Returns

Allow reps to return an account to the pool in exchange for a new one

What is an account return?

A return is when a rep sends a fully worked and disqualified account back to the pool. It’s a way for reps to disposition an account, send it back to the pool to rest or fix data issues, and get a fresh new account in its place.

What are valid return reasons?

The return reasons you use will vary depending on your business, but we recommend these 4 reasons to start:

• Get back to me: Currently under contract with a competitor, new budget coming, or other timing reasons that require outreach in the future

• Bad data: Contact info or company details incorrect, needs an update

• Poor fit: Not qualified based on your ICP definition or account score

• Worked to completion: The rep has done all the work they’re required to do per your ROE and are ready to move on from this account

You may want to get more specific with some of the bad data returns and use reasons like this instead:

• No relevant contact: No contact in the role of the personas you target

• Not interested: The prospect said no

• Out of business: The company shut down or was acquired

• Duplicate: The account already exists and its data needs to be merged with another object

You want to be sure you account for data quality reasons (a duplicate account, missing or incorrect data), account fit reasons (not in your ICP, wrong persona), account timing reasons (get back to me, out of business), as well as reasons specific to your sales process.

Sales leaders should factor in rep activity levels into whether or not an account can be returned. Those metrics include number of attempts, touches, and the number of contacts reached out to. Knowing how many accounts a rep can realistically work each month will determine how many could possibly be returned. If those thresholds are met, limiting the number of returns a rep can initiate should be based on the type of return (see below for more on limiting returns).

Setting up returns

If you have questions, just ask the Gradient Works team and we'll help with your setup. More content on how to self-serve your returns setup coming soon.

Limiting returns

While returns are a great way to incent reps to thoroughly work their books, some sales leaders worry that reps will try to game the returns system. There are a few ways you can limit returns to avoid gamification or bad actors.

Time-based return limits

You may consider capping how many returns an individual rep can do in a 30-day period, particularly for the following return reasons:

Get back to me (GBTM)

A return based on a get back to me date is the most common return reason to be abused. Many reps use it to make sure that an account will come back to them, a form of account hoarding. However, a GBTM should require a connect with someone in the account who confirms that they are under contract with a competitor, resetting budget at a specific date, etc. If no connection is made, it cannot be a GBTM.

Because of this, we recommend that you require both a GBTM date and additional details about the return.

Not interested

This should only be used when a prospect says no. This is not for a contact who never engages. If returning an account for this reason, reps should have at least one logged connection to a contact.

Bad data

If the contact info or company details are incorrect, a rep may simply want to return the account for another. Many companies would prefer their reps to spend less time prospecting and more time calling. In that case, this return reason could trigger a re-enrichment, and then be reassigned back to the owner.

Poor fit

Like bad data, this is a judgment call from the rep's perspective. Depending on your CRM setup, it could be a low account score. It could be the wrong industry, not the right company size or stage. If reps are consistently returning accounts in an industry vertical, a gut check of your ICP might be in order.

No relevant contact

Like bad data, this return reason might be important based on your ROE. If there is no one in the role of the personas you target, do you want your rep to return the account for enrichment or do the research to get a relevant contact.

Unlimited returns

In a few scenarios, allowing reps to return accounts with no guardrails is beneficial to data quality and database management.

Working an account to completion

As long as you have clear rules of engagement for what counts as working an account to completion - how many activities, what kinds of activities, what duration, etc - then reps should be able to return as many accounts in this category as they can actually work.

Duplicates

The account already exists and this data needs to be merged with another object. Most reps don’t have the power to merge accounts with one another. This type of return keeps the data pool clean, removes the potential conflict between reps when the duplicated account is owned by two different reps, and can easily be solved and reassigned back to the rep to keep working.

Out of business

When a company shuts down or is acquired, the account either is truly dead and will forever live in the bottom of a rep’s book of business, taking up space and limiting capacity. Additionally, when a business is acquired, it will likely create a duplicate that will need to be handled by an administrator.

How do reps actually return accounts?

When you set up returns in Gradient Works, it will add a Return Account button to the account record in Salesforce. Reps simply click this button, select the appropriate return reason, add any additional required info and submit. Upon your next top-off distribution, they’ll receive a new account in its place.

Communicating returns process to reps

Reps are typically happy to have an official returns process. Here are some of the talking points you might use during roll-out.

A returns process gives you more control over your book, because you can disposition bad accounts in exchange for new, high-potential ones. If you have an account you can't break into or is a bad fit, you can return that account to focus on a new one.

This process will improve our data hygiene. Every account you identify a get-back-to-me date for or return for any other reason gives us data to use to update Salesforce records. That ultimately helps us improve how we select and prioritize future accounts for outreach.

Using return reasons to improve data hygiene

Take time to review your reps’ return reasons regularly (weekly or at least monthly). This will help you identify trends and fix issues as they arise. It also provides an opportunity for coaching. For example, if one of your SDRs is returning a high number of accounts because an account is not interested, you should review their pitch. If there are a lot returned because they’re not an ICP fit, you may need to review ICP criteria.