revops

Combine explicit fit scoring (company size, industry, job title) with implicit engagement scoring (pricing page visits, demo requests) and negative scoring for disqualifying signals. Set an MQL threshold around 50-80 points, validate against closed-won data, and recalibrate quarterly.

A healthy MQL-to-SQL acceptance rate is 30-50%. If sales consistently rejects MQLs below that range, the fit or engagement criteria are too loose and the scoring model needs recalibration.

Route to the most specific match first: named accounts to owners, then territory or segment rules, then round-robin with a fallback owner. HubSpot uses workflow rotation actions; Salesforce uses Lead Assignment Rules or Record-Triggered Flows.

Yes. Contacting a lead within 5 minutes makes qualification 21x more likely, while waiting 30 minutes drops conversion by 10x. Automate instant assignment, SLA timers, and escalation to backup reps after 15 minutes.

Introduce a deal desk when ACV exceeds roughly $25K or deals involve non-standard terms like net-90 payments, multi-year contracts, or discounts above 40%. Use tiered approvals from sales manager up to finance and legal.

Disagreement happens when MQL criteria lack both fit and engagement requirements or when sales has no SLA to accept or reject leads. Fix it with documented stage definitions, rejection reason codes, and a recycling nurture workflow.