← Smarsh
Smarsh role-play cheat sheet
For the mock cold call at the end of most SDR interviews.
What they sell, in one line
Software that records and stores employee messages and calls so regulated companies can meet legal and compliance rules.
Who you'd be calling
Chief Compliance Officers, Compliance Managers, Legal and IT heads at banks, broker-dealers, asset managers and government agencies
Your opener
“Hi, this is [Name] from Smarsh. I know I'm calling unannounced, got a quick minute? We help regulated firms keep records of employee texts, chats and calls so audits don't turn into fire drills, and I wanted to ask how your team handles that today.”
Problems you solve for them
- Regulators require firms to keep records of business texts, chats, emails and calls
- Employees use many apps (Teams, Slack, WhatsApp, text) that are hard to capture
- Searching old messages for audits or investigations is slow and risky
Discovery questions to ask
- Which channels do your people use for client talk: email, Teams, text, WhatsApp?
- How do you capture and store those messages for regulators today?
- When an audit or legal request comes in, how long does it take to find the right messages?
Objections they'll throw at you
“I'm busy right now.”
→ Of course, I'll be quick. Can I ask one question about how you handle message records, and then we pick a better time if it matters?
“We're not interested.”
→ I hear you. Compliance usually only becomes a priority after a fine or audit. Are you confident every channel your team uses is being captured today?
“We already use something for archiving.”
→ Good, that's required in your industry. Does it cover newer apps like WhatsApp and text messages, and how easy is it to search? Would a 15 minute comparison be useful?
“Just send me an email.”
→ Happy to. So I don't send you something generic, which channels worry you most? And can we set a short follow-up after you've looked at it?
Competitors worth knowing
Global Relay, Proofpoint, Mimecast
Interview tips for this company
- Learn basic terms like 'recordkeeping', 'e-discovery', 'SEC/FINRA' and why firms get fined for unrecorded texts, all in plain words.
- Compliance buyers are cautious and serious: keep your tone calm and professional, not pushy.
Written from public information about Smarsh to help you practice. Ask an insider what their role play looked like; it's the best prep there is.