About This Constellation ShortList™
If Sales engagement platforms simultaneously tackle some of CRM's biggest obstacles while separating the requirements and demand of sales versus marketing engagements, while centralizing the actual work of sales engagement and communication. These platforms focus on the mechanics of a seller crafting profitable 1:1 customer engagements: what to say, when to say it, where to send it and how to focus on the impact of lasting relationships.
Sales engagement platforms must integrate with and pull data from the tools sellers use, including CRM, email, phone and collaboration systems. They should automate information and engagement data capture, improving the scope and accuracy of what’s in CRM. Programmed and personalized email cadences, communications intelligence identifying optimal time and engagement channel, automated customer meeting and call scheduling are also core functions of any engagement platform. Reporting and analytics to gain visibility into performance and impact should benefit both sellers and managers. In this age of generative AI, these tools must come fully equipped with AI-powered copilots to intentionally improve a seller’s likelihood of success.
These platforms are expected to connect into larger customer experience (CX) data and automation stacks including customer data platforms (CDP), marketing automation engines and service-driven experience tools. As AI continues to evolve, expect to see increased differentiation in offerings focused on industry, company size and seller behavior and maturity. Also, expect to see vendor consolidation and cross-over as CX solutions in service and marketing begin to consolidate engagement hubs with sales to ensure holistic end-to-end journey orchestration and optimization.
Threshold Criteria
Constellation considers the following criteria for these solutions:
- Email, collaboration and calendar integrations
- Integrated sales communications channels including email, phone dialer, text and social
- Automated, programmable email cadences
- Prioritized actions and guided next steps for sellers
- Actions and responses triggered by customer behaviors
- Integrated activity capture in CRM
- Security and governance controls to ensure data security and compliance
- Improved deal visibility, outcome reporting and analytics to optimize results
- Increased pipeline and forecasting accuracy
- Sales best practice identification and sharing
- AI/ML applied for smart lists, segmentation, communication recommendation and analytics
- Integrations across key sales solutions including CRM, productivity, coaching, intelligence, chat, collaboration, communications (telephony and video), security and account based selling tools
The Constellation ShortList™
Constellation evaluates around 20 solutions categorized in this market. This Constellation ShortList is determined by client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research.
- Conversica Revenue Digital Assistant
- Clari Revenue Platform
- Freshsales
- HubSpot Sales
- Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
- Outreach
- Salesforce Sales Cloud
- SalesLoft
- RevenueGrid
Frequency of Evaluation
Each Constellation ShortList is updated at least once per year. Updates may occur after six months if deemed necessary.
Evaluation Services
Constellation clients can work with the analyst and research team to conduct a more thorough discussion of this Constellation ShortList. Constellation can also provide guidance in vendor selection and contract negotiation.