If you’ve ever been deep in a B2B sales cycle, you know one thing: reference calls slow everything down. Getting happy customers to play matchmaker, chasing emails, and managing calendars—it’s a mess. Automated reference workflows are supposed to help, but half the tools out there are clunky or overpromise. If you want a clear, honest guide to setting up automated reference workflows in Deeto, you’re in the right place.
This guide is for sales ops, sales leaders, and revops folks who want less admin, fewer headaches, and smoother customer reference management. Let’s keep it simple, skip the fluff, and get you set up.
Why Automate References in the First Place?
Before you dive into workflows, let’s get real: manual reference requests are a pain.
- Wasted time. Your reps are stuck chasing down customer advocates.
- Bad timing. Customers get asked too often, or not at all.
- Deals stall. Reference calls become a bottleneck.
- No tracking. You don’t know who’s helped, who’s burned out, or what’s working.
Automation solves some (not all) of this. Just be clear: no tool will magically make customers drop everything for reference calls. But a good workflow in Deeto can cut friction and give you a reliable system.
Step 1: Prep Your Customer Reference List
Don’t even open Deeto yet. First, get your list of referenceable customers in order. Skip this, and your workflow will be garbage in, garbage out.
- Start small. 10–20 happy, vocal customers is plenty to launch.
- Get buy-in. Ask these customers if they’re open to being a reference. No cold surprises.
- Log their preferences. Note things like preferred topics, time zones, and how often they’re willing to help.
- Check with Customer Success. They’ll know who’s actually happy—and who’s tired of being asked.
Pro tip: If you haven’t updated your reference list in six months, it’s probably out of date.
Step 2: Set Up Your Deeto Account
Now you’re ready to open Deeto. If you haven’t set up an account, do that first. There’s nothing magic here—just standard SaaS onboarding.
- Invite your sales team. Get everyone who’ll need to request references added.
- Set roles/permissions. Only give admin rights to folks who’ll manage the workflow.
- Import your customer list. Use CSV upload, or connect your CRM (if you trust the data).
What to skip: Don’t bother with fancy integrations or custom fields yet. Focus on getting clean data in first.
Step 3: Build Your Reference Library
This is where a lot of teams try to get clever and end up stuck. Here’s what actually works:
- Tag your customers. Industry, product line, geography—whatever helps match prospects and references.
- Document reference fatigue. Mark anyone who’s been asked recently or needs a break.
- Add advocate bios. Short, real summaries (not marketing fluff) help reps pick the right reference.
- Link to success stories, case studies, or reviews. If a live call isn’t needed, written proof can save everyone time.
What doesn’t work: Over-engineered tagging, or making customers fill out long surveys. Keep it light.
Step 4: Define Your Reference Request Workflow
This is where Deeto’s automation kicks in. Decide how you want requests to flow.
- Who can request a reference?
- Sales reps? Sales engineers? CSMs?
- How are requests submitted?
- Usually via a Deeto request form or from within your CRM (if integrated).
- Who approves requests?
- Someone should review requests before they go to customers. Otherwise, you’ll burn out your best advocates.
- How are customers contacted?
- Email? In-app? Make it easy for them to say yes or no without a lot of back-and-forth.
- What info does the prospect get?
- Just the reference’s name and contact? Or a calendar link? Decide up front.
Pro tip: Set clear limits—like “no more than one ask per customer per month.” Automate reminders, but don’t nag.
Step 5: Automate Workflows in Deeto
Here’s how to actually set up the automation in Deeto:
- Create request templates.
- Standardize subject lines and messages. Make it dead simple for sales reps to use.
- Set up approval chains.
- Make sure requests get routed to a manager or admin for review. Don’t skip this, or you’ll lose control.
- Configure customer notifications.
- Choose your messaging carefully. Be concise and grateful, not pushy.
- Automate calendar invites.
- If possible, let Deeto handle meeting scheduling. Fewer emails, fewer mix-ups.
- Build usage rules.
- Use Deeto’s settings to cap how often any one customer is contacted.
What to ignore: Over-customizing notifications or building complex branching logic. Start simple—add complexity only if you need it.
Step 6: Track, Measure, and Adjust
Automation isn’t “set it and forget it.” Here’s what actually matters:
- Monitor usage. Are requests going out? Are customers responding? If not, something’s broken.
- Watch for fatigue. If the same customers get hit too often, dial it back. Deeto will show you usage stats.
- Collect feedback. Ask both your sales team and your references what’s working (and what’s annoying).
- Adjust templates and workflows. If something feels off, fix it. Don’t wait for a quarterly review.
Pro tip: If you’re not getting enough references, your list is probably too small, or your team is asking at the wrong time in the sales cycle.
Step 7: Train Your Sales Team (And Keep Them Honest)
No tool will fix a team that ignores process. Make sure your sales reps know:
- When and how to request a reference in Deeto
- What to say (and not say) to customers
- How to handle pushback or tricky questions
Don’t: Assume everyone will just “figure it out.” Short, live training beats a 10-page PDF every time.
What Works, What Doesn’t, and What to Watch Out For
What works: - Keeping your reference list fresh and accurate - Clear approval steps—no one likes surprise asks - Automating the basics, but reviewing the edge cases
What doesn’t: - Overcomplicating things with too many tags or steps - Letting sales reps go rogue and spam your best customers - Assuming automation will make customers more available
Watch out for: - Reference fatigue—rotate your list - Out-of-date contacts—review quarterly - Poor messaging—always be concise and respectful
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Automated reference workflows in Deeto aren’t magic, but they’re a lot better than spreadsheets and reply-all emails. Start small, keep your processes simple, and don’t be afraid to tweak things as you go. The goal isn’t perfect automation—it’s less friction for your team and your customers.
Remember, the best workflows are the ones your team actually uses. Launch, learn, and improve—don’t wait for everything to be perfect before you get started.