I am working on a win/loss analysis for a few clients who have recently decided to go with our competition. I plan on calling these clients and introducing myself and letting them know that I understand that their decision is final and that I am not trying to win them back. However, I want to make sure that the questions I ask will provide the most value.

Win/Loss is a great way to discover deficiencies in the product but also in the selling process. What did we do right and wrong in helping you buy? What could we improve in our product? Most of all, what problems were you trying to solve? One of my favorite questions is: "What would you do if you were me?" or "What advice can you give me?" And remember, you might discover that this client should never have been in your sales cycle; not every client is a good one. Also, check out Why Are We Winning? Why Are We Losing?

Answered by Steve Johnson

What were the key problems they were trying to solve? How well did they perceive your product would solve those problems?

What were the primary factors in their decision? Examples: functionality, ease of use, vendor expertise, technology, vendor support

How did you compare to the competition on each of the factors?

How was the buying experience? What did your sales team do well? Where could they improve?

Answered by Barbara Nelson