This is the fourth and final blog in a 4-part series designed to help companies selling into the restaurant industry better understand, classify, and strategically approach go-to-market efforts for franchised brands. Read part one here, part two here, and part three here.

In our previous three blogs, we explored the complexities of selling into fractured franchise brands, used Strategic Fit and Targetability as our primary qualification criteria, detailed Top-Down (↓) and Bottom-Up (↑) strategies, and introduced the STEP and STAR frameworks for brand prioritization. Now, we shift to execution—assigning account ownership to drive success in acquisition, expansion, or both, ensuring your teams align with each brand’s strategic needs.

Account assignment is the critical action phase of your Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy, building on all strategic groundwork: identifying key accounts, defining the best approach, and setting clear growth goals.

Effective account coverage goes beyond dividing accounts between sales and post-sales. Here, we’ll break down how to assign accounts to ensure your teams align with growth goals, maximize revenue, and stay in sync.

Everything starts with account coverage

Once you’ve completed the bulk of prioritization, account assignment begins to align execution with strategy. While updating records may be tedious (especially if you work with Salesforce), the real value lies in thoroughly assessing which internal resource is best suited to carry out the strategy—often tagged as STAR↑ or STEP↑ for highest-priority brands. Assigning accounts successfully means matching teams to opportunity types, not just availability or job titles.

Your STAR and STEP designations help guide these decisions. For STAR accounts, the focus is on revenue-driven acquisition, often—but not exclusively—requiring sales team expertise. For STEP accounts, the goal is to grow per-location MRR, which sometimes aligns with post-sales teams like CSMs. However, this doesn’t mean that sales always own acquisition or that expansion is automatically handed off to CSMs.

This is where many companies fall into the Assignment Trap, assigning accounts based on the wrong criteria, like workload or title, rather than on skills and alignment with the account’s needs. Assigning accounts this way often leads to misalignment, wasted resources, and missed growth opportunities.

Done correctly, skill-based account assignment enables teams to leverage their strengths, driving both rapid acquisition and incremental expansion efficiently. In the following sections, we’ll outline how to assign STAR and STEP accounts effectively, ensuring your teams are equipped to execute the right strategies for each account type.

Assigning STAR accounts: Who drives acquisition?

When it comes to STAR accounts, the goal is outbound-driven acquisition, often “aggressive” time and resources permitting. These accounts have significant untapped revenue potential, and the focus should be on bringing in new franchisees quickly. However, while most companies default to assigning STAR accounts to sales, the decision isn’t always that straightforward.

Let’s break down when to assign STAR accounts to sales, when it might make sense to involve CSMs, and the pros and cons of externalizing outbound efforts.

When to assign acquisition to sales

Sales teams are typically the go-to for STAR accounts because of their expertise in outbound targeting, lead generation, and closing new business. Here are scenarios where sales should take the lead:

• Untapped revenue potential: High potential franchisee or unit counts make sales the best fit for acquisition.
• High-touch targeting: If intensive outreach is required, sales often has the tools and motivation to manage STAR accounts effectively.
• Justifiable acquisition cost: If projected revenue covers costs, sales should drive acquisition to capture high returns.

When to assign acquisition to CSMs

While STAR accounts usually align with sales, there are situations where a CSM might be better positioned to manage acquisition:

• Existing relationships: If most franchisees are already customers, CSMs can leverage their established relationships to encourage remaining franchisees to adopt without deploying a full sales team.
• Low-hanging fruit: When a few franchisees show organic interest or readiness to onboard, CSMs can often convert them without extensive outbound efforts.
• Expansion-to-acquisition crossover: When CSMs identify upsell opportunities that edge into acquisition, they can play a hybrid role to drive adoption within familiar accounts.

Considerations for assigning acquisition externally

Many companies choose to externalize the early stages of STAR acquisition—often through outsourced BDR teams or agencies to handle the initial outreach and conversation-starting efforts. While this approach can save internal resources, reduce costs, and free up time, it’s not without its drawbacks.

• Messaging control: External teams may lack brand insight, risking inconsistent messaging.
• Data quality: Third-party data may fall below standards, resulting in wasted outreach.
• Short-term focus: Outsourced teams may not prioritize relationship building, opting for quick wins over longevity
• Cost dynamics: Initial outsourcing costs may be lower, but agencies often charge per lead or meeting, increasing long-term expenses. A conversion fee may also apply if you hire outsourced talent directly.

While outsourcing can free up internal sales teams for higher-value tasks, the trade-offs should be carefully considered. For high-priority STAR accounts, internal teams may be better suited to ensure a consistent, tailored approach that aligns with your brand’s long-term strategy.

Assigning STEP accounts: Who drives expansion?

Expansion accounts, categorized under the STEP framework, focus on growing per-location MRR with existing franchisees. The goal here is to proactively manage long-term growth through upsells, cross-sells, and new restaurant openings (NROs). Typically, CSMs own these accounts due to their strong relationships with franchisees, though sales may sometimes take the lead in certain scenarios.

Let’s break down when STEP accounts should be assigned to sales, when CSMs should manage them, and how to navigate cases where both teams need to collaborate for maximum impact.

When to assign expansion to sales

While sales teams typically own acquisition, there are scenarios where they might need to take the lead on STEP accounts as well:

• Complex upsell or cross-sell: When expansion includes a high-value, complex product needing demos or specialized expertise, sales is well-suited to lead while CSMs support relationship-building.
• High-touch selling: Certain cross-sells or upsells may require outbound effort similar to acquisition. For franchisees hesitant to expand product use, sales’ expertise in overcoming objections can be key.
• Negotiation-heavy accounts: If growth involves contract negotiations—like scaling NROs or expanding to new locations—sales may need to step in for their negotiation skills.
• Post-acquisition expansion window: For a period after acquisition, sales may also handle expansion (e.g., six months) to capture rapid-growth opportunities, incentivizing them to target high-growth brands.

When to assign expansion to CSMs

In most cases, STEP accounts align better with CSMs, who excel at nurturing relationships and ensuring customers get the most value from your solution:

• Relationship-driven expansion: CSMs excel in nurturing franchisee relationships, making them ideal for STEP accounts where ongoing interactions reveal upsell and cross-sell opportunities.
• Ongoing product adoption: CSMs are best suited to expand product use within current franchisees, ensuring full adoption and generating organic growth as franchisees realize more value.
• Nurturing long-term growth: For more passive, relationship-based growth—such as managing NROs or gradually increasing product penetration—CSMs excel without requiring aggressive outbound efforts.
• Cost-effective expansion management: To balance CAQ and long-term profitability, expansion efforts like NROs can be managed by CSMs. This minimizes acquisition costs and redirects resources to new growth initiatives.

Coordinated, multi-team approach for STEP accounts

While CSMs often manage STEP accounts, certain scenarios require a more collaborative approach, particularly when expansion involves a heavy selling motion. Here’s how to handle such handoffs effectively:

• Sales-led expansion efforts: When a CSM uncovers a major opportunity—like a brand-wide cross-sell or complex upsell—sales may need to lead the closing process. While CSMs initiate interest, sales teams bring the expertise to finalize complex deals.
• Preventing handoff misalignment: To avoid misalignment during handoffs, establish clear ownership guidelines and shared visibility on account progress. Regular communication between sales and CSMs keeps momentum steady and prevents missed opportunities.
• Joint expansion approach: For large STEP accounts, a collaborative approach may be necessary. CSMs manage relationships, while sales handle high-touch expansions, ensuring expertise is applied effectively across the account.

To support collaborative success, consider incentivizing both teams. SPIFF’ing CSMs for identifying opportunities and allowing sales to retire quota on closed deals motivates each team to actively contribute, driving growth while minimizing friction.

When to assign both STAR and STEP

Some accounts may justify both STAR and STEP strategies, targeting certain franchisees for aggressive acquisition while expanding relationships with others. This dual approach requires careful coordination and resource alignment. Here’s how to make it work:

• Resource alignment: Balancing acquisition and expansion in one account demands careful resource planning. Ensure that both sales and post-sales teams can dedicate sufficient attention without straining capacity.
• Cross-team coordination: Effective communication between sales and post-sales is essential to avoid overlap or conflicting strategies. Regular check-ins help maintain complementary efforts.
• Unified customer experience: Be mindful of customer interactions. Streamline contact points to avoid overwhelming the customer while ensuring a consistent, positive experience.

Final assignment considerations

Assigning accounts is about more than just designating a primary owner. You must account for overlapping strategies, resource limits, and potential misalignment to ensure your assignments are efficient and growth-focused. Here are some final factors to keep in mind:

Beware of common pitfalls

There are several common pitfalls that can derail the account assignment process. Awareness of these risks will help your teams stay aligned and focused:

• Avoid over-retaining in sales: Keeping accounts with sales post-acquisition often shifts resources away from growth. Sales should hand off accounts once acquisition slows, especially when only a few franchisees are left.
• Premature handoffs to post-sales: Transitioning accounts to post-sales too early can leave acquisition potential untapped. Time-based handoffs, rather than needs-based, often lead to underdeveloped deals passed to CSMs, who may lack the background to grow them effectively.
• The “Quota Conundrum”: High quotas for large franchise brands can leave reps chasing small wins in fragmented networks, a “pots-and-pans” approach that leads to burnout. Without a focus on high-value franchisees, reps struggle to meet quotas through smaller deals that don’t scale quickly.
• Mismatched strategy and skillset: Assigning a Bottom-Up (↑) account to a strategic AE can misfire, as transactional sales don’t align with the complex relationship-building skills of enterprise reps. Misaligned roles result in missed opportunities and can frustrate both the rep and the franchisees involved.

Read more: Great sales reps often aren’t cut out for data entry →

Strategic coverage is worth it

The STAR and STEP frameworks create a structured, repeatable process for assigning accounts, providing teams with

• Predictability: Sales and post-sales teams gain a structured workflow, ensuring smooth account transitions. This clarity reduces confusion, prevents accounts from slipping through the cracks, and keeps customer interactions streamlined.
• Clarity: These frameworks provide clear guidelines for each account. Knowing whether an account is STAR (acquisition) or STEP (expansion), knowing the ↓ or ↑ selling motion, and assigning ownership helps teams stay aligned and work more efficiently.

Addressing these considerations ensures your account assignments are strategic and sustainable, allowing for efficient acquisition and expansion in franchise-heavy brands.

Where do we go from here?

Account assignment is the final, crucial step in GTM execution for franchise brands. By aligning the right teams to acquisition or expansion, you ensure that each account gets the resources it needs to thrive. The STAR and STEP frameworks offer the clarity needed for predictable, aligned account management.

As we finish this series, remember…

• Match skills to strategy: Not all accounts belong to sales, nor should expansion always fall to CSMs. Aligning teams based on skills for acquisition or expansion ensures efficient resource use and targeted growth.
• Avoid the “Assignment Trap”: Don’t assign accounts by availability or job title alone. Assign based on team strengths in acquisition or expansion to prevent misalignment and missed opportunities.
• Reassess assignments regularly: Account assignments should evolve. Regularly review STAR and STEP designations to keep teams focused on priorities as market conditions shift.

Embracing the STAR and STEP frameworks equips your organization to conquer the challenges of franchise-heavy brands, transforming a traditionally fragmented industry into one you can navigate with clarity and control. By aligning the right teams to drive acquisition, expansion, or both, you ensure that each brand relationship is strategically managed to its fullest potential.

We made it!

Thank you for following this series. I truly hope these insights help you and your team approach the complexities of the restaurant industry with greater precision, confidence, and impact. For more tailored guidance on leveraging these strategies, don’t hesitate to reach out—Restaurantology is here to support your growth every step of the way.

Ready to dive deeper into the details of industry-specific GTM strategies? Here’s a great place to start:

Watch now: Restaurantology’s “KNOW THE MARKET” GTM video series →

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Explore how Restaurantology’s data and consulting services can empower your business by contacting us for more detailed insights. Whether you’re looking to refine your go-to-market, optimize systems and market data, or gain a deeper understanding of industry trends, Restaurantology provides actionable intelligence to guide your strategic decisions and help you stay ahead in the competitive restaurant tech landscape.