Blind Spots in Sales Consulting: Process, Alignment & Accountability

1) Why Blind Spots Matter

Blind spots are the invisible execution gaps between what leaders believe is happening and what actually happens in the field. Left unchecked, they drive slower cycles, inaccurate forecasts, and cultural fatigue. The fix is not another motivational push — it’s visibility, alignment, and disciplined follow-through.

2) Process Blind Spots

Unclear stages & weak qualification

Stages named but not defined create elastic pipelines. Reps “progress” deals without meeting exit criteria, leading to inflated commits and late-stage slippage.

• Define stage exit criteria and mandatory fields (e.g., verified economic buyer, mutual next step).
• Instrument checklists in CRM notes (MEDDIC/SPICED items captured as text, not just picklists).

Follow-up cadence & CRM hygiene

Inconsistent next steps and missing notes make deals uncoachable. “If it’s not in CRM, it didn’t happen” must be a standard, not a slogan.

3) Alignment Blind Spots

Sales ↔ Marketing

Misaligned definitions of an MQL/SQL, unclear feedback loops, and content that misses real objections lead to handoff friction.

• Shared funnel definitions, response-time SLAs, and closed-loop reporting on quality.
• Content mapped to buying committee roles and actual objection themes.

Sales ↔ CX/Delivery

Promises made in sales that delivery can’t honor erode trust and referrals. Solve with pre-sale feasibility checks and post-sale success metrics tied to comp where appropriate.

4) Accountability & Culture Blind Spots

Activity ≠ outcomes

KPI stacks emphasize activity volume over conversion and velocity. Teams drown in motion and starve for progress.

• Cascade outcome metrics: stage-to-stage conversion, time-in-stage, MAP milestone hit-rate.
• Publish a simple weekly dashboard and coach to the bottleneck, not the busiest chart.

One-off training, no coaching cadence

Workshops spike energy but fade without manager follow-through. Install a weekly coaching loop (e.g., CORE: Clarify, Observe, Reflect, Execute).

5) Real-World Examples (Composite)

• Mid-market SaaS: Slippage from stage 3→Closed due to vague exit criteria. Adding MAPs and exit checklists cut slippage 23% in 2 quarters.
• Industrial distributor: Marketing produced top-of-funnel, but sales ignored it. Joint SLA + role-specific content lifted MQL→SQL by 17%.
• Professional services: No coaching rhythm; discovery quality varied wildly. Weekly CORE rounds drove 9-point improvement in stage 2→3 conversion.

6) Frameworks & Fixes

Execution Gap Analysis

• Audit stages, handoffs, cadences; interview reps and managers; review 10–15 call recordings.
• Tag gaps as process, enablement, or culture. Prioritize by revenue impact and ease.

Mutual Action Plans (MAPs)

• Co-authored timeline with owners and dates; embed link in opportunity record.
• Track milestone hit-rate as a leading indicator of deal health.

Coaching System (CORE)

• Clarify targets and observable behaviors; Observe real work (recordings, CRM); Reflect on gaps; Execute one next action.
• Log actions in CRM; review weekly; measure conversion/velocity lift.

7) Putting It Into Practice (30–60–90)

1. 30 days: Define stage exits, add MAP templates, align MQL/SQL + SLA, publish weekly dashboard.
2. 60 days: Install CORE coaching rhythm; curate call library; tune enablement content to top 5 objections.
3. 90 days: Review impact; refine metrics; expand playbooks; celebrate behavior wins to cement culture.

Executive Summary

Process, alignment, and accountability blind spots silently tax growth. Define stage exits and MAPs to tighten execution; align Sales–Marketing–CX with shared SLAs and role-based content; and replace one-off training with a weekly coaching system (CORE). Track leading indicators (conversion, velocity, MAP milestones). When you fix the seams, the system accelerates.