As a former "Navy F/A-18 pilot turned technology executive," Tanium's VP, Sales Operations & Strategy, Ben Stein, builds and leads "go-to-market teams that operate with the speed, precision, and camaraderie of a fighter squadron."
Tanium is a cybersecurity and systems management company that provides a platform for IT operations and security. It offers real-time visibility and control of endpoints across large networks, enabling organizations to manage security threats, compliance, and system performance from a single console.
We sat down (virtually, of course) with Ben to discuss how Clari helped him on "day 1" in his role as VP, Sales Operations & Strategy, how Clari helps his team maintain strong rigor around its forecasting motion, and more.
How did Clari help you easily step into your role at Tanium?
A: From Day 1, Clari has been my primary source of truth for pipeline and forecasting. My role requires me to understand our GTM performance holistically while also being able to investigate any opportunity or territory quickly.
Clari enables me to do both.
Furthermore, Clari has helped Tanium build a reliable revenue cadence so we can track our progress on key strategic priorities.
What historical data did you gather from Clari to help determine priorities and areas of opportunity?
A: I first used Clari to examine our historical forecast accuracy and pipeline trends. Those initial inquiries led me to further analyze our conversion rates, deal velocity, and quarter-to-quarter pipeline slippage.
Once I had a handle on those, I evaluated sales process hygiene, including stale pipeline identification, bottleneck stages, and resultant revenue leak.
How does Clari help you maintain strong rigor around your forecasting motion?
A: At Tanium, we run our forecast calls at all levels in Clari. The platform has helped us streamline our forecasting process for consistent inspection and execution.
"Everything our team needs to fully understand our revenue performance and the activities that drive it is in Clari. "
The AI projection has been especially useful as we connect pipeline-focused initiatives with revenue outcomes.
What benefits do you see in consolidating your RevTech to a platform like Clari?
A: Clari has reduced inefficiencies in our stack by eliminating tool silos and providing a centralized platform for all sales activity. We have also succeeded in Clari launching new reports and processes for better operational efficiency.
"The fewer tools a sales team needs to run the business, the more likely they will use them."
What advice would you give to peers evaluating a revenue platform to manage complex Enterprise organizations?
A: Sellers and sales leaders are notoriously disinterested in administrative tasks. Clari has helped us overcome that antipathy by simplifying and gamifying our sales data.
The platform is easy to use and configure for custom reporting needs and provides all levels of sales and operations leadership with timely insights that drive better decisions.
Drive consistent execution of your revenue strategy. Learn how with Clari's Revenue Cadence.