Every RevOps leader runs into the same issue. They all suffer from a bloated tech stack that costs too much and delivers too little.
Picture it. Fifteen different tools. Three conflicting versions of the truth. Salespeople using none of them properly. Despite six-figure spending on “productivity” software, reps still spend more time updating records than talking to prospects.
How does it get this bad?
The Frankenstack Evolution
Sales tech stacks don’t fall apart overnight. They follow a predictable pattern.
Stage 1: The Honeymoon
A new leader arrives with big plans. They roll out their preferred CRM and a few supporting tools. Data flows. Dashboards sparkle. Everyone’s happy.
Stage 2: The Reality Check
Six months later, adoption slows. Reps complain about duplicate entry. Forecasts are unreliable. The tools that promised to solve problems have created new ones.
Stage 3: The Band-Aid Phase
Instead of fixing core issues, more tools get added. Forecasting needs help? Buy a forecasting tool. Engagement tracking? Another tool. Pipeline visualization? Add one more.
Stage 4: The Graveyard
Two years and multiple budgets later, you’re paying for 15+ tools. Usage is down. Data lives in silos. No one remembers why half of them were bought. Canceling feels risky in case “something breaks.”
Sound familiar?
The Hidden Costs
Most B2B sales teams run on more than ten tools, but the biggest cost isn’t subscriptions.
Rep productivity drops and 30 to 40% of selling time disappears into admin work. Data becomes fragmented. Integrations break with every update. Training drags out onboarding. And without a single source of truth, pipeline visibility is murky at best.
Instead of making selling easier, the tech stack has created a second job for everyone.
Why Consolidation Usually Fails
On paper, the fix is obvious. Just cut tools. In practice, it rarely works.
Reps resist change. Migrating data is risky. All-in-one platforms often sacrifice depth. Consolidation projects disrupt workflows and slow momentum. Sales can’t pause for months to rebuild, but keeping things as they are isn’t sustainable either.
The Pipeline Execution Alternative
Consolidation doesn’t have to mean ripping out your stack.
The best RevOps teams use pipeline execution platforms that work alongside existing tools and gradually remove redundancies.
Here’s what makes the approach work. Data capture is automated. That means all calls, emails, and meetings flow straight into the CRM. No-code workflows replace point solutions by handling repetitive tasks. Your CRM becomes more valuable, not obsolete. And unnecessary tools get phased out naturally.
This delivers quick ROI and sets the stage for a leaner, healthier system.
How to Start Without Losing Momentum
Begin by auditing tool usage. Start by looking at what’s actually used, not just licensed. Map your data flows to spot bottlenecks. Calculate the true cost, including lost selling time. Identify repetitive tasks that could be automated. Then add a pipeline execution layer to tie everything together while reducing manual work.
The first win comes from killing manual data entry. Once reps spend less time on admin, adoption of core systems improves on its own.
The Future: Fewer, Smarter Tools
Your sales stack shouldn’t need its own operations team. The future belongs to platforms that enhance existing investments while removing busywork.
Pipeline execution platforms like GTM Engine help teams reclaim up to 40% of selling time by automating activity capture, streamlining workflows, and keeping the CRM clean. This can all be done without disrupting how you already work.
Sales tech should make selling easier. It’s time to stop adding to the graveyard and start bringing your stack back to life.
About the Author
Greg Lee is a seasoned technologist and startup CTO with a passion for building AI platforms that make complex work feel simple. From early-stage ventures to nonprofit tech, Greg brings deep experience across engineering, product leadership, and organizational enablement. He’s led teams at the frontier of AI productivity—most recently as CTO at a stealth AI startup redefining how business logic gets automated.
Previously, Greg co-founded Rowsie AI, an intelligent Excel-native assistant that helps professionals analyze data, build models, and drive decisions without writing code. The idea was simple: meet users where they already work, and turn spreadsheets into superpowers. His approach combines pragmatic engineering with visionary execution—always focused on delivering tools that actually get used.
Even outside of startups, Greg has brought that ethos to volunteer projects like American Whitewater, where he helped modernize critical tools for river enthusiasts across mobile platforms. Whether building for scale or for good, Greg’s mission remains the same: craft technology that empowers people to do their best work.
