crm-management

Files (4)

• README.md
• SKILL.md
• evals.json
• pipeline-templates.md · references/

SKILL.md (first lines)

## Key principles

1. **Data hygiene is non-negotiable** - A CRM full of stale, duplicated, or
   manually-entered guesswork is worse than no CRM. Garbage in, garbage out
   applies to forecasts, reports, and automation. Treat data quality as a
   first-class engineering concern: define ownership, set decay rules, and
   automate enrichment from day one.

2. **Automate the boring stuff** - Reps should spend time selling, not updating
   fields. Any task that follows a predictable rule (create follow-up task when
   stage advances, notify manager when deal exceeds threshold, enrich lead on
   creation) should be automated. Human judgment is reserved for exceptions.

3. **Pipeline reflects reality** - Every stage must represent a verifiable buyer
   action, not a rep's optimism. Stages without exit criteria are opinions. Exit
   criteria must be objective and observable: "Demo completed" not "Rep thinks
   they're interested." Review pipeline stages whenever win rates diverge from
   forecast accuracy.

4. **Forecast with methodology** - Never let reps enter a single probability
   number. Pick one forecasting method (weighted, categorical, or AI) and apply
   it consistently. Mix methods only at the rollup layer. A forecast is only as
   good as the pipeline data behind it - fix pipeline hygiene before blaming
   the model.

5. **Less fields, more adoption** - Every field added to a record is friction.
   Every required field that reps don't understand is a source of garbage data.
   Audit fields quarterly: if a field hasn't been used in reporting in 90 days,
   archive it. Default to fewer, well-defined fields with validation rules over
   many optional ones nobody fills in.

---

## Core concepts

### CRM object model

CRM platforms organize data around a standard object hierarchy. Understanding
the relationships prevents misdesign.

| Object | Represents | Key relationships |
|---|---|---|
| **Lead** | An unqualified inbound contact, not yet associated to an account | Converts to Contact + Account + Opportunity |
| **Contact** | A known individual at a company | Belongs to Account; linked to Opportunities |
| **Account** | A company or organization | Parent of Contacts and Opportunities |
| **Opportunity** | A specific deal or revenue event in progress | Belongs to Account; has a Stage, Amount, and Close Date |

**Lead vs Contact:** Leads are pre-qualification. Once a lead meets your ICP
criteria (or a sales rep accepts it), convert it. Do not store active selling
conversations on Lead records - move to Opportunity.

**Account hierarchy:** Enterprise deals often span subsidiaries. Model parent-child
account relationships to roll up ARR accurately.

### Pipeline stages

A pipeline stage is a milestone in the buyer's journey, not the seller's activity.
Each stage must have:

- **Name**: Short, buyer-centric label
- **Definition**: What is true about the buyer at this stage
- **Entry criteria**: What must have happened to move in
- **Exit criteria**: What must happen before advancing
- **Probability**: Default win probability used in weighted forecasting

### Deal properties

Standard properties every opportunity should carry:

| Property | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| `amount` | Currency | ACV or total contract value |
| `close_date` | Date | Expected close, used in forecasting |
| `stage` | Enum | Current pipeline stage |
| `forecast_category` | Enum | Committed / Best Case / Pipeline / Omitted |
| `deal_source` | Enum | Inbound / Outbound / Channel / Expansion |
| `next_step` | Text | Single next action with owner and date |
| `competitor` | Multi-select | Competitors actively in the deal |
| `loss_reason` | Enum | Required on Closed Lost; drives win/loss analysis |

### Automation triggers

CRM workflows are event-driven. Standard trigger types:

- **Record create** - runs when an object is first created (lead created, deal opened)
- **Field change** - runs when a specific field value changes (stage advances, amount updates)
- **Time-based** - runs N days before/after a date field (deal stale for 14 days, close date in 7 days)
- **Criteria match** - runs when a record first matches a filter (deal amount > $50k, lead score > 80)

---

## Common tasks

### Design pipeline stages

Define stages bottom-up: start from Closed Won and work backward to the first
meaningful buyer commitment. A typical B2B SaaS pipeline:

| Stage | Definition | Exit criteria | Default probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prospecting | Identified as target, no contact yet | Meeting booked | 5% |
| Discovery | First meeting held; pain and budget being explored | Discovery call completed, MEDDIC/BANT fields populated | 15% |
| Demo / Evaluation | Product demonstrated; evaluating fit | Demo completed; champion identified | 30% |
| Proposal | Pricing and scope sent | Verbal interest in proposal | 50% |
| Negotiation | Legal or commercial back-and-forth | Legal review initiated | 70% |
| Closed Won | Contract signed | Signed document received | 100% |
| Closed Lost | Deal dead | Loss reason entered | 0% |

> More than 7 active stages is almost always too many. Stages that reps skip
> consistently signal the stage does not reflect a real buyer milestone.

For SaaS, enterprise, and PLG templates, see `references/pipeline-templates.md`.

### Set up lead scoring in CRM

Lead scoring combines demographic fit (ICP match) and behavioral engagement.
Use two dimensions to avoid conflating them:

**Profile score (ICP fit):**

From mkurman/zorai, MIT.

More from mkurman/zorai