Compare the complete workflow.
Write down how a target account becomes a qualified opportunity today. Include research, outreach, reply handling, meeting notes, stage changes, and the next action. Mark where information is copied or lost. A useful comparison shows which steps each candidate can own and which steps still depend on another system.
- Choose the authoritative home for account and opportunity data.
- Test permissions, export formats, and duplicate handling.
- Include implementation effort and the time someone spends maintaining the workflow.
Separate automation from qualification.
For an AI SDR pilot, define an accepted opportunity before the first message goes out. A booked meeting is one event. An accepted opportunity also needs an agreed customer profile, a relevant problem, and a credible next step. Use a comparable human-led cohort where practical and record how the cohorts differ.
- Review message accuracy and suppression rules.
- Assign a person to positive replies, objections, and exceptions.
- Track accepted opportunities and downstream progress alongside meetings.
Run a purchase test before a migration.
Use a small, representative set of records and one active deal. Ask the eventual operator to complete the work without a vendor presenter driving. Score required capabilities as demonstrated, unresolved, or absent. Confirm commercial terms directly with each vendor; the correct budget depends on scope, usage, and plan.
- Record what the pilot demonstrated and what remains untested.
- Check how integrations behave when data changes or a job fails.
- Agree a rollback and export plan before replacing the current CRM.