The D in DRIVE: Diagnosing Your Revenue Engine

RevOps leaders are expected to fix the chaos, fast.

Update reports.
Implement delayed process changes.
Build a new dashboard.
Clean up systems.

Three months later, the same fires are still burning.

The problem wasn't the fixes. It was skipping the diagnostics.

Diagnosing the current state isn't just best practice, it's the foundation that determines whether your fixes actually stick or become another layer of abandoned process. Without diagnosis, you're creating misalignment by "solving" problems that stakeholders don't agree exist, or fixing symptoms while the root cause is still chipping away at the foundations.

Instead, here's what you should be doing in your first 30 days—before you even touch a single field in your CRM:

1. Map the real process

Not the doc that was created in a vacuum 2 leaders ago. Not what each seller thinks should happen. Shadow the actual funnel. Tie back leads that get converted. Ask about the handoff and feedback process. Find where reps are working around the system because "it's broken".

2. Clarify ownership

Who owns measuring pipeline? Who owns the accuracy of the data? Where are lead routing decisions made, and how often are there exceptions? Create a calendar of all pipeline and forecast calls. Figure out the gaps and overlaps in ownership, and that's where you'll find some of your biggest early rocks.

3. Audit definitions

When is a lead considered "qualified"? What does each stage in the sales process really mean? Are the deals in their current states really there? Ask the "new person" questions while you're still new, and document the variance in answers. That's the art of early diagnosis.

4. Rank the pains

Tales as old as time. Sales thinks lead quality stinks. Marketing thinks sellers are dropping the ball. Finance thinks it's all the wrong data inputs anyway. Leadership wants it to be a math game. Diagnose which pain matters most, and you'll be on your way to seeing that these symptoms might share the same root cause.

5. Catalog the stack

Get contracts to figure out things like cost, renewal dates, and notification requirements. What's actually being used? How many tools are reps touching daily, and where are the integrations breaking? The gap between "what we pay for" and "what we use" is greater than you think.

6. Analyze forecast accuracy

Pull the last few quarters. How far off were you? Which deals have been open beyond the average time to win, and how often have their close dates been pushed? How much do they account for? Which stages (and their stage durations) are the blatant holding tanks? Let the data lead your discussions.

Diagnosis creates alignment before you create change. When you present your roadmap, stakeholders can see where they've accepted mismatches over time. Now, they can't argue with the data you've surfaced, and begin to put their trust in the person they hired to help fix it. Get buy-in for the hard changes ahead.

Not sure where your operation stands? Use our calculator to compare investment options and see what level of engagement makes sense for your stage.

Without diagnosis, you're a firefighter with opinions. With it, you're the trusted operator.