those reps are likely poorly trained, poorly managed, or otherwise a bad fit for your organization in order to allow for below-market fees.
It is critical that you take plenty of time to research potential partners and ensure that they are both financial and cultural fits, and have a track record of delivering high-quality results for their clients.
Poor Communication
In order for your SDR outsourcing engagement to be a success, there need to be open lines of communication between you and your outsourcing partner. In fact, this is the area most organizations considering outsourcing are most concerned about. These reps don’t work in your offices, so you need to make sure you have the communication channels available to get all of the updates and information you need to feel that they are a part of your company.
Open and frequent communication should benefit both parties. You are your outsourced team's greatest resource for information, and if your reps don’t understand your value proposition, key product features, or key differentiators, they’re not going to be successful at pitching. They should constantly be asking you questions, just as any in-house employee would.
Lack of Data Tracking
When organizations take the plunge with SDR outsourcing, it’s important not to move the sales process out of sight. You need full visibility into everything your reps are doing. In other words, you need the data-tracking infrastructure in place to ensure that all information is captured accurately and promptly. Without this infrastructure, you become completely reliant on the outsourcing partner for progress updates and deal information, and are unable to draw meaningful comparisons between your outsourced team, and your inside capabilities.
Ensure all of your reps, outsourced or in-house, update the CRM religiously and fill out all relevant fields. This way, you’ll have all the data visibility you need, and you can pull reports to show funnel metrics, funnel progression, and other key KPIs. Your reps should have absolutely nothing to hide.
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Building a sales team internally is more difficult than ever, leading many organizations to consider outsourcing this critical business function.
If your organization is considering SDR outsourcing, schedule a free consultation to learn more about FullFunnel’s approach and how we’ve built successful outbound sales programs for hundreds of organizations across the globe.
