B
B

Brave

AE

Contributor
Fire Starter
Old School Bravo

Enterprise deal stalled

We got this POC deal and should use the data this enterprise will share. The mood was upbeat, and the VP asked a few people to share the sample data. This POC is in the generative AI space.


I got an email from the legal team for NDA, and they asked multiple times if external consultants were involved. As everything we do is in-house, we said so. But the trail has gone cold. Unfortunately, this communication does not currently involve the VP.


Should I forward the email to him?

📈 Closing
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28 comments

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braintank
Politicker
5
Enterprise Account Executive
My colleague spent a month waiting for an NDA to get signed. Welcome to enterprise.
Brave
Contributor
1
AE
I know, right? I have few more weeks left to complete one month :D It looks like a typical wait. Hopefully VP moves the needle
GDO
Politicker
1
BDM
Im always amazed how these lawyers can keep doing this. I fucking hate all these ndas and they are basically non enforceable too
kittychachas
Valued Contributor
0
VP/Director of Sales
Same. Also, 7 months for an MSA.
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
3
☕️
“What typically slows down the POC process?”

Could have found out the legal team was a pain in the ass long before that ship sailed.

At this stage your only option for acceleration is to work with the VP to get things unlocked. Also, is this process going to rear it’s head again when you go to sign a full agreement? Lay out the rest of the process now so you can anticipate roadblocks.
ThatNewAE
Big Shot
2
Account Executive - Mid enterprise
Go ahead and email them: very respectfully. Just maybe summarizing your conversations so far and let them know you are expecting a next step. Ghosting is for the folks without a spine. Anyway, out of topic.

Just send that email to him.
butwhy
Politicker
2
Solutions Engineer
Absolutely - this is Enterprise. There are 80 different departments asking for 80 different things, and you have to apprise them all of the other or else at the end of the deal one of them is going to kill the whole thing. Sucks, but def just let the VP know - hey, looks like this might be stuck, can you nudge it along?
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
Is it held up with their legal team?
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Yes, they collected all the info for the NDA, but the NDA hasn't been sent.
Phillip_J_Fry
Opinionated
2
Director of Revenue
Sounds about right for legal. You gotta chase them down to get feedback/redlines on NDAs. Let them know that the project is at a halt while they sort out the NDA so they put someone on it. Most likely it just slipped through the cracks.
oldcloser
Arsonist
2
💀
This doesn't seem abnormal, especially in this space. AI of any kind freaks lawyers out. "What if it's biased?" "What if it makes discriminatory statements?" "Where is the opt-out?" "This thing is a black box! There should be some transparency!"
If it were me, I'd get your champ on the phone immediately and get his take on the concerns, if he's got one. If he's out of the loop it may be DOA. Either way, seems you've got some more selling to do.
UnlockRev
2
VP Sales
Send the email to the VP with legal team in copy - would not throw them under the bus. Use as an opportunity to get everybody on the same page, aware of timelines and priorities (note - when ent deals stall it is typically due to lack of communication on their side and on you to fix without running anybody over)
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Good idea
Beans
Big Shot
2
Enterprise Account Executive
Call him?
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
I’m terribly sorry, but I’m having a hard time following the story. Who does the VP work for? Have you done the POC? What do external consultants have to do with this? Why are you asking about emailing a VP?
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
VP works for an enterprise and wants to get a POC from us. We are yet to start the POC. POC needs data from their team members. The first step is to get NDA signed before they can share data.

We have sent all the details for NDA. They see our emails almost daily but have yet to send the NDA.

I am also wondering why they are asking about external consultants.

In all our discussions with the legal team, we had yet to cc'd the VP. My question is, should I forward the communication with legal to the VP and ask to follow up?
Sunbunny31
Politicker
1
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
Gotcha, sort of. So yes, the VP wants the POC, but no NDA. Who’s holding up the NDA?
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Legal team
Sunbunny31
Politicker
2
Sr Sales Executive 🐰
And yes, always be connecting with the business owner/champion. You can let him know you’re eager to get started, but haven’t seen the NDA yet. You can ask if he knows why there’s a hold up, or find out if they’re still interested, or if there’s been a change to their timeline you should be aware of.
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Perfect, thanks. I will give it a shot
FinanceEngineer
Politicker
1
Sr Director, sales and partnerships
What are the success criteria for the PoC? If you have them and met them, push to move forward. Either they will sign or not. Let them back out now instead of wasting months of time…or it will close.
thestartupsaasfella
Member
1
Vice President of Sales
Do you know their buying process/timeline? It could be in the normal realm of buying for them where it feels "cold" for you.
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Maybe
alCan
Contributor
1
Account Executive
It has already been said and I will repeat. You cannot handle something when you do not know what the problem is. This calls for an in-person meeting with all concerned at their office or a video call with VP, Legal etc. (and yes, if legal is no-show they look bad to the folks from their company that do show up).
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
Yes, will plan that meeting.
Kosta_Konfucius
Politicker
1
Sales Rep
I would reach out to your contact to talk about xyz, then ask about whats going on with legal
Armageddon
Opinionated
1
Enterprise Account Executive
I would loop in the VP and get him to press (assuming he needs the solution ASAP and is willing to put his name up against it)
Brave
Contributor
0
AE
I wrote to the VP and didn't receive a response. I cc'd the VP in the mail with the legal team mail chain. They responded by saying internal verification is going on a week back.Yesterday, I got the NDA. Things started moving.
Thanks, everybody for the tips; it really helped things move :)

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