Continuation of the interview with Mikael Lerstøl-Pettersson at Exelement. This time: which parts of the sales process cause the most friction, and how automation can free up time for what truly creates value.
If you could remove or automate three parts of customers’ processes, which ones come up most often, and why these in particular?
“There are three that stand out clearly: internal handoffs, follow-ups, and manual approvals. That’s where the friction always sits,” says Mikael Pettersson.
1. Internal handoffs – where responsibility falls between the cracks
From Marketing to Sales. From SDR to Account Executive. From AE to Customer Success. Every handoff carries a risk: lost data or unclear ownership.
“Everyone has their own KPIs, but few share a clear view of what happens in the step before. It’s easy to say ‘that’s not my table’. I usually say: give the next person in the chain the best possible conditions to succeed,” says Mikael.
This is where Exelement helps companies build structure around ownership and handovers. By introducing small, concrete SLA (Service Level Agreement) checkpoints in the CRM, for example, “contact must happen within 24 hours after MQL”, misunderstandings disappear.
A clear “next step + owner + date” in every deal stage might sound simple, but it’s often what makes a pipeline grow.
2. Follow-ups – small delays that become big ones
“Most people know what to do. They just don’t know when. Follow-ups become a ‘I’ll do it later’ thing, and suddenly two weeks have passed.”
With CRM automation, it’s easy to set reminders and automatic tasks for inactive deals. Exelement often helps clients configure dashboards that flag stagnant opportunities or missing next steps, so sellers can act right away.
“It doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple automations that remind you when a customer hasn’t been followed up in 14 days can save days, sometimes weeks, in cycle time.”
3. Approvals – the hidden bottleneck
“It sounds trivial, but approvals often block progress. If I want to give a discount or add an extra service, I need to know what I’m allowed to do. Without clear rules and reports, everything stops.”
Here the solution is to build decision logic directly into the CRM or connected systems. Exelement helps clients define guardrails – rules for discount levels, margins, and exceptions – so decisions can be made quickly without risking profitability.
What do the best teams do with the time they get back?
When you automate most of the administration – what do high-performing teams actually use the freed-up time for?
“Many think automation is about saving time. In reality, it’s about shifting focus, from administration to relationships. The best teams spend more time on quality conversations and proactive work with customers.”
Automation and AI don’t free up time to do less, they free up time to do the right things. That’s exactly what Exelement means when we talk about helping companies work smarter, not harder.
“The teams that succeed best use that time to understand their customers better. They build trust; they become advisors. That’s where long-term success is won.”
Exelement – from process to partnership
When Exelement helps companies automate away friction, it’s always done with a holistic focus on people, processes, data, and technology.
By integrating CRM, marketing automation and other business systems, companies create a seamless customer journey where follow-ups and ownership are never lost.
“It’s not about more tools. It’s about making what you already have actually work well together,” says Mikael Lerstøl-Pettersson.
This was Part 2 in our series on friction in the sales process.
