I’ve had my hand slapped many times over the years for working too closely with engineers and tech support. Why? Because companies build high, impenetrable, and invisible walls between sales and engineering.
But to me, it made sense to bring engineering into these meetings so they could learn how customers use our products, uncover unmet needs, and make them better. Taking this initiative is part of being a good account manager. I’ve had managers who thought differently.
They’d say, “Sales talks to customers. Engineering builds the product. Each side stays in their lane.”
It made sense when markets moved slowly and customer needs were easy to predict. But today, it’s holding companies back.
When you separate customer insights from product development, you slow down organizational learning. You miss subtle patterns in customer pain. You delay product-market fit. And you risk building great solutions for problems that no longer exist.
That’s why I liked a recent post by Mark Roberge, who framed it perfectly:
The biggest value from your first sales hire isn’t revenue—it’s accelerated learning.
Mark points out that the right first sales hire isn’t just an account executive who can close deals. They’re also a sense-maker. A scout. Someone who listens to dozens of customer conversations, spots patterns, and feeds that knowledge directly back to the product team.
This accelerates everything:
- You better understand your customers’ true issues and challenges.
- You sharpen your messaging faster.
- You prioritize the right product improvements earlier.
The lesson here is much bigger than just startups making their first sales hire.
Mature companies need this mindset too.
Every account management process should encourage—not discourage—this kind of information flow. Sales should be coached not just to sell, but to observe, synthesize, and communicate customer insights back into the organization.
Customer meetings shouldn’t be just for sales. Engineers should be in the room also; listening, asking questions, and connecting directly with customer needs. These sessions can double as account reviews and set the stage for renewals and expansion opportunities.
If you treat customer feedback like a one-way street (sales sells, engineering builds), you’re missing out on one of your strongest competitive advantages: real-time customer intelligence.
The companies that will win today—and tomorrow—are the ones integrating learning into every customer interaction.
Revenue is essential. But accelerated learning is what builds a sustainable, customer-driven company.
It’s time to tear down the walls!