Building a 60-Person Remote Sales Team

Digital sales require continuous innovation and adaptation. This study explores how we, a team of two based in Monterrey, collaborated with over 60 remote workers across Latin America to manage and optimize the customer journey for a US company selling intangible goods. We achieved this by dividing the sales process into specific, manageable roles, thus minimizing errors, reducing training times, and creating a scalable system. This case study is presented as a learning experience and ongoing journey of improvement.

2. The Challenge

Traditionally, a single sales representative handles all steps of the sales process. Over time, this approach can lead to inefficiencies and inconsistent results due to the variability and indispensability of individual skills. Recognizing this, we realized we needed to optimize the entire sales funnel to improve efficiency.

3. The Process

Inspired by Aaron Ross's "Predictable Revenue" and Sales Hacker’s blog content, we transformed our conventional sales structure into a role-based model to simplify our training process and widen our hiring pool.

Role Specialization

We divided the customer journey into three specialized roles:

Sales Development Representative (SDR): Responsible for initial customer outreach and lead generation.
Account Executive (AE): Tasked with nurturing potential clients and closing deals.
Admin: Manages post-sale logistics and coordination.

SDR Process Automation

By leveraging Pipedrive, we standardized the SDR role from Initial Greeting to Call Confirmation. Standardized scripts and best practices were developed for each stage, ensuring a consistent outreach and a streamlined training process.

AE and Admin Process Workflow

Account Executives managed scheduled appointments and sales closures, using WhatsApp for reminders and YouTube for product/service explanations.

Admins, working remotely across Latin America, facilitated interdepartmental communication and logistical tasks. A clear and timely communication culture was established, proving vital to our success.

Admin Process Workflow

Using tools like Slack, Airtable, and WhatsApp, admins managed interdepartmental communication and post-sale logistics. They were also responsible for following up with customers who were required to provide screenshots upon completing specific tasks.

4. Outcomes

Implementing role-based automation and workflow led to significant improvements:

Training time was reduced: Clear roles simplified the training process to just 4-6 hours.
Staffing became more flexible: Simpler, learnable roles allowed for wider hiring flexibility.
Performance tracking was enhanced: Our ability to track individual performance improved, enabling continuous improvement.
Scalability was achieved: Our model was designed for expansion into different geographic zones with independent operational structures.

5. Key Takeaways

Here are the key learnings for businesses seeking to automate and streamline their customer interactions:

Role Specialization: Dividing the customer journey into specific roles minimizes errors, enhances efficiency, and simplifies the workflow.
Process Automation & Workflow: Establishing clear, standardized processes for each role simplifies training and boosts performance.
Strategic Use of Technology: Tools like Pipedrive, Slack, Airtable, and WhatsApp can effectively manage workflows and streamline communication.
Setting Measurable Parameters: Performance metrics for each role enable effective tracking and continuous improvement.
Scalability: Building a scalable model allows for expansion into different geographic or demographic segments independently.

6. Conclusion

Our transition from a two-person team to a scalable, role-based model demonstrates the potential of strategic role allocation and streamlined processes in enhancing efficiency and fostering growth. We believe that the journey we embarked upon can serve as a model for transforming customer interactions in an increasingly digital world.