- Owner
- Sales Manager
- Effective date
- September 15, 2026
- Review cycle
- Every 12 months
1.Purpose
To run discovery calls that uncover a prospect's real needs and decision process, so the account executive can decide whether and how to move the deal forward.
2.Scope
Applies to the first substantive call between an account executive and a qualified prospect. Initial lead qualification and later proposal or negotiation calls are covered by separate SOPs.
Definitions
- Discovery call
- The first in-depth sales conversation focused on understanding the prospect's problem, goals, and buying process rather than pitching the product.
- Champion
- A contact inside the prospect's organization who supports the deal internally and helps navigate the buying process.
3.Responsibilities
- Account Executive
- Prepares for and leads the discovery call, asks probing questions, and documents findings in the CRM.
- Sales Engineer
- Joins technical discovery calls to answer product and integration questions the AE can't cover alone.
- Sales Manager
- Reviews call recordings and notes to coach on discovery quality and deal strategy.
RACI matrix
| Activity | Account Executive | Sales Engineer | Sales Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research the prospect before the call | R/A | - | I |
| Set the agenda and lead the call | R/A | C | I |
| Answer technical questions on the call | C | R/A | - |
| Document findings in the CRM | R/A | C | I |
| Review call quality and coach | C | I | R/A |
R = Responsible, A = Accountable, C = Consulted, I = Informed
4.Materials and PPE
Materials, tools and systems
- →CRM opportunity record
- →Discovery call guide or question bank
- →Prospect's public materials for research
- →Call recording or notetaking tool
5.Procedure
- 5.1
Research the prospect beforehand
Account ExecutiveReview the prospect's website, recent news, and the CRM record for prior interactions before the call, and note anything specific to reference.
- 5.2
Confirm attendees and agenda
Account ExecutiveConfirm who will be on the call and send a brief agenda in advance so the prospect knows what to expect and can bring the right stakeholders.
- 5.3
Open with rapport and agenda review
Account ExecutiveOpen the call by briefly building rapport, confirming the time available, and restating the agenda so both sides agree on how the call will go.
- 5.4
Ask about current state and goals
Account ExecutiveAsk the prospect to describe how they handle the problem today and what they're trying to achieve, listening for specifics rather than general statements.
- 5.5
Dig into pain points and impact
Account ExecutiveFollow up on any pain point mentioned by asking what it costs them in time, money, or risk, so the impact is concrete rather than vague.
- 5.6
Understand the buying process
Account ExecutiveAsk who else is involved in the decision, what the evaluation and approval steps look like, and what timeline they're working toward.
- 5.7
Bring in a sales engineer for technical questions
Sales EngineerWhen the conversation moves into integration, security, or technical requirements beyond the AE's depth, loop in a sales engineer on this call or a scheduled follow-up.
- 5.8
Identify a potential champion
Account ExecutiveNotice who on the call seems most invested in solving the problem and ask questions that help confirm whether they could become an internal champion.
- 5.9
Summarize what was heard
Account ExecutiveSummarize the prospect's stated goals, pain points, and process back to them before moving to next steps, and correct anything they clarify.
Checkpoint: The prospect confirms the AE's summary of their needs and process is accurate before the call ends.
- 5.10
Propose clear next steps
Account ExecutivePropose a specific next step, such as a demo or technical deep dive, with a date and the attendees needed, rather than leaving it open-ended.
- 5.11
Log the call in the CRM
Account ExecutiveLog the discovery findings, the identified pain points, buying process, and agreed next step in the CRM opportunity record right after the call.
Checkpoint: CRM notes are updated with discovery findings and next steps within the same business day as the call.
- 5.12
Send a written recap
Account ExecutiveSend the prospect a brief written recap of what was discussed and the agreed next step, so there's a shared record and reason to stay engaged.
6.Quality checks
- →Every discovery call has documented pain points and a buying process summary in the CRM.
- →Next steps are specific, dated, and logged for every call.
- →Technical questions beyond the AE's depth are routed to a sales engineer.
- →A written recap is sent to the prospect after each discovery call.
7.Records
- →CRM discovery notes and opportunity fields
- →Call recordings where consented
- →Written call recap sent to the prospect
8.KPIs
- →Discovery-to-next-step conversion rate
- →Percentage of calls with complete CRM documentation
- →Average deal cycle length from discovery to close
9.Common mistakes
- →Pitching the product before fully understanding the prospect's need.
- →Leaving the call without a specific, dated next step.
- →Skipping CRM documentation until days after the call.
- →Not identifying who else is involved in the buying decision.
10.Revision history
| Revision | Date | Description | Reviewed by |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | September 15, 2026 | Initial release | Alexa Uskova |
This is a template. Adapt it to your organization, equipment and local regulations before use.
