Maissa has a decade of experience in B2B sales, working for companies like Meta, BMC Software, and BazaarVoice. She was one of the first Sales reps for Workplace and WhatsApp for Business at Meta, which were new ventures for the company. This gave her unique insights into the challenges and opportunities of cross team collaboration between Sales and Product in dynamic environments. We sat down with Maissa to discuss her key insights on breaking silos and fostering a constructive relationship between these two teams.

Common challenges in Sales and Product collaboration

Access to product information

One of the primary challenges Maissa experienced in her career was the struggle to provide clients with clear and timely product information. In many companies, product teams often share product details through internal communication platforms, but this sharing is sporadic - with no predefined cadence and format - and lacks essential context. Without a central platform where Sales can readily access the information they need, when they need it, it is challenging to educate clients effectively.

“Accessing such information was not straightforward (...). This made it challenging to effectively communicate these details to our clients, leaving us uncertain about what we could or couldn't share with them.”

Misalignment of timelines

Sales teams often operate on shorter-term horizons, seeking immediate opportunities, while Product teams follow longer development cycles. This disconnect in timelines can lead to missed opportunities. For example, at Workplace, it's been a challenge to seize the pandemic-driven opportunities of remote work as effectively as they should have. Sales and Product teams must find a balance between adhering to the product roadmap and being responsive to emerging opportunities.

Best practices for an optimal Sales-Product collaboration

Maissa also shared some key insights to foster this relationship: 

Establish a feedback mechanism from Sales to Product 

To ensure Sales and Product teams work harmoniously, an effective feedback mechanism is crucial. Sales teams must consistently convey customer feedback and insights to the Product teams and understand if the feedback was addressed. Maissa recommends establishing a dedicated forum for this purpose.

“Sales teams are the voice of customers, and their insights should influence the product roadmap.”

Consistent and regular communication from Product to Sales

Sales should receive early notifications about upcoming features, allowing them to engage in discussions with clients before these features are officially released. In practice, this involves:

• A regular newsletter or communication platform outlining the product roadmap, current developments, and a preview of what to expect in the coming months.
• Clear and well-defined guidelines on what can be shared with clients and when.
• Concise and easily shareable documents to enhance Sales’ ability to proactively discuss these updates with clients.

"During my time at BazaarVoice, there was a close collaboration with the product team. We received early information about upcoming features, knew what we could share with clients, and had access to concise documents that were easy to share with customers. Moreover, we had open forums or Q&A sessions where sales and product teams would meet, providing a platform for discussing what's coming in the short and long term."

Key takeaways  

Maissa's insights from her extensive sales experience illuminate on the challenges faced by Sales teams when collaborating with Product teams. The key takeaways are clear: open and ongoing communication, a robust feedback mechanism, and transparency in sharing product information are essential for a successful collaboration. The dynamics between Sales and Product teams are constantly evolving, and Maissa's lessons are valuable for businesses seeking to break down silos and work cohesively to achieve their goals.

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