SDR, BDR, AM, Sales Ops... Who does what?

The sales industry is full of acronyms. SDR, BDR, AM, Sales Op... It's hard to know who does what. Here's a quick overview of sales professions.

Sales people are the driving force behind a company's development and growth. They are involved at every stage of the sales cycle. SDR, BDR, Account Manager and Account Executives, or Sales Operations, are profiles that are highly prized by companies. But at what stage of the cycle do they come into play, and what do each of these professions entail?

SDR & BDR: kings of prospecting

SDR (Sales Development Representative) and BDR (Business Development Representative) are involved in the prospecting phase. This essential stage in a company's growth and development enables it to expand its customer base and generate new leads. To be effective, it must follow a prospecting plan. This detailed roadmap helps focus efforts. Inbound or outbound, the objective is the same: generate leads to create a "pipeline of opportunities". This is where SDRs and BDRs reign supreme.

SDR and BDR act upstream of the sales cycle, so that downstream "confirmed" salespeople can concentrate their efforts on qualified prospects. Their main role is to generate appointments for sales reps. How do they do this? Through inbound levers (SEO, social networks, CTAs...) or outbound levers (emails, calls...). This is where the main difference between these two positions lies. SDRs are responsible for qualifying inbound leads, while BDRs are responsible for qualifying outbound leads.

It's up to them to determine whether a prospect corresponds to the company's buyer persona and ICP (ideal customer profile), and if so, to suggest a meeting with a sales team representative. Although they don't "directly" bring in revenue for the company (since they don't close deals), their role is crucial in building and feeding the sales pipeline. Making appointments is a time-consuming task. Allowing an Account Executive to hand over to an SDR or BDR allows the more experienced profile to concentrate on closing.

It's at this stage that the prospect's status changes from MQL (Marketing Qualified Leads) to SQL (Sales Qualified Leads). The negotiation phase can then begin. The Account Executive enters the dance.

Account Executive, place your bets!

Please note: the terms "Account Executive" and "Account Manager" are often used to designate similar positions. But AE and AL have different missions, and are not involved at the same point in the sales cycle. The Account Executive is responsible for acquiring new accounts, while the Account Manager is responsible for managing the company's existing customer accounts (i.e. after sales). In other words, one focuses on acquisition, while the other is responsible for retention.

Here, we'll concentrate on the Account Executive. In most cases, this is an experienced sales person with a good knowledge of the market, the product and the company. Their role is to convert prospects qualified at the previous stage by the SDR or BDR into customers. His objective is to close the deals. To do this, he begins by identifying the prospect's needs, issues, challenges, obstacles and motivations. This identification stage is essential. It enables the sales proposal to be drawn up in line with the needs identified. Because that's where the secret lies: personalization. An individualized approach enables us to anticipate and deal with objections, identify pains and obstacles, negotiate and convince. Once the contract is closed, the final phase begins: customer management.

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Account Manager, a satisfied customer is a loyal customer

The customer management phase begins as soon as the contract is signed. The aim is to ensure that the service is delivered in accordance with the contract and the customer's expectations. Too many companies focus solely on sales. Customer management is the very soul of a company. For the same product at the same price, everything hinges on the relationship that will be created after the sale. This phase is therefore essential, not only for building loyalty and converting customers into ambassadors, but also for increasing sales. Account managers are in the driver's seat here.

Both a direct contact and a guarantor of satisfaction for a portfolio, the Account Manager is responsible for coordinating a company's relations with its customers. His role is to develop solid relationships and ensure customer satisfaction throughout the life of the contract. He or she is also responsible for maximizing sales through up-selling and cross-selling, and renewing existing contracts.

And what about Sales Operations?

Sales Operations, also known as Sales Manager, is the linchpin of the sales team. His or her role is to improve the efficiency of sales staff in the field, enabling them toachieve their objectives and improve their performance. How can this be achieved? Optimizing sales processes, analyzing KPIs, selecting tools and software, assessing skills, training needs... His scope of action is wide-ranging. Sales Ops has a strategic role. But that's not all. They are also responsible for recruiting and onboarding new recruits.