Nobody said running a business development representative (BDR) team in the technology sector is a straightforward process. In simple terms, it is hard to recruit and retain staff, they get diverted into doing other tasks, systems may be old and it can be challenging to scale the business in a timely fashion. All these challenges faced with BDR teams can be daunting for businesses to achieve process excellence, operational excellence, and most importantly, generate sales.
Before we scare you off, let us ensure you that help is at hand and if you follow these best practices, you will have a great chance of success and see a noticeable difference with your BDR teams and in your sales performance.
Based on results from our recent survey, over 304 respondents from the sales development position gave their view on outsourcing. Here are the 12 best practices for managing BDR teams in the tech sector:
Invest in the right technology
Often BDRs are weighed down by legacy systems such as clunky CRM software, basic telephony, and suboptimal list services. Look at predictive analytics, intent data, the latest calling technologies, and social prospecting tools.
40% Number of respondents who say that “not having the right technology to support us” is a challenge to BDR’s success.
Pay close attention to recruitment, training, and team motivation to avoid churn
It’s hard to find great people, just as hard to keep them. Gamification, leadership, strong HCM, and listening are key to understanding what drives your employees and what they want from you.
47% “We cannot hire and keep talented people” was the third biggest challenge we heard.
Forge links between sales and marketing
We need to get away from the “oil and water” view of sales and marketing divisions. Modern account-based marketing is all about seeing the customer/prospect through a shared lens, so teams have to work hand in hand.
52% see ABM/ABS in their current scope of work.
Mind the gap between MQLs and action
Don’t let opportunities go cold. Under-resourced teams let chances slip: only by being focused on the BDR space can you cash in on openings to sell.
41% say they don’t have enough people.
Don’t just focus on new logos
Increasing wallet share from current customers and upselling and cross-selling to those already in your database can be just as valuable as chasing net new business.
41% of the focus of respondents is on expanding reach within existing customer bases.
Ensure timely and transparent reporting
Don’t let your standards slip: you need to know what’s going on in real time and in forensic detail, not an irregular sketch, so make time to update and track activities.
42% see transparent reporting as a reason to outsource.
Keep up with market and technology changes
Tech moves fast so your people should be continuously learning and keeping up to date with the changes in the market. Having a weekly overview can only benefit you!
15% say their biggest single BDR challenge is keeping up with requirements on the team.
Build infrastructure and systems that scale
You need the capacity and systems to grab opportunities and the flexibility to dial down when markets dwindle so consider how to recruit rapidly and make sure your systems haven’t reached their ceiling.
42% complain they don’t have the resource and expertise flexibility they need.
Hire people who understand local culture and languages
To launch into new geographies you need people who understand not just language but also local markets and nuances.
13% say gaining access to local language/culture understanding is their biggest spark for outsourcing.
Don’t maintain a Not Invented Here stance
Protecting your precious company culture is not a sufficient reason to lose the benefits of partnering: make partners part of your team ethos until nobody can see the join.
52% of those who won’t outsource for BDRs say keeping knowledge in-house is a reason.
Think about governance but don’t be so fearful
Worries over GDPR and other rules are slowing down companies and seeing more data being kept at home but third-party experts can build in best practices and ensure you don’t share data in an irresponsible way.
22% say concerns over data protection and rules compliance is their biggest reason not to outsource.
Consider outsourcing
Partners can deliver the specialist knowledge, systems, scalability, global coverage, and value that you need.
82% of those that have outsourced BDR activity say their experience was very good or excellent. Taking time to get these steps in order is essential for your business to grow. It is about fixing the foundation of your processes, adopting the right mindset, and having access to the relevant tools. Before you head off, check out our most recent report ‘EU Spotlight report’ which takes a deeper dive into these points.
