SOP: Pipeline Review

1. Purpose

The purpose of this SOP is to standardize pipeline review practices, ensuring sales opportunities are accurate, up-to-date, and aligned with organizational forecasting needs. Regular reviews help identify risks, remove stalled deals, and support coaching for deal progression.

2. Scope

This SOP applies to:

  • All opportunities recorded in CRM.
  • Sales Representatives, Account Managers, Sales Managers, and Sales Ops.
  • IT Services & SaaS deals across SMB, mid-market, and enterprise segments.

3. Definitions

  • Pipeline: The collection of opportunities across stages in CRM.
  • Pipeline Review: Structured review of opportunities for accuracy, health, and progression.
  • Forecast: Expected revenue contribution from opportunities within a defined time window.

4. Step-by-Step Process

A. Frequency & Cadence

  1. Weekly: Team-level review led by Sales Manager (focus: deal progression).
  2. Monthly: Departmental review led by Head of Sales (focus: pipeline health, coverage).
  3. Quarterly: Executive-level review with leadership (focus: forecast accuracy, strategy alignment).

B. Pre-Review Preparation

  1. Sales Reps update all active opportunities in CRM at least 24 hours before review.
    • Stages advanced as per Deal Stage Advancement SOP.
    • MEDDPICC updated for all qualified deals.
    • Next Steps recorded.
    • Close dates validated.
  2. Sales Ops generates pipeline dashboard:
    • Open opportunities by stage, region, vertical, owner.
    • Coverage ratio: pipeline value vs. quota (e.g., 3x coverage).
    • Aging: opportunities stuck beyond defined days.

C. Review Meeting Agenda

  1. Deal Progression Check
    • Review top deals by stage.
    • Discuss blockers and action plans.
    • Confirm if criteria for advancement are satisfied.
  2. Pipeline Hygiene
    • Identify stale opportunities (no activity > 30 days).
    • Validate close dates and values.
    • Review incomplete MEDDPICC entries.
  3. Forecast Alignment
    • Confirm probability-weighted forecast by stage.
    • Highlight deals at risk and recovery actions.
  4. Coaching & Next Steps
    • Managers provide feedback on rep strategy.
    • Assign actions and owners for stuck deals.
    • Document follow-up tasks in CRM or project tool.

D. Post-Review Actions

  1. Sales Reps update opportunities within 24 hours as per review outcomes.
  2. Sales Ops refreshes dashboard and shares summary notes.
  3. Sales Manager monitors compliance and escalates gaps.

5. Roles & Responsibilities

  • Sales Representative: Updates opportunities and executes agreed actions.
  • Sales Manager: Leads weekly reviews, coaches reps, ensures hygiene.
  • Head of Sales: Conducts monthly reviews, ensures strategic alignment.
  • Sales Ops: Prepares reports/dashboards, monitors data integrity.

6. Governance, Violations & Consequences

  • Opportunities not updated before review → flagged as non-compliant.
  • Deals with missing MEDDPICC or Next Steps → excluded from forecast.
  • Repeated violations → performance review as per Sales Performance Management Policy.

7. Review & Ownership

  • Document Owner: Head of Sales.
  • Review Cycle: Quarterly.
  • Version Control: Maintained in CRM knowledge base.