You Don’t Build a Sales Team With Tools. You Build It With Process, Patience and People.

Chris Doidge, Head of Outbound at Convergence Group, is no stranger to a blank canvas. Tasked with building a sales development function in a mature organisation, his challenge wasn’t just to hire SDRs, it was to define what the SDR role actually is in their business.

‍

That means starting not with hiring, but with process.

‍

“You have to map out how deals are actually being won,” Chris shared. Before any tools are considered, before a KPI is set, and long before SDRs start calling, leadership needs clarity on the customer journey and the gaps a new outbound function is solving for.

‍

What followed was the kind of approach that too many fast-growth teams skip over: aligning sales and marketing on key metrics, shaping commission structures that match long-term goals, and defining a process that a rep can actually follow. Then, and only then, came training.

‍

“You need the basics to succeed.”

‍

Enablement, not automation, drives performance. Sales success is rarely about a better dialler or a smarter email sequence. As Chris put it, tools should support, not replace, the fundamentals. Tools like Rocketphone, Apollo or JustCall are powerful if your reps know how to prospect. If they don’t, they’re just faster ways to waste time.

‍

The real levers? Coaching, feedback, live listening, and realistic expectations. Chris emphasized patience more than once. Not just from leadership waiting on results but from reps learning to master the craft.

‍

“Patience is key in sales.”

‍

In a world of 30-day targets and instant feedback loops, that message feels radical. But it’s the truth. Building a performance culture doesn’t come from pressure, it comes from consistency.

‍

Build with Stakki: Tools That Support the Fundamentals

‍

Chris’s team at Convergence Group keeps their stack clean, practical, and performance-ready:

• Salesforce CRM = A flexible, scalable CRM to centralise activity and align across sales stages.
  ➜ Check it out here
• Aircall – A reliable dialler with call recordings, team analytics, and CRM sync.
  ➜ Check it out here
• Lusha – Fast access to direct dials and emails, helping SDRs prospect with accuracy.
  ➜ Check it out here
• LinkedIn Sales Navigator – Still unmatched for identifying and tracking outbound targets.
  ➜ Check it out here

‍

Want help setting up a stack like this, or unsure which tools actually make a difference for your reps? Stakki can help.

‍

Book your call with our founder.

‍

Follow Chris here, and watch the Youtube video of our conversation here.