My Journey as a Fresher: From A to Analytics

When I joined the analytics team at Hevo in 2020, I was a fresher and had no idea what was in store for me. As someone without much experience, I didn’t expect to work quickly on very high-impact projects that drive analytics.

It turns out I was very wrong in this assumption! After joining, I was almost immediately able to work on setting up the sales analytics engine at Hevo. I got into my role in analytics at an exciting time. Although a lot of the foundational structure for analytics was set up, it was not set up yet for the sales team. Only one person was working on this at the time, but now it is a big team playing a pivotal role in Hevo. So it had to be set up from scratch- everything had to be figured out from zero and scaled up. I am very fortunate that I witnessed all of this first-hand and played a central role.

What did I work on?

A big chunk of my work is setting up automation systems for analytics. We wanted to use data to drive analytics and tracking and operationalize it and run our daily activities based on data. We started from building reports to track simple daily activities to building sophisticated models to score leads based on their behavior and identify which leads have a greater chance to convert.

Now, the sales team has gone from one person working on an ad-hoc basis to a full-fledged team which is very data-driven in its approach. The data systems we have built are helpful not only to track the team’s progress and plan future campaigns but also to give the sales team the information needed to conduct their client meetings effectively and make more informed decisions.

There was a sense of pace and excitement during this period as our data was flowing in at a rapid pace. The team was growing fast, and we quickly needed to set up the systems, test them, and streamline them. The process of automating tasks was something that drove me and engaged me. It was gratifying to bring down time frames from a whole day to a few minutes by getting rid of the extra convoluted steps.

What was the environment I worked in?

I loved that my mentors placed their trust in me to figure out the tasks and do them independently. They were oriented towards results and wanted me to approach this in a way that felt right to me. This added responsibility and freedom of being in the driver’s seat significantly accelerated my learning. Since I felt responsible for the system and my work, I enjoyed it even more. I could get lost in it for hours, forgetting everything else.

Since we had to build the systems from scratch, everything had to be understood entirely through exploration. There was no template to follow. I would try different experiments and read various documentations so that when the need arose, I knew which features could be used. This self-exploration gave me a lot of insight into how to get the maximum from any project.

What are some of the insights I have gained?

Data can be Transformative

The ideal way to use data is not just as a lens to view historical knowledge and understand the past but to bring analytics into operations and transform the way we run our daily activities. Today the team works in a system where the data flows both ways. Not only do sales activity and user data flow to the data warehouse, but data from the warehouse after transformation also flows back to inform the team.

I have learned that it is not enough to set something up, but one must also consider the potential problems that might arise in the future. Data flow can get tricky when dealing with delays, especially when flowing through multiple systems and depending on each other. The concept of time plays a vital role.

Keep exploring

When I was still setting up the sales analytics at Hevo, I loved randomly clicking on documentation pages. I would think of potential ways to apply my learnings in my work or of ways they could potentially come in handy in the future. Whenever there was an actual requirement, the previously explored feature would pop up in my mind, and I would be excited to test it out. Learning, for me, must be a continuous process, not something that is restricted to work hours or the specific task at hand, and constant exploration is a trait I’ve inculcated since then.

Try something new, even if it takes time

Often, there would be a one-time task that could potentially be sorted out through a makeshift measure. However, I learned it was always a fun learning experience to spend some time on it and build a solution that could be scaled up. The concepts learned in doing so would come in handy in the future. My exploration has led me to conclude that it is always best to apply oneself entirely to a task and find a novel solution for it- the satisfaction and learning along this path are unparalleled.

Always try to automate everything possible

This aspect is my favorite part of my job. A constant desire to simplify tasks naturally drives me. There was a task done by the reporting team that took 15 hours of combined manual effort a week. After relentless automation, it now takes 15 minutes. The trick is to make the data accessible to everyone in the correct format. The most fulfilling part is that the system can now be used for other tasks, and it will still take the same 15 minutes! It is a great feeling when you can save so much time.

Document it!

Documentation is often considered a tedious or unnecessary part of our routine. However, through experience, I have learned that it saves plenty of time. An organized working method is fundamental to maximize efficiency and have mental clarity! Building a culture where documentation is taken seriously is very helpful because very few things are more frustrating than figuring everything out again when you have done the same task before.

Good communication is essential

Since everyone uses the same centralized data, it is essential to share our changes, like new tables we have created or systems we have built. This can save time for others since they don’t need to figure things out from scratch. This will also prevent others from making changes that could disrupt anything due to dependencies.

Working on Crucial Projects as a Fresher

All these insights that I have gained, both professional and personal, have only been possible because of the trust that Hevo has placed in me to contribute to something so critical as a fresher. When I look back at my older Slack conversations today, I am surprised at how quickly I have grown and how much I have learned. I feel that the people around me, their patience, and their interest in molding me have a massive role in this transformation.

I received the genuine support of some of my colleagues who were kind enough to mentor me accommodatingly, and at the same time, allowed me the space to grow into a better professional, the way I wanted to grow. This gave me the right balance to get more confident over time.

I read somewhere that the best leaders stop pressure at their level and don’t let it flow down. I agree with that, and I think I have worked with excellent leaders at Hevo. They have always been patient and friendly with me and have taken an extremely active interest in understanding how I like my work and if I am enjoying it. They have also taken time out of their lives to help me when needed. The ability at Hevo to work on crucial projects no matter the experience level is something that I value very much, as it encourages all employees to reach their full potential.