The journey of Francisca Alliende, Senior Data Analyst at Mentimeter, offers invaluable insights that can also be applied to the world of sales operations. Sales ops is all about optimising processes, ensuring data accuracy, and driving strategy. Here’s how the lessons Francisca learned in her career can be applied to the sales operations field.
1. Embrace shifts and be flexible in sales operations
Just like Francisca’s diverse career trajectory—from telecom to voluntary work and yoga teaching—sales operations professionals must be adaptable. The sales landscape constantly evolves with new technologies, market changes, and customer behaviours. Sales operations teams need to be prepared to shift focus and embrace new processes or tools. As Francisca learned, “You can always come back or start over,” and this applies to revamping outdated sales processes when necessary.
In sales operations, flexibility is crucial. Whether you’re adjusting CRM systems or rolling out a new sales methodology, adaptability can ensure that operations support sales teams in the best way possible.
2. Persistence pays off in refining sales processes
Francisca’s persistence during her job search—spending eight months looking for work—mirrors the persistence needed in sales operations to refine and optimise processes. Implementing new sales strategies or technologies often involves trial and error. As Steve Jobs said, “Persistence is what separates the successful from the non-successful,” and the same goes for fine-tuning sales operations. Whether it’s troubleshooting data inaccuracies in your CRM or optimising lead scoring, persistence is key.
Read also: How to build a B2B sales career? A handful guide
3. Adapt to cross-departmental communication styles
Francisca highlighted the importance of adapting communication styles when working across cultures. In sales operations, it’s equally important to adapt communication between departments like sales, marketing, and finance. Sales ops professionals often act as the bridge between these teams, ensuring smooth communication and process alignment. As James Humes said, “The art of communication is the language of leadership,” which is vital when coordinating efforts across teams to ensure everyone is aligned on goals and KPIs.
4. Visualising complex data to improve sales outcomes
Francisca’s approach of creating visual diagrams to communicate complex problems is directly applicable to sales operations. Visualising sales data—whether through dashboards, reports, or process maps—helps both sales teams and leadership understand the impact of operational changes. As Albert Einstein put it, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” Visual tools such as pipeline charts, sales cycle diagrams, and performance heat maps make data actionable and easy to digest.
Most popular business agreement templates
5. Documentation is key to scaling sales operations
Francisca’s emphasis on documentation highlights a critical aspect of sales operations: scalability. When sales ops teams document their processes, they create a repeatable and scalable framework for success. This is especially important when onboarding new sales team members or implementing new software. As Peter Drucker said, “What gets measured gets managed.” Proper documentation ensures consistency, accountability, and clarity, which is crucial for operational excellence.
6. Leverage AI and self-service tools for efficient operation
Francisca noted the growing influence of AI and data self-service, which is highly relevant in sales operations. AI can help sales ops teams automate routine tasks like lead assignments or sales forecasting, while self-service dashboards can empower sales teams to access the data they need without constant back-and-forth. As Mark Cuban noted, “Automation is going to cause unemployment, and we need to prepare for it.” Sales ops teams should embrace AI not as a threat, but as a tool to streamline and optimise sales processes.
Read also: How to close more deals faster with Oneflow?
Conclusion
The lessons Francisca Alliende learned in her data-driven career are directly applicable to sales operations. From embracing flexibility to improving communication and leveraging technology, sales ops professionals can use these insights to optimise processes, align departments, and drive success. As sales operations continues to evolve, adapting these lessons will be key to staying ahead in the game.
