We’re all guilty of getting drawn into the latest tech trends and cool new apps and tools. It’s not a bad thing, but if we don’t learn how to streamline and integrate the tools that actually help us day-to-day, it’s easy to drown in applications that each do one specific task and don’t talk to the rest of the tech stack.
How many AI tools have you tried in the past 12-18 months? Everyday there is a new tool that pops up on LinkedIn or one of the various blogs I follow. So, like everyone else in marketing, I create an account, try it out and then soon forget about it.
This is harmless, until of course, one of the tools sticks and I start using it for marketing purposes that actually collects data. More data - great! I like data, it helps me make decisions and better understand what’s working and what’s not. The issue is isolated data.
My new tool might provide some interesting insights into how users interact with marketing content, but how does it fit into the revenue reporting and what additional insights does it provide at that level?
While an ideal scenario is one tool to rule them all, this isn’t always possible, so the goal might be to at least review the tools in play to understand what each does, what data is generated by them, and then consider how the tech stack can be streamlined.
It’s not a given, but there’s a good chance that some tools in your tech stack have crossover functionality, and figuring out the best way to consolidate these tools is a good step forward.
The proliferation problem: "multiple platforms, disconnected data"
Disconnected data from multiple platforms is a real issue in RevOps. It’s no good having data spread between lots of different platforms unless you’re in a position to spend the time each month collating it into one place, something that from experience, most marketers and sales people don’t enjoy doing.
If you’re looking for signs that your tech stack might need a review, here are a few things to look out for:
- Redundant Functionality: Using multiple tools for similar purposes (e.g., two email campaign tools, two social media tools) leads to wasted subscriptions and inconsistent data.
- Disconnected Data Points: Information from one system doesn't automatically flow to another, requiring manual data exports, imports, and tedious spreadsheet consolidation.
- Limited Holistic View: The inability to connect the dots across different activities means you're missing the full customer story.
- Lack of Actionable Insights: When data is scattered and inconsistent, it's incredibly difficult to extract meaningful insights that can inform strategic decisions. You might have data, but it's not actionable data.
- Inefficient Processes: Manual data handling and switching between numerous platforms are time-consuming and prone to human error, diverting valuable resources from strategic work.
The RevOps solution: reducing complexity and centralising data
A core tenet of RevOps is to simplify and integrate the tech stack to create a single source of truth for customer data. This means building a cohesive technology ecosystem that supports seamless data flow and cross-functional collaboration.
In order to do this, there are some key steps to consider, starting with a tech-stack audit. By cataloguing every tool, its primary function, the data it collects, and how (or if) it integrates with other systems, you can more easily identify redundancies and data bottlenecks.
Once this has been done, you can identify if any of the platforms in play can be consolidated, either using one of the platforms you already have, or by investing in a more powerful customer platform, like HubSpot.
Where there are some tools that need to be kept, you can then look at integration options to ensure the data flow is still in place and the tools all work together.
The transformative benefits of a streamlined tech stack
One of the most obvious benefits of a streamlined tech stack is the enhanced data accuracy with less reliance on manually exporting data to review, but really, this is just a precursor to a much more impactful benefit: better decision making.
With fewer platforms to pull data from and enhanced visibility of the data, it’s much easier to view and understand what’s performing and what’s not, providing the ability to make decisions, based on what the data is telling you.
In marketing, this might be pausing one campaign that’s underperforming and putting more time, effort and budget into another as the data shows the ROI is much higher. In sales, it could be focusing more on a particular tactic or target account where the data shows there is more opportunity or based on what’s worked previously. For customer success, it might be understanding which of your products or services resonate most with your customers and ensuring every customer gets more exposure to this, increasing the retention rates.
For any business looking to truly understand its customers, optimise its revenue operations, and drive sustainable growth, a critical examination and strategic streamlining of its tech stack is essential. It's about moving from a patchwork of tools to a cohesive, integrated ecosystem that empowers data-driven success. Is your tech stack a help or a hindrance?
Looking for a way to better understand your data? Need help auditing your current tech stack? Book a consultation with the Deeply Digital team to start your RevOps journey!
