Account Executive Quickstart: Pipeline Intelligence

Introduction

Welcome to the Pipeline Intelligence quickstart guide for Account Executives! This guide will help you understand how to use the Pipeline Intelligence dashboard to identify risks in your pipeline, improve your deal qualification, and increase your win rates.

Accessing Pipeline Intelligence

From the main Summit53 dashboard:

1. Click on CRM in the main navigation
2. Select Pipeline Intelligence from the dropdown menu

Understanding Your Dashboard

Your Pipeline View: Shows your deals with risk indicators

When you first access the Pipeline Intelligence dashboard, you'll see:

1. Your Forecast Confidence

• Confidence Score: An AI assessment of how likely your forecasted deals are to close
• At-Risk Amount: The dollar value of deals in your pipeline that show warning signs
• Risk Distribution: Breakdown of your pipeline by risk level (Low, Medium, High)

2. Your Deal Risk Heatmap

• Color-coded table of all your opportunities
• Green: Healthy deals (70-100 risk score)
• Yellow: Deals that need attention (40-69 risk score)
• Red: High-risk deals requiring immediate action (0-39 risk score)

3. Your Risk Triggers

• Real-time alerts about issues in your pipeline
• Categorized by urgency (High, Medium, Low)
• Each trigger includes a suggested action

Taking Action on Your Pipeline

Step 1: Review Your At-Risk Deals

1. In the Risk Heatmap, click the "Risk Score" column header to sort by risk (lowest first)
2. Focus on deals highlighted in red or yellow, especially those in your commit category
3. Click on each at-risk deal to view the detailed risk assessment

Deal Risk Details: Breakdown of risk factors for a selected opportunity

Step 2: Understand the Risk Factors

For each selected deal, review the risk breakdown:

• Framework Completeness: How thoroughly you've documented qualification criteria
• Contact Risk: Whether you have the right stakeholders engaged
• Activity Drag: Whether the deal is moving at an appropriate pace
• Rep Commit Level: Your stated confidence vs. objective indicators

Also check your framework health scores:

• MEDDPIC: For complex enterprise deals
• BANT: Basic qualification framework
• Three WHYs: Customer motivation analysis

Step 3: Address Risk Triggers

1. Review all risk triggers for your deals, starting with High Urgency
2. Click on each trigger to see the associated deal
3. Take the suggested action to address the risk
4. Example actions:
   • Schedule a call with a missing stakeholder
   • Complete missing qualification framework elements
   • Update stale information
   • Re-engage with inactive deals

Risk Trigger Example: Sample risk trigger with suggested action

Step 4: Adjust Your Forecast

1. Based on the risk assessment, determine if your forecast needs adjustment
2. For high-risk deals in your commit category:
   • Move to Best Case if you still believe in the deal but recognize the risk
   • Move to Pipeline if significant qualification is still needed
   • Consider qualifying out deals with persistent high-risk indicators
3. Update close dates for deals showing signs of slippage

Preparing for Manager Coaching

Your sales leader will use Pipeline Intelligence during your 1:1s and deal reviews. Here's how to prepare:

1. Know Your Numbers: Review your overall confidence score and at-risk amount
2. Prioritize Discussion Deals: Identify 3-5 deals to discuss based on risk score
3. Prepare Risk Explanations: For each at-risk deal, be ready to explain:
   • Why the risk exists (e.g., incomplete qualification, stakeholder issues)
   • What actions you're taking to mitigate the risk
   • Your honest assessment of close likelihood and timing
4. Document Action Plans: Create specific action plans for addressing risk triggers
5. Seek Specific Help: Identify areas where you need manager support

Integrating Into Your Daily Workflow

Make Pipeline Intelligence part of your regular sales routine:

Key Takeaways

Getting Help

If you need additional assistance with Pipeline Intelligence:

• Contact your sales manager for coaching on addressing specific risks
• Reach out to Sales Operations for technical questions
• For more detailed guidance, see the full Pipeline Intelligence Guide