Smarter Prospecting: Automation Do’s & Don’ts for RevOps

It’s no secret that AI is transforming the way RevOps leaders think about efficiency - but is it actually delivering results in prospecting and pipeline generation? In this RevOps Co-op webinar, Matthew Volm, CEO of RevOps Co-op, sits down with Soham Maniar, Director of Revenue Operations at Weaviate, and Vivek Vishal, Head of RevOps at Honeywell, to talk through the dos and don’ts of automation and AI in sales workflows. Whether you’re a solo RevOps practitioner at a growing startup or leading a global ops team at a Fortune 500, this conversation offers real-world tactics and cautionary tales for navigating AI’s role in smarter selling.

‍

AI Adoption in Sales: Where Are We Today?

‍

To kick off the session, Volm polled the audience on where they are in their AI journey. The overwhelming majority fell into the “light experimentation” category - dabbling in tools and use cases, but far from AI being mission-critical. This echoed Soham and Vivek’s experience on the ground: they’re using AI, but it’s still early days.

‍

“We’re not building a tech utopia. It’s still very much trial and error - but the benefits are starting to show.” – Soham Maniar, Director of Revenue Operations at Weaviate

‍

Both leaders emphasized that the key to unlocking AI’s value lies in strategic implementation - automating the right tasks, at the right time, with the right context.

‍

Building the Bridge Between Strategy and Execution

‍

At Honeywell, Vivek described RevOps as the connective tissue of the revenue engine. His team is split into three functional pillars: business partnering with sales, compensation and quota ownership, and sales enablement and training. Together, they align closely with sales, marketing, and customer success to drive predictable revenue outcomes.

‍

In contrast, Soham operates as a lean team of one at Weaviate - but with a twist: he also runs the company’s sales development team. That dual perspective gives him a powerful vantage point on what works and what doesn’t.

‍

“When you own both the back-end process and the front-line team, inefficiencies become impossible to ignore. You see the whole funnel - top to bottom - and can fix problems faster.” – Soham Maniar

‍

What’s Actually Slowing Down Your Sales Team?

‍

The answers differed based on org size, but both panelists honed in on common culprits that eat away at rep productivity:

• At Weaviate: The biggest time sinks are mid-funnel activities - deal desk workflows, legal redlines, and renewal prep. Prospecting has been largely streamlined with the help of AI, allowing AEs to focus on advancing deals and growing accounts.
• At Honeywell: Vivek focuses on eliminating non-selling work - whether that’s clunky CRM tasks, manual pricing requests, or inefficient training. With hundreds of sellers, even small time savings multiply fast.

‍

“Freeing up five minutes per rep per day sounds small. But across 5,000 reps? That’s hundreds of selling hours each week.” – Vivek Vishal, Head of RevOps at Honeywell

‍

Human vs. Machine: Finding the Right Balance

‍

Not everything should be automated. Soham and Vivek outlined a framework for deciding where AI shines - and where humans still reign supreme.

‍

Great for Automation:

• Account research: Instead of manually digging through company websites, press releases, or 10-Ks, AI tools can surface insights based on hiring trends, funding events, or leadership changes.
• Call notes and follow-ups: Tools like Sybill automatically generate personalized follow-ups and share call summaries across the GTM team.
• Pipeline hygiene and prioritization: AI models can analyze CRM data to flag deals that need attention or contacts who’ve gone dark.

‍

Keep It Human:

• Relationship-building: Trust can’t be automated.
• Objection handling: Navigating nuance and context still requires people.
• Closing the deal: There’s no substitute for human instinct when it comes to negotiation.

‍

“AI won’t take your job. But the seller who knows how to use AI will.” – Vivek Vishal

‍

Use Case Highlights: Where AI Has Made a Real Impact

‍

Both panelists shared specific tools and workflows where AI has been a game-changer:

• CRM intelligence: Soham called out HubSpot’s new AI features like “Breeze summaries,” which allow reps to ask natural language questions like, “When was the last marketing touch on this lead?” and get instant answers - no dashboards needed.
• Data analysis: With tools like Claude or ChatGPT, Soham can now upload raw CSV files and get polished summaries and visuals in under two minutes. That speed used to take a full day or more.
• AI-enhanced call recordings: From objection tracking to knowledge-sharing across teams, recording platforms like Sybill allow for fast cross-referencing and real-time enablement.

‍

Automation Traps to Avoid

‍

Soham had a clear message: don’t automate too early. “You should only automate once the problem is screaming at you,” he said. Too many teams jump into automation without understanding the real issue they’re trying to solve.

‍

Vivek agreed, adding that integrations are often the breaking point. Buying a flashy AI tool that doesn’t plug into your CRM is like buying a sports car with no gas in the tank.

‍

“You need to think through the whole workflow - not just the shiny feature. Otherwise, you’re automating noise.” – Vivek Vishal

‍

Final Word: Start Small, Then Scale

‍

Matthew wrapped the conversation by encouraging operators to resist the temptation to go all-in on automation from day one. Instead, start with something scrappy and manual. Solve the problem first. Only then should you introduce technology to accelerate and scale.

‍

“Before you automate it, ask yourself: how would I solve this in the next two hours? That’s where your roadmap should begin.” – Matthew Volm, CEO at RevOps Co-op

‍

Looking for More Great Content?

‍

Check out our blog for more RevOps insights, tactical playbooks and community-driven ideas. Want to join the conversation? Become a member of the RevOps Co-op - 16,000+ RevOps professionals and growing.