This episode is sponsored by TestBox. Please visit www.testbox.com to learn more!

In this episode James Kaikis sits down with Josh Aranoff, VP of Sales and Solutions at Trimble, Inc. to discuss the evolution of the solutions role in SaaS. Drawing from his extensive experience at Salesforce and Procore, Josh shares insights on how solutions professionals are becoming essential strategic partners in driving revenue growth and predictability.‍

James and Josh delve into how the solutions role has expanded from technical demos to influencing business strategy, bridging gaps between sales, customer success, and product teams. Josh shares his innovative approach to forecasting, including implementing deal scoring and creating alignment between solutions and sales teams to improve predictability and customer outcomes.‍

Josh also explores the integration of PreSales and post-sales functions, highlighting the rise of hybrid roles and the need for solutions engineers to balance technical expertise with business acumen. He shares the importance of enabling teams with the right training, tools, and incentives to align with evolving customer expectations.‍

We dig into:

• How solutions engineers became the "confidence lever" in deal forecasting with red/yellow/green scoring systems

• The three types of demos: RFP bullet-point demos, process-based demos, and persona-based storytelling

• Why the expensive AE+SE overlay model is forcing hybrid role creation and consolidation

• How customer expectations evolved from needing relationship help to demanding technical consulting

If you’re ready to elevate customer conversations, build trust through authentic leadership, and align your teams around outcomes that actually matter, this episode is your guide.

Key Takeaways:

• How solutions professionals can shape revenue predictability and de-risk deals.

• The shift toward hybrid roles and their impact on GTM alignment.

• Why customer expectations are reshaping presales and post-sales collaboration.