A Deep Dive on B2B SaaS Reporting - Justin guests on "Beyond the Pipeline"

It’s August and I’m taking some time off this month to travel and recharge a bit. 

But I didn’t want to leave you hanging for a whole month, so I thought it would a great time to share some recent podcasts where I’ve been featured as a guest. 

First up, we have an episode on Beyond the Pipeline with Vivin Vergis, where we do a deep dive into reporting for B2B SaaS orgs. 

This is a tough, thorny, sometimes painful topic, but Vivin asked some really great questions and we explore how to tell better stories with data, create a culture of objectivity, prioritize ad-hoc requests, and a whole bunch more. 

Let’s dive in to the episode.

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In this episode of Beyond the Pipeline, host Vivin welcomes Justin Norris, Director of Marketing and BDR Operations at 360 Learning and host of the RevOpps FM podcast. Justin shares his journey into operations, transitioning from an English major to a pivotal figure in marketing operations. They dive deep into the challenges of reporting in B2B SaaS, discussing concepts like reporting fatigue, the importance of storytelling in data presentation, and handling impulsive reporting requests.

Justin emphasizes the need for a cultural shift towards objective data analysis and the role of ops in being accountable for business performance. Tune in to gain valuable insights on managing reporting requests, addressing cognitive biases, achieving a single source of truth, and avoiding reporting fatigue in B2B SaaS.

Timestamps:

[00:02] Introduction and Justin’s Journey into Operations

• Justin shares his unique path from being an English major to becoming a pivotal figure in marketing operations.

[03:32] Reporting Fatigue in B2B SaaS

• Discussion on the challenges of data overload and how reporting fatigue sets in within organizations.

[07:22] Storytelling with Data

• The importance of creating a narrative around data and how effective communication can alleviate reporting fatigue.

[08:23] Handling Impulsive Reporting Requests

• Strategies for filtering and prioritizing reporting requests from different teams to avoid unnecessary work.

[14:38] Enabling Self-Serve Reporting

• Tips on empowering teams to generate their own reports and the role of ops in making tools accessible.

[19:35] Common Reporting Tools and Their Limitations

• Comparing the effectiveness of tools like Salesforce, Looker, and Tableau for self-serve and advanced reporting needs.

[27:58] Cognitive Bias in Reporting

• Addressing the impact of biases like confirmation bias in reporting and the importance of maintaining objectivity.

[35:45] Taking Action on Data Insights

• The critical role of follow-through on data insights and establishing a feedback loop for continuous improvement.

[39:49] Achieving a Single Source of Truth

• Challenges and strategies for creating a single source of truth in organizations and the trade-offs involved.