What the HECK Is Rev Ops? People, Process, Tech—Then AI (with Cliff Simon from Polaris) | Ep. 208

On Scrappy ABM, host Mason Cosby sits down with Cliff Simon, CEO and founder of Polaris, to get clear on “what the heck is rev ops” and where AI is actually useful. Rev Ops sits at the intersection of systems, processes, insights and analytics, enablement, and a maniacal focus on the customer journey. Cliff draws a sharp line between departmental “ops” and a functional model that breaks down silos and sits in weekly and monthly cadences with sales, marketing, CS, and product.

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They cut through AI hype with a people → process → tech sequence, why most teams aren’t ready because the bottom data layer isn’t there, and how a glossary of terms—agreed at the board level—prevents “good in, good out” from turning into “one degree off course at 120 miles an hour.” Expect pragmatic wins: giving salespeople time back by automating admin, faster copy iteration and A/B tests, forecasting deals, and CS deflection and case resolution. The throughline: don’t expect the world—crawl, walk, run—grow capacity without growing headcount, and use enablement (including AI) to train sellers and leaders.

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👤 Guest Bio

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Cliff Simon is the CEO and founder of Polaris. He helps people actually understand effective AI implementation to run revenue operations programs. Cliff emphasizes people, process, then tech; Rev Ops as a thought partner to executives; and a maniacal focus on the customer journey. Connect via LinkedIn or polarisops.com.

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📌 What We Cover

• Rev Ops as the intersection of systems, processes, insights and analytics, and enablement
• Breaking down departmental silos by aligning analytics and systems teams across sales, marketing, CS, and product
• “People, process, tech” as the order of operations—and why business acumen and human psychology come first
• Why most teams aren’t ready for AI: the bottom data layer, a glossary of terms, and board-level agreement on definitions
• The “good in, good out” warning and the “one degree off course at 120 miles an hour” metaphor
• Where not to expect AI right now (full technology implementation) vs. where it helps: admin automation, faster copy iteration, forecasting deals
• CS wins: deflection and case resolution so humans can focus on difficult issues and customer care
• A measured approach: don’t expect the world; crawl, walk, run; grow capacity without growing headcount; enablement to train sellers and leaders

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🔗 Resources Mentioned

• Polaris: https://polarisops.com
• Cliff Simon on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cliff-simon/
• Lean Six Sigma
• Q Flow (forecasting context)
• Salesforce World Tour (New York City mention)
• Road Show Stops: Atlanta (October 10), Austin (October 23), Chicago (November 5), Boston (later in November, finalizing), Toronto (potentially November)
• Scrappy ABM: Visit for more ABM tips and strategies.
• Connect with Mason on LinkedIn for a conversation about ABM

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