Stage entry criteria
If no proposal was sent, placing a deal in “Proposal” distorts reporting. Define stage entry and exit criteria and use them consistently across the team.
Own the next action
Give each open opportunity an owner, next contact date and objective. Review overdue actions by stage and reason, not only total count. Long-inactive deals can undermine forecasting.
Learn from losses
Separate price, fit, timing and decision-process issues. “Too expensive” can also indicate unclear value communication. Review concrete examples and turn findings into coaching needs.