The writer H. L. Mencken is often quoted as saying, “For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.”
This idea captures one of the biggest traps that sales ops teams fall into. Most of the problems that we face—like inaccurate data, faulty forecasts, inconsistent performance, and low margins—are extremely complex. They don’t have a single cause. Rather, they result from a myriad of interrelated factors.
Addressing the root causes of these issues can be frustrating, time-consuming, and politically messy.
So when someone suggests an easy fix—sending an email, adding a new rule, creating a dashboard—it’s tempting to jump on it.
Unfortunately, these Band-Aid solutions rarely work. In fact, they often make things worse, adding more noise and steps without addressing the underlying problems.
5 examples of easy fixes that don’t work
In our research, we see this pattern way more often than we would like. Here are five of the most common places where the obvious solution isn’t the right one:
1. Reps aren’t prioritizing the right opportunities, accounts, or products. If salespeople are pursuing the wrong types of deals, it’s clear that they need better direction. Often sales ops addresses this need by creating a new dashboard that requires the reps to log in to see what they should be doing.
But in practice, the reps rarely log in. Nothing changes because they aren’t actually seeing the direction from sales ops.
The solution is to integrate the guidance into their existing workflow. Find a way provide this information within the tools that they are already using, whether that’s the CRM, a quoting tool, or just email. It needs to appear contextually when the reps need it, with minimum extra effort on their part. We cover this idea in more detail in Delivering No-Brainer Sales Guidance
2. CRM data is incomplete and inaccurate. If the data is bad, the reps clearly need to do a better job typing stuff in. So most sales ops teams nag them—sending strongly worded emails, putting stricter rules in place, or even tying data entry to compensation.
If you’ve tried this, you know it just pisses everyone off.
A better solution involves a two-pronged approach. First, make the data entry as simple as possible. Minimize the steps involved and don’t require them to re-input the same information in multiple places.
Second, instead of waiting for “perfect” data that will never come, learn how to derive meaningful insights from imperfect datasets. We explain how in Working with ‘Bad’ Sales Data.
3. Some territories are underperforming. If Midwest sales are lagging behind the West Coast, it’s tempting to just reshuffle the territories. Maybe you assign one of your West Coast reps to the Midwest, or maybe you re-draw the territory lines.
This technique might work—kind of—but it might also leave money on the table. You might miss opportunities or even damage relationships and lose sales if you move the rep that customers have come to know and respect.
We recommend going back to the drawing board. Fundamentally rethink your coverage models and territory design. Question everything, especially your assumptions about how to assign and manage accounts. We lay out a step-by-step process in Rethinking Sales Coverage.
4. Reps are giving away too much margin in negotiations This is another situation where it’s tempting to clamp down on sales. Firms often impose strict discount limits or add more approval thresholds to hold salespeople accountable.
But treating your team like naughty children in need of discipline usually backfires.
To really get control of discounting, give your team some good negotiation training. Teach them how to spot the dirty trick buyers are using and give them a framework for protecting value. We dive into this idea in more depth in Exposing the Secrets of Sales Negotiation.
5. Inconsistent performance across the sales team. On every sales team, some individuals are just better at selling than others are. Managers typically react to this reality in one of two ways: they throw resources at their stars trying to maximize their potential or they invest heavily in the worst performers trying to make them just a little bit better.
The most effective approach is a little counterintuitive. You’ll get the most ROI by helping your middle performers improve. They don’t have so many bad habits to break as the poor performers, and they also have more room for improvement than your stars. You can learn more about how to go about this process in Moving the Meaty Middle.
Avoiding the temptation of simplicity
It’s easy to fall into these traps because they seem like the obvious answer for the issue at hand.
But if every problem had an obvious solution, your company wouldn’t need a sales ops team. They’ve hired you to do the hard work of understanding root causes, designing thoughtful solutions and driving real change.
Going back to that Mencken quote that started this post, at the time it was written, public drunkenness seemed like a serious societal problem. So the government implemented the easy solution: Prohibition. If you’ve read anything about twentieth century US history (or even if you’ve just watched a gangster movie), you know how well that turned out.
Help your company avoid similar disasters. The resources linked above can help you get started tackling complex problems the right way.
Delivering No-Brainer Sales Guidance
Equipping the sales team with relevant, data-driven guidance is a priority for many Sales Ops groups. In this on-demand webinar, learn the key ingredients for delivering guidance your reps will actually use.
Working With "Bad" Sales Data
In most businesses, there are so many moving parts that working with perfect data just isn't very realistic. In this session, learn a strategic approach to making meaningful progress with inaccurate and incomplete datasets.
Rethinking Sales Coverage
For decades, teams have approached territory design and coverage planning in largely the same way. But current market conditions are forcing everyone to question the status quo and explore new possibilities,
Exposing the Secrets of Sales Negotiation
How do you protect yourself when your sellers are so outmatched in negotiations? How do you keep them from falling for every trick in the book? And what does your Sales Ops team need to know to provide another layer of protection?
Moving the "Meaty Middle"
The primary focus for Sales Ops should be on improving the performance of the middle-of-the-road salespeople who comprise the majority of the team. In this on-demand webinar, learn why it's so important and how to make it happen.
