Gong Scorecard Handbook for Solutions Architect Managers

Introduction

This page provides comprehensive guidance for Solutions Architect (SA) managers on effectively using Gong Scorecards to review, evaluate, and coach their team members. The goal is to create a structured approach to performance improvement that maintains trust, fosters growth, and enhances customer interactions.

Understanding Gong Scorecards

What Are Gong Scorecards?

Gong Scorecards are evaluation tools that assess the quality and effectiveness of recorded customer calls. They provide a framework for measuring specific behaviors, skills, and outcomes during customer interactions. Scorecards help standardize evaluation criteria and ensure consistent feedback across the team.

AI-Powered Scoring with Human Oversight

Gong’s AI technology automatically analyzes recorded calls and provides initial scoring based on predefined criteria. However, human judgment remains essential for:

• Contextual understanding: AI may miss nuanced situations or customer-specific contexts
• Accuracy validation: Managers should review AI scores to ensure they align with actual performance
• Customization: Human reviewers can adjust scores based on factors the AI might not fully capture
• Coaching opportunities: Managers can identify specific areas for improvement that require human insight

Key Process:

1. Gong AI provides initial automated scoring
2. Managers review AI-generated scores and call highlights
3. Managers make adjustments based on their judgment and additional context
4. Final scores are used for coaching and performance discussions

Goal and Positive Intention for Solutions Architects

The Purpose Behind Scorecards

For Solutions Architects, scorecards are designed to:

• Accelerate professional development: Identify strengths to leverage and areas for improvement
• Enhance customer outcomes: Improve the quality of customer interactions and technical guidance
• Standardize excellence: Create consistent high-quality experiences across all customer touchpoints
• Foster continuous learning: Provide data-driven insights for skill development
• Support career growth: Track progress and identify advancement opportunities

Building Trust and Transparency

• Scorecards are development tools, not punishment mechanisms
• The focus is on growth, learning, and customer success
• Feedback is collaborative and solution-oriented
• Individual performance data is confidential and used constructively
• The goal is to help each SA reach their full potential

Reviewing Individual Team Member Calls

Step-by-Step Review Process

1. Pre-Review Preparation

• Access the Gong platform and navigate to the Scorecards section
• Review the specific scorecard criteria relevant to SA roles
• Identify calls that need review based on your review schedule or priority

2. Initial AI Score Assessment

• Navigate to a specific call from Gong’s Home page or Conversations section
• Open the right-side panel and select “Scoring”
• Select the scorecard and Gitlab person to apply the scorecard. Gong will provide an initial AI analysis for each question
• Review the AI-generated scores for each criterion
• Note any areas where the AI flagged potential issues or highlights
• Check the confidence level of AI scoring for each category
• If the scorecard question is not relevant to the call, mark the question as N/A

3. Call Listening and Analysis

Listen to key portions of the call, focusing on:

• Technical accuracy and depth of solutions presented
• Customer engagement and rapport building
• Problem-solving approach and methodology
• Communication clarity and effectiveness
• Discovery questioning techniques
• Objection handling and response quality

4. Score Validation and Adjustment

• Compare your assessment with the AI-generated scores
• Make adjustments where human judgment differs from AI analysis
• Add specific comments explaining your reasoning for any score changes
• Document specific examples and timestamps for coaching discussions

5. Coaching Notes Development

• Identify 2-3 key strengths to reinforce
• Highlight 1-2 specific areas for improvement
• Prepare actionable recommendations and resources
• Note any patterns across multiple calls

Best Practices for Individual Reviews

• Focus on behaviors, not outcomes: Evaluate what the SA did well or could improve, rather than just whether they won the deal
• Be specific and actionable: Provide concrete examples and clear next steps
• Balance positive and constructive feedback: Acknowledge strengths while addressing development areas
• Consider context: Factor in customer complexity, deal stage, and unique circumstances
• Document thoroughly: Keep detailed notes for follow-up coaching sessions

Using Gong Insights for Team Performance

Accessing Team Aggregate Data

Navigation to Gong Insights

1. Log into Gong platform
2. Navigate to “Insights” section, then “Team” sub-section
3. Navigate to “Scorecards”
4. Choose your team
5. Set appropriate call type and date ranges for analysis as need. Defaults are All Calls and Last 30 Days.

Key Metrics to Monitor

Team Performance Indicators

• Average scorecard scores across all criteria
• Score distribution to identify consistency gaps
• Trending performance over time periods
• Criterion-specific performance (e.g., technical depth, communication skills)
• Individual vs. team benchmarks

Coaching Priority Identification

• Lowest-scoring criteria across the team
• Highest variability areas indicating inconsistent performance
• Improvement trends showing progress or decline
• Top performers who can mentor others

Analyzing Aggregate Performance

Monthly Team Review Process

1. Generate team scorecard summary report
2. Identify top 3 team strengths to celebrate and reinforce
3. Pinpoint 2-3 improvement opportunities for team focus
4. Compare current period to previous periods for trend analysis
5. Benchmark against organizational standards or other teams

Data-Driven Coaching Decisions

• Skill gap analysis: Where does the team need collective development?
• Training prioritization: Which areas would benefit most from group training?
• Resource allocation: Where should you invest coaching time?
• Best practice sharing: Which high-performing behaviors should be scaled?

Creating Action Plans from Insights

Team Development Strategy

• Collective training sessions for common improvement areas
• Peer mentoring programs pairing strong and developing performers
• Skill-specific workshops addressing scorecard criteria gaps
• Regular calibration sessions to ensure consistent evaluation standards

Implementation Guidelines

Setting Up Your Review Cadence

Recommended Schedule

• New team members: Weekly reviews for first month, bi-weekly for months 2-3
• Experienced team members: Bi-weekly to monthly reviews
• Team aggregate reviews: Monthly comprehensive analysis
• Quarterly calibration: Team-wide scorecard criteria review

Communication Framework

Initial Team Introduction

• Explain the purpose and benefits of scorecard reviews
• Address concerns and questions openly
• Establish regular feedback schedules
• Create psychological safety for honest discussions

Ongoing Coaching Conversations

• Schedule dedicated time for scorecard review discussions
• Use scorecard data as starting point, not endpoint
• Focus on development and growth opportunities
• Celebrate improvements and successes

Success Metrics

Individual Level

• Improvement in specific scorecard criteria over time
• Consistency of performance across different types of calls
• Self-awareness and proactive skill development
• Customer satisfaction correlation with scorecard scores

Team Level

• Overall team scorecard performance trends
• Reduced variability in performance across team members
• Increased knowledge sharing and peer learning
• Enhanced customer outcomes and satisfaction

Troubleshooting Common Challenges

AI Scoring Discrepancies

• Issue: AI scores don’t match your assessment
• Solution: Review call context, add detailed comments, and adjust scores with explanations

Team Resistance

• Issue: Team members view scorecards negatively
• Solution: Reinforce development focus, share success stories, and involve team in criteria refinement

Inconsistent Application

• Issue: Different managers score differently
• Solution: Conduct regular calibration sessions and establish clear scoring guidelines

Time Management

• Issue: Reviews take too much time
• Solution: Focus on high-impact calls, use AI insights as starting point, and batch review sessions

Conclusion

Effective use of Gong Scorecards requires balancing automated insights with human judgment, maintaining a development-focused approach, and using data to drive meaningful coaching conversations. By following this handbook, SA managers can create a culture of continuous improvement that benefits both individual career growth and customer success outcomes.

Remember: The ultimate goal is to help your Solutions Architects become more effective in their customer interactions while building trust and fostering professional development within your team.