Consulting
A sales problem that turned out to be a management problem
The situation
Lead volume was healthy. Close rates had declined over three quarters. The leadership team's proposed response was sales training.
The engagement began with a defined question: what is actually causing the decline?
What was actually happening
Pipeline reviews were inconsistent, opportunities lingered in stages without criteria for advancement, and forecasting reflected optimism rather than evidence.
The behavior gap was downstream of management practice. Sales leaders were coaching outcomes they could not see clearly and inspecting nothing consistently.
What changed
- Stage definitions were rewritten around observable buyer behavior rather than seller confidence.
- A weekly pipeline review was installed with the same questions asked every time.
- Sales managers were coached on inspection and follow-up rather than motivation.
- Training followed the structural changes rather than preceding them.
The result
Forecast accuracy improved within two quarters. Stalled opportunities were closed or removed instead of carried.
Managers reported spending more time on deals where their involvement changed the outcome.