The decision to pursue a Revenue Operations (RevOps) model is a big one, and once you’ve decided to set up RevOps at your company, the hard work begins. Who you have working on your team or leading the RevOps function can mean the difference between performing like a B team or like you’re in the big leagues.

How big your RevOps team is and where it sits within your organizational structure will depend on the size of your company. Some businesses can staff a RevOps team of several people. Others might have one or two roles to implement and carry out Revenue Operations missions.

Regardless of your team/function size, you need the right players to ensure your whole company performs like champions every day. And to ensure success, you need to make sure you document this in your Revenue Operations playbook.

In this blog, we cover the top three skills to look for when building your all-star team. Ideally, you also want to discover these skills in your company's current employees. Foster these skills to get win after win.

Skill 1 – Analytical Thinking

Data-driven decisions are critical for Revenue Operations success, so your team needs people who can think analytically. This means looking at metrics, reading reports, and understanding their meaning.

Someone who thinks analytically can recognize patterns, spot trends, and use that information to make decisions that drive revenue growth. Analytical thinking is also the first step to identifying potential problems before they escalate. Here are clues that a team member or candidate is an analytical thinker:

• They quantify accomplishments on their resumes with numbers. For example, James led a team that developed a new product that increased sales by 30%.
• They can see different angles and perspectives, weigh pros and cons, and collect data before making decisions.

• What are some examples of times when you relied on your analytical skills?
• Could you describe your decision-making processes or research techniques?
• Our CEO heard a pitch for new software and wants us to buy it to increase productivity. How would you respond?

Skill #2 – Strategic Thinking

RevOps is about seeing the whole picture while simultaneously improving multiple moving parts. Someone who thinks strategically can solve problems while keeping long-term goals in mind. This means being able to prioritize projects and any fixes needed.

Strategic thinkers can also see opportunities for growth and innovation, precisely what RevOps is all about. Signs that you are speaking with a strategic thinker include:

• Their area of expertise includes idea generation and problem-solving.
• They are adept in goal setting and monitoring progress toward goals and milestones.

Ask these questions to determine whether a team member or prospective employee is a strategic thinker:

• How do you set long-term goals for your team? How often do you check and review these goals?
• Give them a real or hypothetical problem and ask how they would handle it.
• How would you prioritize and allocate limited resources strategically?

Skill #3 – Adaptability

Adaptability is important in RevOps because you will always be dealing with change. When first establishing RevOps, you are changing some roles and communication practices. As your operations grow, you and your team will be expected to pivot due to changes in customer habits, technology, or market conditions. Flexible thinking, optimism, and resiliency are all part of being adaptable.

Here are clues to look for when evaluating for adaptability:

• They must be good communicators who understand that clarification and gaining more information are important to responding to change.
• They have a growth mindset and can reflect on previous times of change and find positives in them.

Here are a few examples of questions you could ask team members or potential employees about their adaptability:

• Think about a time you had to learn a new task at work. What did you do to speed up the learning process?
• How do you adjust to changes you have no control over?
• What do you do when given a task without enough resources or information?

Bonus Skill – Customer Focus

We want to mention customer focus briefly. A key part of RevOps is optimizing the customer journey to realize revenue growth. Of course, you want to think about the customer or the end user and keep customers in mind. Team members need to be willing to listen to customers and be able to combine data with empathy.

Setting RevOps Up For Success

Drafting the right team with the right skills is essential for your RevOps efforts to succeed. Not everyone who is a good sales rep will make a good RevOps leader. Not everyone who is a marketing or customer success superstar will be the right fit for your RevOps team. If you find someone who can be strategic, analytical, adaptable, and customer-focused, that person might be an MVP who can help the team become RevOps champions. 

Finding the right fit for your unique team can be difficult. Knowing when to look for a full-time hire or leverage external help is critical. As a B2B marketing agency focusing on helping companies build their RevOps engine, we can help you build the right RevOps function or fill a gap on your team. Get in touch to learn how.