Why AEs Struggle to Get Answers to the Deal’s MEDDPICC Questions

You’re a sales manager.Your AE bursts into your office, grinning:

“That was an amazing meeting! They loved the demo, totally got the value, and want to move fast!”

You start your post-meeting ritual:

• “Who’s signing the check?”

• “What’s the alternative they’re considering?”

Silence.

“Uh… well…”

The AE has no answers.

The risk? Wasting weeks chasing a deal you don’t really understand.

The MEDDPICC Blind Spot

MEDDPICC is a powerful qualification framework for advancing deals — but even strong AEs often leave gaps. Here’s why:

1. The Prospect Doesn’t KnowMany customers can’t clearly define their decision process or success metrics. They’re figuring it out as they go, and it’s the AE’s job to help them.

2. It’s Politically SensitiveWho really signs? What’s the budget? Which competitor is ahead? These can be loaded questions, and prospects may dodge them to avoid internal friction.

3. Answers Are Scattered Across StakeholdersThe champion knows the pain points, but Finance holds the purse strings and IT sets the constraints. Without multi-threading, you’ll never get the full picture.

4. They Don’t Want to Weaken Negotiation PowerProspects know sellers will use information to assess deal risk, so they hold back on budget numbers or details about competitors.

Manager’s Playbook: Closing the MEDDPICC Gaps

1. Combine Praise with Questions and Next StepsFollow up a “Great job” with targeted MEDDPICC questions:

   1. “Who’s the Economic Buyer? What’s the budget? What’s your next step to get those answers?”

2. Role-Play the Hard QuestionsCoach AEs to phrase questions in a way that lowers defenses:

   1. Instead of “Who signs the check?” → “When you’ve bought tools like this before, who’s been involved in final approval?”

   2. Instead of “What’s your budget?” → “Is this a $50,000 problem or a $5M problem for your company?”

3. Coach for Multi-Threading DisciplineIf updates only come from one contact, they don’t know the deal — they know one person’s perspective. Push them to widen the net and cross-check every answer.

Call To Action

If these challenges sound familiar, let’s talk.

I help B2B sales teams turn MEDDPICC from a checklist into a deal-closing habit through targeted coaching, live deal reviews, and manager enablement.

📧 Tsahala@greatrevenew.com