← Avalara
Avalara role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
Software that automates sales tax: finding rates, calculating tax at checkout, and filing returns.
Who you'd be calling
Finance, tax, controller and ecommerce operations leaders at online sellers, SaaS companies and growing multi-state businesses.
Your opener
“Hi Taylor, this is Morgan from Avalara. I'm calling because businesses that sell in more than one state often struggle to keep up with sales tax rules. Who handles that at your company?”
Problems you solve for them
- Sales tax rules differ by state and city and keep changing
- Manual tax filing eats finance team time
- Risk of audits, penalties and unpaid tax
- Selling in new states creates surprise tax duties
Discovery questions to ask
- How do you handle sales tax today, in-house, a spreadsheet, or something else?
- How many states do you sell into, and are you adding more?
- How much time does your team spend on tax filing each month?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy right now.”
→ No worries, I'll be brief. Can I ask one question about how you handle sales tax, and then you can tell me if it's worth a longer call?
“Not interested.”
→ Understood. Is that because sales tax is already under control, or just not a priority right now?
“We already have an accountant or tool for this.”
→ That's good to hear. How much of the calculating and filing is still done by hand?
“Just send me an email.”
→ Happy to. So I send the right thing, are you more worried about calculating tax at checkout or about filing returns?
Competitors worth knowing
Vertex, Sovos
Interview tips for this company
- Learn the simple idea behind economic nexus: selling into a state can create tax duties there.
- Know the three jobs: calculate, collect, file.
- Practice a calm, helpful tone, since tax buyers are cautious and busy.
Written from public information about Avalara to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.