Sales call review checklist: criteria and a worked example

Start with the call’s purpose and type

An introduction, a product demo and a follow-up on a proposal are different conversations. Use the same detailed checklist for all three and a rep may lose points for an action that was never needed on that call.

Before you start, note the call type, its purpose and the stage of the customer relationship. For example: “Initial discovery. Understand the customer’s needs and agree on a demo.” Assess the rep’s actions against that purpose instead of an abstract ideal sales call.

A purchase does not directly measure call quality. The decision depends on budget, timing, need and other circumstances. A sale does not prove flawless work, and a refusal does not by itself reveal a mistake.

Sample criteria for an initial call

Adapt this starting point to your product. Avoid adding an item solely because it appears in someone else’s script. A budget question, for instance, need not come up in every short inquiry.

Define what “met” means for each criterion. Two reviewers should be able to point to the same part of the recording rather than debate how “confident” or “charismatic” the rep sounded.

How to justify a score using the call

The following is a fictional conversation about a work service. The situation, dialogue and scores illustrate the method and do not describe real sales reps.

The scores explain this excerpt, not the whole call. In a real review, listen from start to finish. The deadline may have been agreed earlier and the conditions clarified later. Avoid assigning a final score from a single convenient quote.

How to calculate the result without false precision

A simple practice scale is 0 for not met, 1 for partly met and 2 for met. Mark an inapplicable criterion N/A. When the recording does not provide enough evidence, mark it “cannot assess” and explain why. Do not count it as an automatic zero.

When criteria have equal weight, divide the points earned by the maximum for the applicable items. If every item is excluded, skip the percentage. Introduce weights only once you can explain why some criteria count more than others.

Avoid choosing a pass score because it is a convenient round number. First, review several typical recordings together, identify disagreements between reviewers and clarify the criteria. Record serious mistakes separately so a high overall percentage cannot hide them.

Call type and purpose:
Date and recording source:
Criterion:
What 0 / 1 / 2 mean:
When the criterion does not apply:
Observation:
Quote and timecode:
Score:
What is still unclear:
Next action to improve:
When to check it in a new call:

How to discuss the review with the rep

Start with an observation and let the rep explain the context. For example: “At the end you said you’d send a proposal. I didn’t find an agreed deadline. Did we miss it elsewhere in the call?” That gives the rep more to work with than “You always close calls badly.”

Choose one action to practice. In this example it could be asking, “When would you like to receive the proposal, and what day should we pick this up again?” Adapt the wording to the actual conversation so it does not sound rehearsed.

Check the action on subsequent comparable calls. When reviewers disagree, look at the rule and the source first. Changing the standard after assessing a particular employee undermines trust.

• The right type of call was selected.
• Every score rests on an observation.
• N/A and insufficient evidence are distinct from zero.
• Tone was checked against the audio if it was part of the review.
• The rep can explain the context and ask questions.
• There is one specific action and a date to review it again.