What to check in a sales department audit: a checklist
What to check in processes, CRM, calls and reports, how to run a sales department audit and what to prepare for a consultation
A sales department audit shows the stage where clients are lost and the data the head of sales is missing. Diagnostics cover processes, CRM, calls and chats and end with a customer journey map and an action plan. In the AKORDO catalogue, they cost $600-900 and take an indicative 7 working days.
When a business needs sales diagnostics
A business needs diagnostics when results rest on individual people and the owner cannot see where clients are lost. Before the review, prepare specific questions: what happens after an enquiry comes in, who is responsible for the next step, and what data the head of sales uses to make decisions.
For example, a head of sales compares two managers. One receives more complex enquiries, the other fills in the CRM faster, and the total number of deals does not explain this difference. So describe the process first and agree on what each metric counts.
Start with a list of questions your current reports do not answer. With this list, you will frame the diagnostics task and will not collect data without a purpose.
What to check in the customer journey
The diagnostics output includes a customer journey map with points of loss. For the map to work, describe the actual steps from first contact to deal, and next to each step write down who is responsible, what data is needed and the condition for moving on.
Check whether the team understands enquiry statuses in the same way. If one manager logs any conversation as a qualified lead, while another does so only after clarifying the need, the report counts different things under one name. Agree on the definitions before you assess people.
Separately, mark the cases where the journey stops: the client got no reply, no next contact was agreed, the reason for refusal was not recorded. Before you blame them on low motivation, check whether there is a rule for the action and data on whether people follow it.
A working list of questions for the head of sales
AKORDO diagnostics cover processes, CRM, calls and chats. Before the consultation, go through this table.
| Area | Question | What to prepare |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Who is responsible for the next action after an enquiry? | A description of the actual steps and roles |
| CRM | Is it clear why a deal has a particular status? | Sample records and data entry rules |
| Calls | Does the manager clarify the need and the next step? | Sample conversations available for review |
| Chats | Is context preserved between messages? | Sample chat threads and working scenarios |
| Reports | What decisions should each metric support? | Current reports and explanations of definitions |
| Control | How does the team fix a problem once it is found? | The feedback and task procedure |
Adapt the list to your process. Agree the volume of material and the criteria with AKORDO before diagnostics begin.
What the published cases show
The case on sales control in B2B manufacturing shows what a control system consists of: regular KPI analysis, management reporting, tracking of plan completion and evaluation of manager performance. The case gives no sales growth figure.
In the case on contact centre quality control for a medical network, quality control consists of communication scripts, a call scoring system, regular manager calibration and training built on the analysis of communications. The case does not name a telephony vendor or an AI platform.
The case on a commercial sales system in financial services covers the department’s processes, KPIs, financial incentives, CRM structure, onboarding, training, scripts and daily management analytics. It has no revenue growth figure.
The case on sales department transformation in retail describes a team management system and standardised business processes, and its page gives the numeric results. To compare any result with your business, you need the starting situation, the period and the measurement method.
Budget, timeline and diagnostics output
According to the AKORDO service catalogue:
| Work | Indicative cost | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Sales system diagnostics | $600-900 | 7 working days |
| Sales communication standards | $600-900 | 2-3 weeks |
| Sales department systematisation and development | $1,600-3,300 | Determined after consultation |
These are three separate services. AKORDO quotes the exact amount after a free consultation. Licences, API, hosting and telephony are paid for by the client separately. Catalogue timelines are indicative and are not contractual.
At the end of diagnostics, you get a customer journey map with points of loss, an analysis of processes, CRM, calls and chats, and an action plan. Before the next stage, agree who carries out each action and how the team will check the result.
If you find repetitive tasks worth automating during the review, read the article on AI agents for business. Choose the tool to fit the process you found and its constraints.
Questions before you start
Do you need a CRM that is already set up?
It is not required. Diagnostics review processes and communications, so to start, it is enough to explain where enquiries, agreements and reports are stored now. If there is no single CRM, the review covers that too.
Does an audit guarantee sales growth?
No, the catalogue gives no numeric growth guarantee. The audit output consists of a customer journey map, analysis and an action plan. The commercial effect depends on the changes the team puts in place next and on the conditions of the business.
Are standards and training included in diagnostics?
No, the catalogue lists them as separate services. At the consultation, decide whether you need diagnostics only or the subsequent systematisation stages as well.
You can discuss your task through the sales department audit service or a free AKORDO consultation.