In addition to the primary authors shown below, The Sales Operations Blog periodically posts content from other thought leaders so that they can share their insights on sales operations with our readers. If you are interested in contributing, please contact the primary author at his email address provided below.
Thomas Barrieau
Primary Author
When Tom started selling for some of the tech industry’s top companies, including Apple and Compaq, he didn’t even know what sales operations was. He did, however, gain a deep understanding of what salespeople need by succeeding in a variety of roles, including systems engineer, field marketing specialist, and account executive. With this insight he built a tool that integrated streams of vital sales information to dramatically reduce his customer response time while boosting his win rate and his customers’ satisfaction. Word about his innovation got around and a series of demos to senior sales executives soon led to a new career in sales operations and that tool being put to work boosting the productivity of thousands of sales professionals around the globe.
Managing Sales Enablement tools for Compaq and HP was followed by a position at IDC as an industry analyst focusing on sales productivity, where he co-authored their highly regarded Sales Productivity Framework. All the while, Tom has never lost his passion for working with salespeople and a deep respect for selling as an activity that requires a high degree of skill and professionalism. This passion and respect fuel his convictions regarding the importance of sales operations as an increasingly vital part of any successful sales strategy. He knows first hand how just one talented sales operations professional can impact the productivity of an entire sales organization.
When not writing for this blog or reading the work of other thought leaders, Tom is Managing Partner at Sales Productivity Architects – a Greater Boston based consultancy that helps its clients by bringing together the art and the science of selling. You can learn more about Tom’s background on LinkedIn and you can reach him via email at tbarrieau@salesoperationsblog.com.
Brian Geery
Contributing Author
When Brian began his career in technology sales, people were debating which operating system was best, C/PM or DOS. The first PCs had just come to market with 5MB hard drives and floppy discs. The Commodore PET, the Apple II, and the IBM PC were all the rage. Apple Computer and Oracle were first incorporated, mice were things you set traps for, and the Internet as we now know it was unimaginable.
Okay, he may sound dated, but you get the idea; he’s been around the block in technology sales. Brian’s fascination with technology has never stopped. Brian’s been saying the same thing every year, “Today’s technology is amazing — and it’s just in its infancy!” Which is all part of the reason he continues to stay current with the latest trends in technology and how best to sell it. As a career consultant specializing in technology sales, Brian has worked with hundreds clients to refine and develop their sales process. As a contributing author to The Sales Operations Blog, he shares what he has learned and new lessons he continues to learn.
You can reach him via email at brian@briangeery.com.
Marci Reynolds
Contributing Author
Marci is a sales and service operations executive known for her outstanding ability to lead and develop people, processes, technology, and data to create sustainable improvements in business results. She founded The Sales Operations Blog, wrote its first post in March 2009, and remains a valued contributor today.
Marci is currently the Director of Operations, Global Help24, at ACI Worldwide an electronic payments software provider. Prior to ACI, Marci led successful sales, customer service, and operations teams for the past 15 years at prestigious organizations including Monster.com, Staples and Deluxe Corporation. She has her MBA from Bentley University with a concentration in managing operations and technology, her B.S. Business from Northeastern University and a Six Sigma Greenbelt.
A prolific blogger, Marci is Primary Author at:
- The Operations Blog, theoperationsblog.com, which focuses on content about service operations, technical support, and process excellence.
- The Social Media Diary, thesocialmediadiary.com, which focuses on content about blogging, social media and related marketing best practices.
You can learn more about Marci’s background on LinkedIn and you can reach her via email at marci@marcireynolds.com.