Fractional Rev Ops: The Strategic Advantage for Growing Companies

Revenue operations today is a very crucial function for driving growth and efficiency. But not every organization has the resources to build a full in-house RevOps team. 

That’s why the concept of fractional RevOps is a very compelling solution that provides the specialized expertise needed without the usual overhead of full-time hires.

What is Fractional RevOps?

Fractional RevOps is the practice of engaging revenue operations professionals on a part-time or project basis instead of hiring them as full-time employees. 

These fractional resources can range from individual consultants to even specialized RevOps service providers who deliver targeted expertise when and where you need it.

The concept also mirrors other fractional executive roles (like fractional CFOs or CMOs) but focuses specifically on the operational infrastructure that supports your revenue-generating teams.

When Does Fractional RevOps Make Sense?

According to industry experts interviewed in the RevOps Blueprint, there’s several scenarios where fractional RevOps becomes particularly valuable:

1. Early Growth Stages

In the early stages of company growth (typically pre-$2M ARR), hiring a full RevOps team often is not at all financially feasible. 

As Natalie Furness, Founder & CEO of RevOps Automated, notes: "Typically we see businesses implementing RevOps at the $10 million ARR mark but it needs to be more in the $2 million ARR range, especially if you have multiple go-to-market motions."

Fractional resources allow you to establish critical operational foundations without overextending your budget.

2. Scaling Challenges

When your business hits a growth inflection point, existing systems and processes are very likely to struggle to keep pace. 

Fractional RevOps experts can help you big time in these situations to navigate these challenges, implementing scalable solutions without the lengthy onboarding process required for full-time hires.

3. Specialized Expertise Needs

Sometimes you really need specialized expertise that doesn't warrant a full-time position. 

As Andy Mowat, VP of GTM Ops at Carta, observes: 

"Fractional works better for the systems side of RevOps."

That pretty much covers the tech-intensive parts of implementing a new CRM, designing a compensation plan, or developing a territory model where fractional experts are more suitable to provide targeted support for specific initiatives.

4. Interim Support

In between transitions (such as leadership changes or system migrations), fractional RevOps professionals can provide continuity and expertise to hold moving gears together until permanent solutions fall into place.

The Benefits of Fractional RevOps

Engaging fractional RevOps resources has several advantages to the quickest idea of building an in-house team and relying on general consultants.

Some of these are;

1. Cost Efficiency

Since fractional resources allow you to access specialists without the full-time cost, the most obvious benefit is cost savings. 

That’s because typically, fractional resources cost 30-70% less than full-time employees when you factor in all the benefits, equipment, training, and other overhead expenses involved.

You start with a Swiss army knife individual that can do a 'B' job at all the different revenue dimensions, and as you scale, you migrate towards specialists.

2. Access to Specialized Expertise

Fractional RevOps professionals bring a richer experience across multiple organizations and industries. 

This diverse background helps them to apply best practices right away and avoid common pitfalls that might not be apparent to someone with experience at only one or two companies.

3. Fresh Perspective

One of the biggest advantages (sadly, it’s intangible) is that external resources bring an outside perspective that’s not yet corrupted by "the way things have always been done." 

4. Flexibility and Scalability

With fractional resources at your disposal, you can easily scale support up or down based on current needs and budget constraints. 

This flexibility is especially valuable in uncertain economic environments or for businesses with seasonal variations.

5. Knowledge Transfer

A good fractional RevOps partner won’t stop at implementing solutions alone, they’ll also transfer knowledge to your team and keep the team equipped to man the ops themselves!

This education compounds internal capabilities over time, making your organization more self-sufficient and on-track to open up an in-house RevOps team in the long run.

Common Fractional RevOps Engagements

Fractional RevOps pros support companies through several engagement models. Some of the most common ones are:

1. Strategic Advisory

In this capacity, fractional resources provide high-level guidance on the overall RevOps strategy, helping to develop roadmaps, identify priorities, and even make strategic decisions about people, processes, and technology.

Typical Activities:

• Assessing current state and identifying gaps
• Developing RevOps strategy and roadmap
• Building business cases for investments
• Advising on organizational structure and roles
• Setting up cross-functional alignment

2. Project-Based Implementation

For very specific initiatives with clear beginnings and endings, fractional resources can manage and execute defined projects.

Typical Projects:

• CRM implementation or optimization
• Sales process design and implementation
• Territory and quota modeling
• Compensation plan design
• Reporting and dashboard development
• Data cleaning and standardization

3. Ongoing Operational Support

Some organizations tend to engage fractional resources for continuous part-time support, and it goes for a specified number of hours per week or month.

Typical Activities:

• CRM administration and support
• Handling report generation and analysis
• Process documentation and refinement
• Training and enablement on regular ops
• Regular system maintenance and data hygiene

4. Specialized Team Extension

In this kind of model, fractional resources augment over your existing team with specialized skills that they may be missing out on internally.

Typical Areas:

• Data analysis and visualization
• Technical integration and customization
• Process optimization and automation
• Handling change management and training
• Advanced reporting and forecasting

Working Effectively with Fractional RevOps Resources

To squeeze the most value out of fractional RevOps engagements, consider these to be the best practices:

1. Clearly Define Scope and Expectations

Be extremely specific about what you want to accomplish, write down what success looks like, and how any progress towards it will be measured. 

Ambiguous expectations lead towards disappointing results because there’s no direction.

2. Assign an Internal Point Person

Designate someone inside your organization to serve as the primary liaison with your fractional resource so that there’s always clear communication and accountability.

3. Focus on Knowledge Transfer

Make knowledge sharing a clearly stipulated and formal part of the engagement. 

Start scheduling regular sessions so that your team learns not just what was done, but why and how decisions were made with the benefit of being able to pull off the same.

4. Start with Smaller Engagements

Begin with a clearly-defined project or limited engagement to test the relationship before committing to longer-term arrangements.

5. Look for Industry-Specific Experience

While a general RevOps expertise is valuable, familiarity with your specific industry can be a major factor for accelerated results, particularly for B2B SaaS, professional services, or manufacturing companies.

Overcoming Potential Challenges

But of course, working with fractional resources isn't without challenges. 

Here's how to address common concerns:

1. Maintaining Institutional Knowledge

Concern: Knowledge may leave with the fractional resource. 

Solution: Have robust documentation practices in place and regular knowledge transfer sessions.

2. Ensuring Consistent Availability

Concern: Fractional resources will have competing priorities with other clients. 

Solution: Establish clear availability expectations and communication protocols upfront.

3. Integration with Internal Teams

Concern: External resources may struggle to collaborate effectively with your team.

Solution: Include fractional resources in relevant team meetings and communication channels.

4. Securing Long-Term Support

Concern: Fractional arrangements may seem inherently temporary. 

Solution: Develop longer-term engagement models with trusted partners who can provide continuity.

Building a Hybrid RevOps Model

For a large chunk of growing companies, the most effective tactic available is a hybrid model that combines in-house leadership with fractional specialized resources. 

As described in the RevOps Blueprint, this approach comes with several advantages:

1. Strategic control stays in-house: An internal RevOps leader can provide direction based on deep knowledge of your business strategy and culture.
   
   
2. Specialized expertise on demand: Fractional resources can fill specific capability gaps without the overhead of full-time specialists.
   
   
3. Scalable support model: You can adjust the level of fractional support as your needs and resources evolve.

Selecting the Right Fractional RevOps Partner

Not all fractional RevOps providers are created equal. Here are key criteria to consider when evaluating potential partners:

1. Depth of Experience

Look for partners with substantive experience in roles similar to what you need. Check for relevant industry background and expertise with companies at your growth stage.

2. Technical Proficiency

Ensure they have deep knowledge of the specific tools and systems in your tech stack, or those you plan to implement.

3. Strategic Perspective

The best fractional resources can balance tactical execution with strategic thinking, connecting operational improvements to business outcomes.

4. Communication Skills

Clear, consistent communication is essential for remote, part-time resources. Look for evidence of strong documentation and reporting practices.

5. Cultural Fit

Even part-time resources need to work effectively within your organization's culture and values. Assess compatibility during initial conversations.

6. References and Case Studies

Request specific examples of similar work and speak with references from companies comparable to yours.

Making the Transition to In-House RevOps

As your company grows, you may eventually reach a point where building an in-house RevOps function makes financial sense. A fractional partner can help facilitate this transition by:

1. Defining roles and responsibilities for your in-house team
2. Creating job descriptions and helping assess candidates
3. Developing documentation to preserve institutional knowledge
4. Training new team members on systems and processes
5. Providing ongoing support during the transition period

The end goal of any good fractional RevOps partner is to dismantle unnecessary dependencies and build a foundation that your eventual in-house team can build on top of.

The Strategic Value of Fractional RevOps

Bringing specialized expertise, fresh perspective, and flexible support to the table, fractional RevOps suits up organizations for operational excellence even before they have the resources for a complete in-house function. 

This approach creates a rock-solid foundation to standby for sustainable growth while keeping resource consumption at the optimal during critical early stages.

So if you're seeking to establish initial RevOps capabilities, address specific operational challenges, or supplement your existing team with specialized skills this is the direction to go.

If you need some more thoughts on a good RevOps practice, do click the link below!