So this is going to be a doozy but I will try to make it as concise as I can. I have this big deal ($75k+) that can greatly impact my quarter and we started talking to the prospect in February. They are these two older Midwestern guys. February CSM and I get on meeting with prospect Say they are interested in expanding which would double their spend with us Say they need pricing ASAP for budget meeting in following week Budget meeting happens and no idea if they are getting approval March We have call to get better idea of decision-making process They say other directors will need to see a demo Share all the pains and timeline and all of that Say that they will likely need many calls Say they have meeting with finance to see if they can get approval for pricing Renewal is in September We propose an upgrade and earlier start to our best package The above is their incentive to renew early and sign April We strategize a way to have a "coaching call" with them where they can coach us on what the directors want to see on a demo They flood me and the SC with questions We schedule that call with their Directors to show them the demo We were confused on whether we need that call with the Directors to move forward or if we can move forward already so we schedule the call with other Directors They slip out towards the end of meeting that they got the approval from finance which left us confused We try to get another call with them as previous bullet point was said in final minute of meeting and then they had to bounce May Say they have approval from finance to move forward Schedule an "enablement" with all their Directors CSM steps in and says "let's finalize our expansion first so it makes sense" They get on a meeting with me, my Manager, and CSM to confirm that they can move forward Talk to us in-depth about decision-making process Say they need legal to review and can then send it to their CIO for signature Said once it goes to CIO it is a done deal as CIO trusts legal to do the vetting Then the legal review happens and it is short. Barely a redline process, they just want us to remove auto-renew language and we do that. Then they say its all good and send the Docusign. We might get this in during May as opposed to waiting until September! I follow up, call the two Directors, right to voicemail. My Manager gets in and follows up to ask them if they received the Docusign, crickets. CSM follows up about enablement and asks about the Docusign, crickets. MEANWHILE, the Directors reach out to us for Support questions around their current account and making things efficient there WITHOUT addressing the DOCUSIGN THAT IS OUT. This happened yesterday. WTF kind of Game is being played here. What do I do?

Breathe, go outside and scream and cry into the void, take a shot, smoke a bowl then calm again and call those directors reaching out and set a meet and explain what is going on and get their take.

I've had this happen to me before. Deal was never in trouble, just nobody signing the doc, nightmare for forecasting. Took quite a bit of follow up but got their in the end. They told us our deal was tied to one of their deals that had similarly stalled, but I was told by our champion that their deal was already signed and they 100% needed us on board. CTO might have been swamped, maybe they were hoping for a panic discount. I wouldn't sweat too much when you're manager is involved. Saves an awkward forecasting call but will probably work out before September 😜

They're reaching out with questions after all this back and forth, isn't that a good sign? Keep following up on getting that signed. It'll happen, trust the process. They've not said no yet. Just think of a way to create urgency, it's been dragging for months but ensure that you don't scare them away. Breathe and give them a breather too.

BitcoinAddict

Executive

Catalyst

Opinionated

Prospect borderline trolling us towards the very last step of confusing buying process before signature, suggestions?

So this is going to be a doozy but I will try to make it as concise as I can.

I have this big deal ($75k+) that can greatly impact my quarter and we started talking to the prospect in February. They are these two older Midwestern guys.

February

CSM and I get on meeting with prospect
Say they are interested in expanding which would double their spend with us
Say they need pricing ASAP for budget meeting in following week
Budget meeting happens and no idea if they are getting approval

March

We have call to get better idea of decision-making process
They say other directors will need to see a demo
Share all the pains and timeline and all of that
Say that they will likely need many calls
Say they have meeting with finance to see if they can get approval for pricing
Renewal is in September
We propose an upgrade and earlier start to our best package
The above is their incentive to renew early and sign

April

We strategize a way to have a "coaching call" with them where they can coach us on what the directors want to see on a demo
They flood me and the SC with questions
We schedule that call with their Directors to show them the demo
We were confused on whether we need that call with the Directors to move forward or if we can move forward already so we schedule the call with other Directors
They slip out towards the end of meeting that they got the approval from finance which left us confused
We try to get another call with them as previous bullet point was said in final minute of meeting and then they had to bounce

May

Say they have approval from finance to move forward
Schedule an "enablement" with all their Directors
CSM steps in and says "let's finalize our expansion first so it makes sense"
They get on a meeting with me, my Manager, and CSM to confirm that they can move forward
Talk to us in-depth about decision-making process
Say they need legal to review and can then send it to their CIO for signature
Said once it goes to CIO it is a done deal as CIO trusts legal to do the vetting

Then the legal review happens and it is short.

Barely a redline process, they just want us to remove auto-renew language and we do that. Then they say its all good and send the Docusign. We might get this in during May as opposed to waiting until September!

I follow up, call the two Directors, right to voicemail.

My Manager gets in and follows up to ask them if they received the Docusign, crickets.

CSM follows up about enablement and asks about the Docusign, crickets.

MEANWHILE, the Directors reach out to us for Support questions around their current account and making things efficient there WITHOUT addressing the DOCUSIGN THAT IS OUT. This happened yesterday.

WTF kind of Game is being played here.

What do I do?

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Prospect borderline trolling us towards the very last step of confusing buying process before signature, suggestions?

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