Worth splitting the survey into two questions people usually blend into one:
do reps know how and when to ask for a reference (a process question), and
do the references they've received actually help them close (a value question).
Ask only the value question and a mediocre score won't tell you whether the process is broken or the outcome is. The other thing that determines whether round two gets a response: close the loop. Share back what changed as a result of this round before you run it again. Something else that worked very well on a very large program I ran where I had to manage multiple reference managers reporting to me, was adding a satisfaction survey when you fulfilled a request. As part of the reference process, the last email would be a survey asking the sales rep about how it went. Then, at the end of every month, I would review all responses and, if any issues were flagged or a low score was noted, I would contact the salesperson and address them directly.
Hi Emily, so cool you got Gong approved and going, It's a FANTASTIC tool for any customer marketer. To make the most of it, the key is whether capture, validation, and activation are three connected steps or three disconnected owners. Gong will solve the capture. Someone still has to review what surfaced, decide whether the account is actually reference-ready, and route it to the right ask before the moment goes cold. So while you start playing with Gong's features, I would also define "reference-ready" as a short checklist by advocacy activity type, because a good G2 candidate and a good speaker candidate need different validation criteria and next steps. Also consider putting a shelf life on flagged accounts (two weeks or so) so stale signals don't just accumulate.
