Room Mitra Sales Process

This sales process outlines a repeatable pipeline for moving hotel prospects from initial contact through to customer onboarding. We build stages around buyer actions and objective exit criteria[1][2]. Each stage lists key activities, success criteria, ownership, and CRM requirements. The pipeline stages (with assigned win‑probabilities) are as follows:

Sales Pipeline Stages

1. Discovery (5% probability): Initial qualification and needs assessment. In this stage the sales rep (typically an Account Executive or SDR) uncovers the hotel’s challenges (staffing gaps, missed calls, revenue needs) and maps decision‑makers[2]. Activities include one or more discovery calls to document pain points, current process, budget range and timeline. Exit criteria are objective: the prospect can articulate their problem and priorities, and the seller has identified all key stakeholders[3][2].

2. Key Activities: Research ICP fit, conduct discovery call(s), ask qualifying questions (e.g. budget/authority/timeline), map stakeholders. Confirm the AI voice agent aligns with their needs.

3. Success Criteria: Stakeholders and decision‑making process identified; top pain points documented; prospect agrees the solution could address their needs. (Prospeo notes that a deal shouldn’t move past discovery until the buyer can clearly state their problem and all influencers are known[3].)

4. Owner: AE (or SDR/BDR, with AE involvement). SDRs may generate or qualify leads, but the AE typically drives formal discovery[4].

5. CRM Fields: Record pain points, business impact, decision criteria, and any competitor mentions[5]. Capture budget range, timeline, and confirmed decision-makers.

6. KPIs: Number of discovery meetings held; conversion rate to Demo stage; average duration in stage. Track how many deals advance out of Discovery (benchmark ~10‑20% of qualified leads[6]).

7. Handoff: Ready to demo or pilot. Once exit criteria met, schedule a tailored Demo. If unqualified, disqualify or nurture.

8. Demo Completed (10% probability): Product demonstration and solution validation. The AE (often with a sales engineer) delivers a tailored demo showing how Room Mitra’s AI agent handles real hotel scenarios (calls, bookings, upsells). The goal is to confirm fit and build commitment[7].

9. Key Activities: Prepare customized demo, present system capabilities, answer technical questions, involve all champions. Provide collateral (ROI studies, use cases).

10. Success Criteria: Prospect explicitly confirms the solution meets their needs and requests next steps (e.g. pilot or pricing)[7][8]. (Prospeo emphasizes that “Great demo, we’ll be in touch” is not enough – the buyer must verbally affirm interest[8].)

11. Owner: AE (with SE support for technical details).

12. CRM Fields: Log demo date, attendee names, champion name, and key feedback. Note any new requirements or objections raised.

13. KPIs: Demo-to-pilot or demo-to-proposal conversion rate; number of demos booked per period; demo feedback score.

14. Handoff: If the buyer is ready, move to a Proof-of-Concept/Pilot or prepare a formal Proposal. Otherwise, address concerns or disqualify if fit was poor.

15. POC/Pilot/Trial (30% probability): Risk-free trial to prove ROI. In this stage the hotel runs a live pilot (often ~7 days) of the AI agent on real calls【2†Lquote】. The purpose is to demonstrate concrete results (answered calls, recovered bookings, upsells) before commitment.

16. Key Activities: Configure and launch the pilot; train staff; set success metrics (e.g. % calls answered, bookings recovered). Monitor progress, gather usage data, and support the client daily.

17. Success Criteria: Pilot goals met (e.g. X% increase in bookings, Y calls answered). The sponsor agrees the agent moved the needle on revenue and service. Ideally the client commits to proceed (e.g. “We want to implement this” or “Send us a contract”).

18. Owner: AE (with support from technical/implementation team).

19. CRM Fields: Record pilot start/end dates, defined success metrics, and results (e.g. call volume, booking count). Note any issues or new requirements found.

20. KPIs: Pilot-to-win conversion rate; average pilot duration; customer satisfaction (pilot feedback). Track whether pilot successfully converts (industry SaaS data suggest only ~20‑40% of trials convert, so follow-up is critical[6]).

21. Handoff: If successful, move directly to proposal/contract negotiation. If inconclusive, decide on next steps (possibly extend trial or pausing deal).

22. Proposal/Price Quote (75% probability): Formal offer presentation. The AE drafts a detailed proposal or quote reflecting agreed scope, pricing, and ROI terms. This often follows a successful demo or pilot.

23. Key Activities: Prepare proposal documents (features list, pricing, contract terms). Review internally (with founders/finance if needed). Present the proposal to the champion and stakeholders.

24. Success Criteria: The prospect has reviewed and understands the proposal and indicates intent to proceed. All champion questions have answers, and no major objections remain.

25. Owner: AE (with Founder/CFO as needed for approvals).

26. CRM Fields: Attach proposal or quote in CRM, record date sent, and details (discounts offered, payment terms). List all decision-makers and their feedback.

27. KPIs: Proposal sent-to-close rate; average discount given; time from proposal to decision. Monitor how many proposals lead to negotiation (prospect-to-close industry rates ~22%[6]).

28. Handoff: With positive response, advance to Negotiation. If the prospect stalls, move to Park or follow up with reminders.

29. Negotiation/Review (90% probability): Final contract negotiation and approvals. The team and prospect align on final terms (pricing, service levels, legal). This often involves procurement or legal teams.

30. Key Activities: Address pricing objections, adjust terms as needed, involve procurement/legal. Ensure all stakeholders (finance, legal, operations) review the proposal. Coordinate signatures.

31. Success Criteria: Mutual agreement on all contract terms. All decision-makers have reviewed and verbally approved the deal[9][8].

32. Owner: AE (with support from Founder/Finance for final approval).

33. CRM Fields: Update final discount %, legal contacts, procurement stage, and final contract value. Track any concessions and approved signatories.

34. KPIs: Negotiation win rate; average negotiation length; number of revisions. According to Apollo, top performers negotiate efficiently by setting clear timelines and next steps[10].

35. Handoff: Once terms are agreed, the deal moves to Closed Won. (If negotiations break down, mark as Lost.)

36. Park/On Hold (20% probability): Temporarily paused deals. A deal is moved to “On Hold” if the prospect cannot proceed immediately (budget freeze, seasonal pause, competitor review, etc.).

37. Key Activities: Document reason for hold and any milestones needed before resuming. Set a follow-up date for re-engagement. Keep minimal touch (e.g. occasional check-ins).

38. Success Criteria: Clear plan to restart (e.g. “resumes after next budget cycle on Jun 1”). No unplanned time drift.

39. Owner: AE (with oversight by Sales Manager).

40. CRM Fields: Update opportunity status to On Hold, enter hold reason, and next-action date. Maintain all prior data (pain points, proposal details) for quick restart.

41. KPIs: Number of deals in Park; reactivation rate (deals revived vs. lost); average hold duration.

42. Handoff: When ready, move back to the appropriate stage (often Demo/Proposal) once the prospect can re-engage. If inactivity persists, consider moving to Lost.

43. Closed Won (100% probability): Deal closure and handoff to implementation. All contract documents are signed and payment arrangements are made.

44. Key Activities: Obtain signed contract, process first invoice/deposit. Initiate onboarding: create an implementation project, notify Customer Success, and schedule kickoff. Thank the customer and transition relationship.

45. Success Criteria: Signed contract received and first payment made. Client is handed off to Customer Success/Onboarding team with full context.

46. Owner: AE (closes deal) and Customer Success (onboards client).

47. CRM Fields: Enter actual Close Date, Contract Value, and assign a CS Owner. Document any special terms and onboarding plan.

48. KPIs: Sales closed per period, actual win rate (Apollo notes ~20–40% as average[11]), time from proposal to close.

49. Handoff: Automatically trigger onboarding tasks[12]. (Prospeo recommends creating a new onboarding opportunity so CS has full deal context[12].)

50. Closed Lost (0% probability): Deal lost to a competitor or dropped. The opportunity is closed without sale.

51. Key Activities: Debrief to understand loss reasons. Update records (competitor chosen, objection triggers). Determine if and how to nurture or re-initiate later (e.g. set reminders if situation changes).

52. Success Criteria: Opportunity flagged as lost in CRM with a reason code. Lessons captured for future improvement (e.g. pricing issue, missing feature).

53. Owner: AE (with Sales Leader review).

54. CRM Fields: Mark Close Date, Win/Loss Reason (make this mandatory)[13]. Record competitor name or status if relevant.

55. KPIs: Loss rate (inverse of win rate), common loss reasons, and lost opportunities as % of pipeline. Tracking reasons helps refine our ICP and sales pitch.

56. Handoff: None (deal is closed). But ensure any internal follow-up (e.g. feedback to product, future re-qualification) is noted.

Roles and Handoffs

• Sales Development (SDR/BDR): Responsible for early outreach and qualifying leads against our ICP. They hand qualified leads to the AE. In small teams the Head of Sales may perform SDR duties.[4]

• Account Executive (AE): Manages the deal through Discovery, Demo, Pilot, Proposal, Negotiation, and Closing. The AE owns the pipeline opportunity and is accountable for meeting stage exit criteria[2].

• Sales Engineer / Technical Lead: Assists in Demo and Pilot stages by addressing technical questions, customizing setups, and ensuring successful trials.

• Founders / Finance: Support high-priority deals in Negotiation (e.g. approving special pricing or contractual terms).

• Customer Success (CS): Takes over after Closed Won to implement the solution and drive first value. (Closed Won triggers an automatic handoff to CS/onboarding[12].)

Handoff Points: Lead sourcing/handoff from marketing/SDR to AE occurs before Discovery. After Closed Won, a formal handoff to Customer Success ensures a seamless transition[12]. At each stage change, clarify the next owner: e.g. once Discovery is complete, the AE schedules the Demo; after the Demo, the same AE coordinates the Pilot or Proposal. The Head of Sales monitors transitions to avoid stalled deals.

KPIs and Metrics

We track both stage-specific metrics and overall pipeline health:

• Stage Conversion Rates: % of deals advancing each stage. For example, typical B2B benchmarks show only ~10–25% of opportunities become customers[6], so we strive to improve each handoff.

• Pipeline Coverage Ratio: Total pipeline value ÷ quota. A common target is ~3–4× coverage[11] to account for expected losses.

• Win Rate: % of opportunities closed-won (industry: ~20–40% is average[11]). We aim to identify where deals are dropping and refine our process.

• Stage Duration: Time deals spend in each stage[14]. Long durations indicate stalls. (E.g. Discovery should be a few weeks; extended time might signal qualification issues.)

• Conversion Velocity: Speed of movement from one stage to the next[14]. We track this separately for each transition (Discovery→Demo, Demo→POC, etc.) to identify bottlenecks.

• Pipeline Hygiene: % of deals with complete data and realistic dates[14]. Incomplete CRM entries delay deals; we enforce mandatory fields (e.g. loss reason[13]) to maintain accuracy.

• Forecast Accuracy: Compare forecasted revenue to actual closes. Regular reviews (weekly pipeline meetings) help flag stalls and pipeline gaps early[14].

By monitoring these KPIs, we ensure healthy deal flow and can proactively coach or adjust strategy when deals lag.

CRM Data and Fields

At each stage, specific CRM fields must be completed:

• Discovery: Document Pain Points, Budget Range, Stakeholders/Champion, Decision Criteria, and Competitors. This ensures clear exit criteria[5].

• Demo: Update Demo Date, Attendees, Champion Name, and Demo Outcome. Include links to any demo materials.

• POC/Pilot: Enter Pilot Start/End Dates, Success Metrics, and Pilot Results. This tracks ROI evidence for the client.

• Proposal: Attach the Proposal/Quote document in CRM, set Probability to ~75%, and record Key Terms (e.g. discount level).

• Negotiation: Update Discount %, Legal Contact, Contract Value, and move Probability to ~90%. Record all adjustments.

• Closed Won: Fill Close Date, Amount Won, and assign a Customer Success Owner. Mark probability 100%. Auto-create onboarding tasks[12].

• Closed Lost: Set Close Date, Lost Reason (mandatory)[13], and Competitor Won, if any. Enter any follow-up action (e.g. “re-enter in 6 months”). Probability = 0%.

We enforce required fields for each stage so deals only advance when CRM data is complete. For example, we mandate a Loss Reason for every Closed Lost[13], and capture Champion in Demo stage[7]. Proper data ensures accurate forecasting and facilitates analysis of why deals stall or fail.

Process Checklist

• Discovery: Contact prospect, conduct needs-call, identify budget and timeline. Record pain points and stakeholders in CRM. Confirm prospect understands how our AI voice agent addresses their challenges.

• Demo Completed: Schedule and run the demo with all decision-makers. Ensure prospect can see the value. Update CRM with demo details and get verbal buy-in (prospect confirms solution fit)[7].

• POC/Pilot: Initiate pilot/test with defined goals (e.g. answer X% more calls). Provide support and gather data. At end, review results with customer and document success.

• Proposal: Draft and send proposal/quote. Verify champion has reviewed it. Update CRM fields (proposal sent, discount, etc.) and confirm next steps.

• Negotiation: Walk through contract terms with procurement/legal. Address objections. Adjust terms as needed. Secure signatures.

• Closed Won: Collect signed contract and first payment. Update CRM (closed date, contract value)[15]. Notify Customer Success and set up onboarding kickoff[12].

• Closed Lost: Update CRM (closed date, loss reason[13], competitor). Debrief quickly to capture lessons. Archive the opportunity and stop active follow-up (or set next contact for nurture if strategic).

• General: Maintain discipline at each stage. Only advance deals when exit criteria are met[1][8]. Keep all required CRM fields up to date. Review stalled deals weekly and decide whether to coach, park, or close them.

This structured process (with documented activities, handoffs, and criteria) ensures consistency and accountability. It aligns with best practices, focusing on objective buyer actions[1][2] and data-driven gating at each step. By following this playbook, our sales team can forecast more accurately, shorten sales cycles, and drive predictable growth.

Sources: Best-practice frameworks and benchmarks[2][8][6][11][14][12][13]. (Prospeo/Apollo industry guides on stage definitions, exit criteria, and KPIs.)

[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [7] [8] [9] [12] [15] Sales Process Template (2026): Stages, Benchmarks & CRM Fields

https://prospeo.io/s/sales-process-template

[6] [10] [11] [14] What Is a Sales Pipeline? Stages, Metrics, Best Practices (2026) | Apollo

https://www.apollo.io/insights/what-is-a-sales-pipeline

[13] A Complete Guide to Sales Pipeline Stages: From Plan to Pay - Fullcast

https://www.fullcast.com/content/sales-pipeline-stages/