A decision process is the series of steps, and the people at each step, that a buyer goes through to choose a vendor. It is the second D in MEDDPICC. It has two parts: technical validation, where the buyer checks the solution works for them, and business approval, where the spend is signed off.
Mapping the process with the buyer
Our MEDDPICC page puts the standard in one line: who approves what, in what order, by when. Reps build the process with the buyer, usually the champion, by asking how a purchase of this size was approved last time and who was involved. A manager in a deal review checks that each step has an owner and a date and that the buyer has confirmed the list.
Knowing the steps also tells the rep what to stop doing. Another demo or reference call moves the deal only if the buyer's next step needs it. The decision process ends when the buyer has decided. The legal, procurement and security steps between that decision and a signature are the paper process, which runs on its own clock. The sales methodology guide covers how both sit in a qualification framework.
Example
This example is illustrative. A rep has a $110,000 deal set to close on the last day of the quarter, three weeks away. In the review, the manager asks for the steps. The rep lists a final demo and a pricing call. On the next call, the rep asks the champion how the last software purchase was approved. The answer adds two steps: a technical review by the architecture board, which meets every six weeks, and sign-off at the leadership meeting two weeks later. The board's next meeting is in five weeks, so sign-off lands in seven. The close date moves out by about a month, and the forecast now matches how the buyer buys.
- 01Final demo
- 02Pricing call
- 03Architecture board reviewMeets every six weeks, next meeting in five
- 04Leadership meeting sign-offTwo weeks later
What a weak and a strong answer sound like
Ask a rep "what happens between now and signature?" A weak answer describes the seller's plan: "We demo on the 4th, send pricing, and they sign by the 30th." A strong answer describes the buyer's: "Our contact takes it to the IT steering group on the 12th, the COO signs off on the 26th, and our contact confirmed both dates by email." The second answer names people, dates and where the buyer said so. If a rep can only give the first, the next call goes to the champion, with one question: how did the last purchase like this get approved?
Related terms
- What is the paper process?
- What are decision criteria in sales?
- What is MEDDPICC?
- MEDDPICC vs MEDDIC
FAQ
What are the stages of the decision process in B2B sales?
In MEDDPICC terms the decision process has two parts: technical validation, where the buyer confirms the solution fits, and business approval, where the spend is signed off. Inside each part, the buyer's own steps, owners and dates vary by company and deal size.
How do you uncover a buyer's decision process?
Ask your champion how the last purchase of a similar size was approved: who was involved, in what order and how long it took. Then write the steps down with an owner and a date for each and confirm the list with the buyer.
Is the paper process part of the decision process?
Some teams fold it in, but MEDDPICC keeps it separate. The decision process ends when the buyer decides. The paper process covers legal, procurement and security review between that decision and a signature, and it often takes longer than reps expect.