The £50 Million Problem Hiding Behind “Efficiency”. The Cost of Poor Sales Execution
- Matthew Earle
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 17
The Cost of Poor Sales Execution: Understanding Its Impact

Some deals stall not because the buyer isn’t interested, but due to misdiagnosing the real problem. So, what is the cost of poor sales execution?
Here’s a story that illustrates why “efficiency” doesn’t always equal urgency.
A Solid Opportunity?
I once coached a sales team with a seemingly solid opportunity in flight. The buyer recognized the benefits, and the ROI looked promising on paper. However, despite these positives, nothing was moving forward.
The *Real* Reason?
The team positioned the solution primarily as an efficiency play.
Discovery sessions were thorough. They quantified the hours saved. To the sales team, it felt like a clear win.
But to the buyer? It came across as a “nice to have.” It wasn’t urgent or business-critical.
Introducing The Five Whys
I advised the salesperson to implement the "Five Whys."
This technique encourages digging deeper into the reasons behind an issue. It forces you to make the buyer uncomfortable and brings the real problems and costs to the surface.
What She Uncovered Changed Everything
The inefficiencies, those wasted hours, led to errors in data entry. This increased the risk of customer accounts getting blocked in their ERP systems, preventing order placements.
Think about it:
No orders → no deliveries
No deliveries → no inventory
No inventory → unhappy customers
This situation impacted corporate clients worth £50 million or more. They could easily shift to a competitor who could provide stock. There was no guarantee they would return.
It was not merely an operational hiccup; it turned into a potential disaster.
When the risks were exposed and acknowledged by key decision-makers, she reframed the narrative:
It wasn’t simply about saving time. It was about preventing large-scale customer churn.
She illustrated the impact across finance, operations, marketing, and sales. By doing this, she built consensus based on risk and took ownership of the conversation.
The Outcome Was Transformative
As a result:
The deal progressed quickly.
She maintained her price.
The deal closed within weeks.
Key Takeaway
The real problems are rarely the ones your buyer openly shares.
If you're not investigating deeper, you're potentially leaving urgency, consensus, and margin on the table.
Understanding Your Buyer’s Language
To effectively tackle poor sales execution, it's essential to understand your buyer’s language. This means interpreting their concerns accurately. Often, what they mention is just the surface problem.
Sales professionals must learn to listen actively, ask probing questions, and ensure they uncover the underlying issues that truly impact the buyer’s business.
Emotional Drivers Matter
Buyers are not just motivated by logical concerns; emotional drivers play a critical role as well. Addressing these drivers can lead to more persuasive sales conversations.
For instance, fear of losing customers, reputation damage, or missing out on competitive advantages can drive urgency more than efficiency alone.
Create a Sense of Urgency
Sales teams should focus on creating a sense of urgency around their solutions. This is key to overcoming inertia in the decision-making process.
When buyers perceive a threat to their business, they are likely to move faster. Highlighting the risks of inaction can help bring urgency to the table.
Final Thoughts: The £50 Million Problem Hiding Behind “Efficiency”
Navigating sales challenges requires a deeper understanding of buyer motivations. As shown in the example, misdiagnosing challenges can lead to stalled opportunities and lost revenue.
To enhance your sales execution, focus on understanding the complexity behind buyer concerns.
If you liked this, take a look at why your sales strategy is probably not strategic.
Ready to Transform Your Sales Strategy?
If you’re serious about improving your team’s performance, The Selling Collective can help. Our problem-centered sales training equips B2B teams to build trust, generate pipelines, and close more deals.
Check out our free course, The Art of Problem-Centered Selling: Unlocking Sales Success or book your free sales audit to identify gaps holding back your sales team — and discover ways to fix them.
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