What's your process for figuring out what metrics to hold revenue operations accountable for?

This is a non-trivial topic since Revenue Operations is often a "recommender" in many decisions, as opposed to a "decider".

The "dual mandate" of the Revenue Operations function is:

1. Grow revenue faster
2. Make the go-to-market resources more productive

I believe best-in-class Revenue Operations teams should have a seat at the table, with direct influence on the outcomes above. With that in mind, Revenue Operations should be accountable for:

1. Revenue growth, addressable market penetration, market share expansion
2. Revenue/ FTE, FTE HC growth vs revenue growth

Since an important part of the function pertains to running effective operations, it should also be accountable for:

• Plan and forecast accuracy
• Rep quota attainment distribution (50/50 or equivalent philosophy)
• % account transitions y/y (lower is better)

Determining the right metrics for Revenue Operations (RevOps) accountability cannot be seen as just a routine task; it's should be a foundational process that can significantly influence the success of the RevOps team and, by extension, the entire organisation. This answer is detailed because getting this process right is absolutely key. The metrics we choose not only reflect the performance of the RevOps team but also directly impact the operational efficiency, revenue growth, and overall strategic direction of the company. Therefore, it’s essential to approach this with thoroughness and strategic foresight. Here’s how I think we should all navigate this process:

1. Understand Business Goals:

- Align with the organization's overarching objectives. What are we aiming to achieve in terms of revenue, growth, customer satisfaction, and market position?

2. Analyze the Sales Funnel:

- Delve into each stage of the sales funnel. Where can RevOps make a tangible impact? This includes examining lead and sales opportunity generation, conversion rates, and customer lifecycle management.

3. Identify Impact Areas:

- Pinpoint the specific aspects of the sales process where RevOps has direct influence. This could involve lead management, sales enablement, data analytics, or technology solutions.

4. Consult Stakeholders:

- Engage with key stakeholders from various departments. Their perspectives are crucial in understanding which metrics resonate across the organization and reflect shared goals.

5. Choose Specific Metrics:

- Based on this comprehensive analysis, select targeted metrics. These should cover areas like conversion efficiency, pipeline health, cost optimisation, tech/process adoption, and revenue acceleration. Make sure they all pass the "so what" test.

6. Benchmark and Set Targets:

- Utilise industry benchmarks and historical data to set realistic, challenging targets for the RevOps team and extended sales and marketing teams too.

7. Create a Reporting System:

- Implement a robust system to monitor these metrics, ensuring transparency and accessibility in reporting to stakeholders.

8. Regular Review and Adaptation:

- Continuously review and adjust these metrics and targets to stay aligned with the dynamic business environment and organizational objectives.

9. Encourage a Data-Driven Culture:

- Promote an organisational culture that values and understands the importance of data-driven decision-making. Make sure that the "why" is understood and it aligns with those organisational goals above.

10. Feedback Loop:

- Establish a feedback mechanism to discuss progress, challenges, and opportunities for enhancing these key metrics.

If we were to follow this process, I believe we can ensure that the metrics chosen for RevOps are not only indicative of the team’s performance but are also instrumental in driving the broader success of the organisation we support.

There are two ways I think about RevOps accountability when it comes to KPIs. First, for business outcome-type metrics, the accountability for RevOps comes from providing accurate and timely reporting and insights on that KPI to other teams. Maybe most simply, RevOps isn't compensated on quota attainment but is absolutely accountable for setting quotas, measuring attainment, and ensuring reps are paid accurately. There is a large group of KPIs (I have shared a list in a few other answers in the AMA) you are responsible for measuring but don't the actual underlying work in RevOps.

Second, there are KPIs that RevOps has accountability for in the sense that we directly or at least strongly influence performance and have control over the actions that lead to the measured outcome. I personally don't want to sign up for accountability if I cannot influence or do it myself. This is probably a narrower group of KPIs than above but you should look for ways to measure the quality of your work or processes you run, how responsive you are to needs of the business, and are you delivering on OKRs or other big projects.

● Process: Align KPIs with business outcomes like revenue growth, map KPIs to each stage of the sales funnel, and focus on actionable metrics.