Choosing the right RevOps tools can make or break your team’s ability to scale. The wrong stack creates data silos, manual workarounds, and frustrated reps. The right one multiplies your impact.
Start With Workflows, Not Vendors¶
The most common mistake in tool selection is starting with a vendor shortlist. Instead, start by documenting your current workflows:
- Lead-to-opportunity: How does a lead become a qualified opportunity? Where are the handoffs?
- Forecasting: Who inputs data, where does it live, and how does it roll up?
- Compensation: How are credits calculated, disputes handled, and payouts triggered?
Once you have a clear map, the gaps become obvious - and the tool requirements practically write themselves.
The Core Stack¶
Every RevOps team needs a foundation. Here’s the minimum viable stack:
| Layer | Purpose | Common Tools |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | System of record | Salesforce, HubSpot |
| Enrichment | Data quality | ZoomInfo, Clearbit, Apollo |
| Analytics | Reporting & insights | Looker, Tableau, Mode |
| Automation | Workflow orchestration | Workato, Tray.io, Zapier |
Evaluation Framework¶
Score each tool candidate across five dimensions:
- Integration depth - Does it connect natively to your CRM? API quality?
- Adoption likelihood - Will reps actually use it? How steep is the learning curve?
- Data model fit - Does it support your object model without heavy customization?
- Total cost - License + implementation + ongoing maintenance
- Vendor trajectory - Is the company investing in the features you need?
Pro tip: Weight adoption likelihood 2x higher than any other dimension. A powerful tool that nobody uses is worse than a simple tool that everyone uses.
Running a Pilot¶
Never buy a tool based on a demo alone. Run a structured pilot:
- Define success criteria before the pilot starts
- Use real data - not sample datasets
- Involve actual end users - not just the evaluation team
- Set a hard deadline - 2 weeks is usually enough
- Document friction points during the pilot, not after
When to Build vs. Buy¶
Sometimes the right answer is a lightweight internal tool rather than a $50K/year SaaS product. Consider building when:
- The use case is highly specific to your business
- Off-the-shelf tools require heavy customization anyway
- The core logic is a simple CRUD app or dashboard
- Your team has engineering capacity (even part-time)
See our RevOps VibeCoding category for guides on building lightweight internal tools.
Key Takeaways¶
- Map workflows before evaluating vendors
- Weight adoption over features
- Run time-boxed pilots with real data
- Reassess your stack annually - what worked at 50 reps may not work at 200