So the saying goes: Time is money. In revenue orgs, spend time on a healthy opportunity, and it can deliver big results. But ignoring risk, even in great fit deals, can cause big misses and make revenue targets harder to achieve.
The 🔑 to predictable forecasting and revenue lies in spotting warning signs early enough to course correct or refocus on other opportunities that are showing positive signals.
This is why Ambition’s new AI-powered ✨Pipeline Intelligence is clutch. Reps and managers can see risks highlighted in real time and adapt deal strategies for stronger outcomes.
Deals that may not have been identified as super hot, can be pulled forward when positive signals like increased contract value or decrease in days to close are pointed out in the AI Summary.
Some Key Warning Signs of At-Risk Sales Opportunities To React Faster to:
Subtle risk signals are easy to miss, but important to know about when it comes to delivering on quota. Here’s a look at some risk signals that sales managers and reps should see surfaced more quickly to align full revenue teams to respond:
Shrinking Contract Value
Deals that start to decrease in contract value are often a 🚩. Reductions in price per user, number of seats, or total value can signal waning interest, budget constraints, or a mismatch in perceived value. Addressing these issues quickly can prevent more serious obstacles later.
Pushed-Out Close Dates
Frequent delays or pushes in close dates can suggest internal challenges or priority shifts that make the deal more likely to be lost to “do nothing” or status quo. This trend can snowball if left unchecked, impacting pipeline accuracy and forecasting.
Decreased Buyer Engagement
When a prospect becomes unresponsive or communication slows, it may mean they’re losing interest or reconsidering priorities. Keeping an eye on engagement metrics like “last activity response date” can help a rep take proactive steps to reengage or work to get more multi-threaded.
Champion or Contact Turnover
If a key decision-maker leaves or changes roles mid-deal, it can disrupt the entire process. Adjusting your approach based on new stakeholders’ goals and concerns becomes essential to keep the opportunity moving forward.
Increasing Competitor Presence
If competitors become engaged with the prospect, it may need a change in strategy to ensure the rep can adopt a FUD strategy. Addressing competitive threats early can help you refine everything from pitch to pricing.
Lack of Sales activity
If the rep isn’t actively working to keep the deal active, multi-threading, and more, it may cause a warming opportunity to go cold. Make sure you can easily see deals without activity in the last specified number of days come to the surface.
Stalled Next Steps
When agreed-upon next steps—like scheduling demos or finalizing legal review—stall out, it suggests potential roadblocks or low buy-in. If next step date pushes out, it may be helpful to get senior leadership or executive sponsors involved.
Visibility is only part of the answer when it comes to forecasting accurately and delivering better outcomes. No one wants more insights with zero ways to take action 🫠.
By focusing on data-driven sales coaching alongside AI-powered insights and action plans, Ambition is helping more than 50,000 sales managers future-proof forecasts and drive improved revenue outcomes from pipeline.
Ambition AI ✨ Pipeline Intelligence is currently in private beta and will release December 2024
