What 12 CROs Really Betting On For 2025? The Answer Might Surprise You
We've been talking to CROs non-stop over the past month.
12 of them, to be exact, all leading revenue at major tech companies.
What they're planning for 2025 isn't what you'd expect.
Everyone's buzzing about AI, right? New sales tools? The latest tech stack?
Nope. Not even close.
Let's dive into what these revenue leaders are actually betting on.
The Real Focus? It's Not What You Think
"Forget the shiny new toys," as one CRO at a $35M SaaS company told us.
"We're completely reinventing how we operate."
And trust us, after hearing this same message twelve times over, we knew we were onto something big.
1. Breaking Down Those Customer Knowledge Walls
You know what's funny?
Every department thinks they know the customer best.
Sales has their view, Product has theirs, Support has another. In 2025, that's not going to cut it anymore.
Here's what we're seeing smart companies do:
Getting product teams on actual sales calls (yes, really!)
Letting support teams drive product decisions (about time, right?)
Having sales insights shape marketing in real-time
Running weekly sessions where everyone shares customer stories
One CRO put it perfectly:
"If your entire company doesn't deeply understand your customer by 2025, you're in trouble."
2. Selling Outcomes, Not Features
Look, we all know feature-based selling is dead.
But here's what's really interesting - companies are completely restructuring around business outcomes.
What does this actually look like?
Teams dedicated to mapping customer outcomes
Success metrics that span multiple products
ROI frameworks specific to each industry
Real-time tracking of value delivery
As one CRO told us bluntly:
"Our reps can't even mention our products until they fully understand what success looks like for the customer."
3. Spotting Problems Before They Happen
Here's a fun one - imagine knowing a customer is at risk before they do.
That's exactly what's happening in 2025.
Companies are building:
Systems that flag risks based on how customers use their products
Models that predict problems before they pop up
Teams ready to jump in at the first sign of trouble
Programs that solve problems before customers even notice them
4. Getting Smarter About Revenue
"We don't need more tools," one CRO told us (and nearly made us fall out of our chair).
"We need to be smarter with what we already have."
What does "smarter" look like?
Connecting all our revenue data in one place
Predicting how customers will buy
Understanding engagement across every channel
Knowing which deals are at risk (and why)
5. The Human Element (Plot Twist!)
Here's the biggest surprise
8 out of 12 CROs are betting MORE on human skills than AI.
Let that sink in for a minute.
What skills are they focusing on?
Really understanding business (not just sales)
Solving complex problems
Building relationships in our digital world
Leading across different teams
Making solid business cases
Bringing It All Together
You know what every single one of these CROs kept coming back to?
Integration. Getting everything - and everyone - working together.
What Should You Do About It?
Ask yourself:
Does your whole company really understand your customers?
Are you selling outcomes or still pushing features?
Can you spot problems before they happen?
Are you investing enough in your people's skills?
How well does everything in your revenue stack work together?
The Bottom Line
Here's what 2025 is really about:
It's not about having the coolest tech or the most AI.
It's about bringing everything together - your people, your processes, your tech - all focused on delivering real value to customers.
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