👋 CROs and GTM leaders, here’s the truth:
Before you pick your first AI pilot, it pays off to analyze exactly how ready your sales and marketing operation really is. The latest B2B wins are coming from teams who measure first, automate second—and that’s why this must-read will help you accelerate the right kind of transformation.

🚦 Why Start with AI Readiness?

In today’s market, it’s not enough to simply buy the next AI tool and hope for ROI.

What makes a program successful is clarity: knowing where your data, strategy, workflows, talent, and policies stand before you invest. That’s the whole idea behind The AI Readiness Framework for revenue teams.

5 Pillars: The AI Readiness Framework

• Strategy Alignment — Are pilots mapped to the KPIs that matter most?
• Data & Infrastructure — Is your data centralized and reliable? Is it AI Ready?
• Tools & Workflows — Are your processes connected, or fragmented?
• Talent & Skills — Can your teams actually use new tech? Will Training be Needed?
• Governance & Risk — Is there a plan for responsible experimentation? Outcome analysis?

You don’t need top scores everywhere to start—you need a roadmap to pinpoint where AI could deliver ROI first. Don’t tackle the biggest hairiest problems first. Instead go slow, learn, train, deploy and measure.

CRO To-Do List: Get ROI from AI

1. Clarify Strategy
   • Align your execs and pick targets that drive cash flow. Show the $$$$
2. Centralize Data
   • Break down silos; ensure CRM Sales and Marketing data live together. Ensure you data is clean and setup for AI implementation.
3. Automate a First Step
   • Choose one repetitive process to automate and scale results. Measure, Analyze, Improve and get employee feedback on useability.
4. Upskill Your Team
   • Offer AI training tailored to sales and marketing roles. Don’t assume your employees already know how to use AI, when to apply it and when it isn’t being helpful.
5. Draft Guardrails
   • Create a simple policy for responsible AI rollouts. Treat AI as any other technology. You wouldn’t hire a new employee without guardrails – AI needs the same so you don’t have to worry about Crisis PR when you AI does something unplanned…

📊 Case Study: ACI Corporation’s KPIs Before & After

Let’s look at this method in action with ACI Corporation.

Before AI Readiness & Pilot

After AI Readiness & First Pilot

Results:

• Conversion rates up 33%.
• 40% more qualified leads.
• Sales cycle shortened by 15 days.
• Product knowledge scores jumped by 45%—direct ROI from targeted AI training and CRM upgrades.

💡 Bottom Line for CROs

AI will only drive results if your foundations are solid.

Measure readiness, align pilots with achievable goals, and track ROI in real terms—not “proof of concept” experiments. This measure twice, then build, review and improve approach delivers transformation with substance, not just hype.

Let’s make AI work for revenue—starting with clarity of purpose and result measurement.