Implementing our Account-Based Forecasting feature in Renewal Center was a complex process that demanded a thorough examination of our existing Renewal Forecasting system and our existing CS forecasting process. I would expect each of our customer’s journeys with this feature to be different, based on the teams involved in a current CS or Sales forecasting process. If no forecast process exists, then adoption should be straightforward provided your renewal data is easily summarized. Our previous system, semi-automated within Google Sheets, necessitated constant imports and manual reviews to ensure accuracy.
Assessment and Documentation
Our key project outcome was clear: migrate from a semi-automated Google Sheets model to a more sophisticated and streamlined process within Renewal Center, without significantly disrupting our weekly forecast calls or changing our YTD forecasts.
To kick this off, I evaluated our current processes and documented the intricate flow of data between systems. During our Design and Analysis phases I diagrammed the entire workflow driving our manual forecast process, then plotted our envisioned path through Gainsight's Renewal Center, and reconciled the needed changes with our CS Ops Analyst team, led by Mark Peterson. Below is an example of part of the workflow we mapped for this process:
This diagram shows several of the manual steps we wanted to replace: In magenta at the top we had a process for CSMs to perform forecasts in Renewal Center on our opportunity views, but then we exported the data (not automatically!) to summarize the results by product in our Google Sheets forecast document. Also in magenta, they were able to perform overrides directly in the document, and these changes were not tracked or validated, leading to errors, wrong-row edits, etc. The orange process on the left, our annual fiscal year planning process, is one of our upcoming components we hope to partially automate. This diagramming process during our analysis phase was critical for determining which admin efforts were in-scope for our initial implementation of Account-Based Forecasting.
Import and Evaluation
With the groundwork laid, the next step involved adjusting our GS Company Forecast object to match our data structures, and importing the data into Renewal Center. This was all achieved via Data Management, the Renewal Center admin UI, and Rules Engine. If you have questions on that process, please let me know in the comments, but it will vary considerably from company to company. As the import and evaluation progressed, an early differentiator emerged – the adoption of a database structure. This structural shift provided enhanced control and validation of inputs, establishing a more robust foundation for our forecasting processes and preventing input errors common to spreadsheet-based systems. Unfortunately it also required a significant time commitment from our analytics team to clean up existing data in preparation for import.
Enablement and Adoption
Our deployment plan was initially a single rollout, but we switched to a phased adoption process in order to allow CS leaders to evaluate the accuracy and forecast view suitability before we deployed with CSMs. We performed a recorded enablement for leaders to allow schedule flexibility, and a live enablement for CSMs during a biweekly enablement session. Post-deployment, our chief issues were users who had missed enablement and were encountering read-only Opportunity views instead of the new Company Forecast views.
Example of a Company Forecast view (dummy data):
Key Successes
The success of the implementation was evident as our CS team wholeheartedly embraced our Account-Based Forecasting feature. The tool not only aligned with our established processes but also introduced a level of efficiency that was previously unattainable. The standout differentiator was the seamless user experience of updating forecasts directly within Gainsight. This interface provided a more efficient and user-friendly approach, eliminating the need to navigate away from the platform. Reaching that point required vetting and many tests of different forecast scenarios to ensure Renewal Center could tolerate inputs that would normally be unrestricted in a spreadsheet. Ultimately, the transition to Account-Based Forecasting marked a net improvement in our forecasting process.
Addressing Feature Gaps
While our experience with Account-Based Forecasting has been largely positive, it's essential to acknowledge that there are still feature gaps within our product. We are actively working to prioritize and address these gaps in future revisions. These limitations primarily impact some aggregated reporting showing each company’s individual GRR contribution for our executive team, along with a custom waterfall revenue chart that is our preferred visualization for path to forecast goal. We are overcoming these challenges by exporting data and replicating these reports in Google Sheets temporarily.
Looking Forward
As we continue to fine-tune our implementation and work towards a seamless integration of Account-Based Forecasting into our workflow, the journey has been a testament to the adaptability and kindness of our CS team. Their valuable feedback and positivity were important in driving forward the project when we encountered setbacks and limitations. We eagerly anticipate future updates and enhancements to further optimize our forecasting processes.
The implementation of our Account-Based Forecasting has been a transformative experience for our CS Ops Analytics processes, and we are confident that the ongoing collaboration with our Product team will lead to even more significant advancements in our forecasting capabilities.
