Pipeline & Forecasting

"Can everyone make sure the CRM is up to date by Friday?" I have heard versions of that request in almost every sales organisation I have worked with.

I have heard this sentence more times than I can count: "Our CRM is rubbish." Sometimes it is.

Most businesses have had one. The monster opportunity. It is much bigger than the normal deal size. Senior people know about it. It appears in every board pack.

Imagine telling a board that the commercial pipeline has fallen by 40% and expecting them to be pleased. It sounds ridiculous.

There is a particular kind of sales opportunity that makes me nervous. It is the deal that has been at 90% for six weeks. Apparently it is almost done.

I’ve sat in plenty of commercial meetings where somebody has proudly put a very large pipeline number on the screen. Eight figures. Sometimes considerably more.