If you’re in B2B sales, you know how much software promises to “transform” your results. Most of it is all sizzle, no steak. This review is for sales leaders and operators who need the real story: What does the Attention B2B GTM software actually do for sales teams in 2024, and is it worth your time (and budget)?
Let’s skip the hype and get into what Attention is, where it helps, where it frustrates, and what to watch out for.
What Is Attention, Really?
Attention is a sales tool that claims to help B2B teams improve their “go-to-market” (GTM) effectiveness. Translation: it’s a software platform that sits on top of your sales stack (think: CRM, call software, email) and tries to help reps close more deals by tracking, analyzing, and coaching on their daily activities.
The core selling points:
- Real-time coaching during sales calls (think: prompts, reminders, even suggested talk tracks)
- Call analytics and summaries (AI-generated notes, keyword spotting, deal risks)
- Integration with common sales tools (Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoom, and more)
- Data-driven “next steps” and pipeline nudges
The pitch is: less admin, more focused selling, and better performance for reps and managers. But does it deliver?
Setup & Integrations: As Smooth As Promised?
Getting started with Attention isn’t painful, but it isn’t magic, either.
The Good
- Integrations are solid. Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoom, and Google Meet work out of the box.
- Setup is mostly plug-and-play. OAuth logins, a few clicks, and you’re connected.
The Gotchas
- If your stack is weird, you’re on your own. Custom CRMs or niche call tools? You’ll be emailing support.
- Permissions can be a pain. Attention needs a lot of access. Expect some back-and-forth with IT.
Pro tip: If you have a basic SaaS sales setup, you’ll be fine. If your sales process is Frankenstein’d together, budget time for troubleshooting.
Real-Time Coaching: Helpful or Distracting?
This is Attention’s headline feature: live, AI-powered coaching in calls. It listens in and pops up reminders (“Ask about budget,” “You’re talking too much,” etc.).
Where It Shines
- New reps ramp faster. The prompts help rookies remember to hit the basics.
- Consistency across the team. Managers can push scripts and key questions.
Where It Misses
- Experienced reps find it annoying. Most sales veterans turn off the prompts after a week.
- Can feel Big Brother-y. Some reps get creeped out by the always-on listening.
The Bottom Line
If you have lots of new hires or want to standardize call quality, this feature is genuinely useful. For a team of seasoned sellers, it’ll probably get ignored.
Call Analytics & Summaries: Time Saver or Fluff?
Attention records, transcribes, and summarizes calls. It spits out action items, flags risks, and tracks keywords.
The Upside
- Decent call summaries. Saves time on note-taking, especially for long demos.
- Action items usually make sense. It's not perfect, but it catches most follow-ups.
- Deal risk detection is sometimes helpful. It’ll flag if the prospect seems disengaged or price-sensitive.
The Downside
- Transcription accuracy is hit-or-miss. Accents and cross-talk throw it off.
- Summaries can be generic. Sometimes you get “Discussed product” as your main recap—thanks, Captain Obvious.
- False positives for deal risks. The AI sometimes flags perfectly normal calls as “at risk.”
Verdict
You’ll save time, but you can’t blindly trust the output. Treat it as a first draft, not gospel.
Pipeline Nudges & “Next Step” Recommendations
Attention tries to keep deals moving with pipeline nudges: reminders to follow up, suggestions for next steps, and notifications about stuck deals.
What Works
- Good for forgetful reps. If someone needs a nudge to send that follow-up email, this helps.
- Managers get a clearer view. You can spot who’s dropping balls without micromanaging Slack threads.
What Doesn’t
- Can be noisy. Too many nudges, and reps start ignoring all of them.
- Recommendations aren’t always smart. The “next step” suggestions are basic and sometimes miss context.
Honest Take
If you’re running a big team and can’t babysit every deal, this feature adds value. But you’ll need to tune the settings so your team doesn’t get alert fatigue.
Reporting & Manager Tools: Useful or Just Another Dashboard?
Attention gives managers dashboards showing call activity, talk time, pipeline health, and rep performance.
The Good
- Quickly see who’s hustling. Easy to spot reps making lots of calls or hitting targets.
- Coaching opportunities pop out. You can see who’s skipping discovery, talking too much, or losing deals at the same stage.
The Not-So-Good
- Data overload. There are a lot of charts, and not all are actionable.
- Limited customization. If you want fancy reports or custom KPIs, you’ll hit walls fast.
What to Ignore
Don’t get sucked into every metric. Focus on 2-3 key numbers (calls made, conversion rates, deals stuck) and move on.
User Experience: Day-to-Day Reality
No software is perfect. Here’s what daily users should expect:
The Upside
- Interface is clean. Not a lot of clutter, and most features are easy to find.
- Works in the background. Once set up, reps mostly don’t have to think about it.
The Annoyances
- Occasional lag. Especially when joining calls or loading big dashboards.
- Mobile experience is mediocre. Don’t expect to do much from your phone.
Pro tip: Train your team on what features to use—and what to ignore—so they don’t get overwhelmed.
Pricing: Fair or Fuzzy?
Attention doesn’t publish its pricing, which is always a red flag. You have to talk to sales.
- Expect “per seat” pricing, with discounts for bigger teams.
- Not cheap, not wild. It’s in line with other GTM tools ($80–$150/month per user, from what I’ve seen).
Watch out: Add-ons and integrations can bump up the price. Get an itemized quote.
Where Attention Fits (and Where It Doesn’t)
Good Fit For
- Teams with lots of new or junior reps
- Sales orgs that care about process consistency
- Managers who want more visibility, fast
Not a Great Fit For
- Small teams of veteran sellers
- Companies with bespoke, complex sales stacks
- Anyone allergic to AI listening on every call
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple
Attention does what it says—mostly. It’s helpful for ramping up new reps, saving time on call notes, and giving managers a pulse on the team. But don’t expect it to magically fix bad sales habits or do your thinking for you.
If you’re considering Attention, start small. Pilot it with one team, ignore the shiny dashboards, and see if it actually improves your workflow. Iterate from there. Most of all, remember: software is a tool, not a silver bullet. The basics—good conversations, honest follow-up—still win deals.