How teams actually perform
The three headline numbers from the full dataset. These are averages across all scored calls — not from individual sessions or cherry-picked recordings.
Scale: 0 (never done) → 1 (always done well)
The single lowest-scoring discovery criterion
80% of demo calls score zero on this criterion
Where does your team sit?
Based on overall average score across all 22 criteria, teams fall into one of three tiers. Use your gut read of the criterion data in the next section to estimate where your team currently sits.
Discovery score vs. Demo score
Most teams have a larger gap on one side than the other. Use this to prioritise where to coach first.
The complete performance picture
Every criterion scored in this dataset, ranked from highest to lowest. Green indicates consistent execution. Amber indicates partial execution. Red indicates a systematic gap.
The scorecard explained
Each of the 23 criteria in this report is defined below in plain terms. These are the behaviours that separate calls that move deals forward from calls that merely sound productive.
Did the rep start the call in a human, professional, and natural way — building rapport before moving into business?
Did the rep confirm that all key participants are present and available for the full duration — so the right people get the right attention?
Did the rep get the buyer's explicit agreement to ask questions, set a shared purpose for the call, and align on what a successful outcome looks like — before diving in?
Did the rep build a clear picture of the buyer's current setup — their tools, team structure, processes, and context — before moving to problems?
Did the rep uncover real problems and friction in the buyer's current situation — going beyond the surface answer to understand where things are genuinely breaking down?
Did the rep establish what the problem actually costs the business — in time, money, risk, or missed opportunity? Without this, buyers have no internal business case to make.
Did the rep explore what success looks like for the buyer — what they want to achieve, what they would do differently if the problem were solved, and what the gap is between now and that desired outcome?
Did the rep introduce new information — a story, a benchmark, a reframe — that caused the buyer to think differently about their own situation and shifted how they understand the problem or the solution? This is the single highest-impact discovery behaviour, and the least common.
Did the rep recap what they heard at key moments in the call — showing the buyer they were genuinely understood, and creating clear chapter ends before moving on?
Did the rep explore what alternatives the buyer is considering — including competing products, existing tools, or doing nothing — and use that information to differentiate their own solution clearly?
Did the rep establish when the buyer needs to make a decision or have a solution in place — and what happens if that deadline is missed?
Did the rep understand the internal steps involved in making a decision — who needs to be consulted, what approvals are required, and what the sequence looks like before a deal can close?
Did the rep identify everyone who needs to be involved in the final decision — and actively work to bring the right people into the conversation, rather than just accepting the answer they were given?
Did the rep open the demo by summarising what was learned in discovery — making it clear the demo is built around this buyer's specific situation, not a standard script?
Did the rep set out a clear structure for the demo and invite the buyer to confirm or adjust the priorities before starting?
Did the rep lead with the buyer's most important pain point — rather than following a fixed product walkthrough that ignores what was discovered?
Was the demo genuinely tailored to what was uncovered in discovery — or was it a standard product walkthrough that could have been shown to any buyer regardless of what was discussed?
Did the rep use relevant customer examples during the demo to make the value concrete — connecting what is being shown to a situation the buyer recognises?
Did the rep ask questions throughout the demo to check relevance, guide the flow, and stay connected to how the buyer is reacting — rather than presenting in monologue?
After showing each part of the product, did the rep ask the buyer to confirm it was relevant — for example "could you see yourself using this?" or "does this solve what we discussed?" — getting explicit agreement rather than just presenting and moving on?
Did the rep surface what the buyer will use to evaluate and compare solutions — ease of use, integrations, support, pricing, implementation — so the demo could be framed around those criteria?
Was pricing discussed in a way that was meaningful for this stage of the deal — covering model, packages, or budget fit — rather than avoided or left vague?
Did the rep close the call with a specific, agreed next action — with a clear owner, purpose, and timing — rather than a vague "I'll follow up" that leaves the deal without forward momentum?
Every criterion · scored and benchmarked
Average scores from the full dataset alongside target benchmarks for Elite-tier teams. Use this table to identify your highest-leverage improvement opportunities.
| Criterion | Phase | Dataset avg | Elite target | Distribution | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warm Opening | Discovery | 0.89 | ≥ 0.85 | Strong | |
| Situation Understanding | Discovery | 0.78 | ≥ 0.80 | Strong | |
| Concrete Next Steps Agreed | Discovery | 0.68 | ≥ 0.75 | Develop | |
| Pain Exploration | Discovery | 0.64 | ≥ 0.75 | Develop | |
| Time & Availability Check | Discovery | 0.58 | ≥ 0.80 | Develop | |
| Competitive Landscape | Discovery | 0.57 | ≥ 0.70 | Develop | |
| Decision Process | Discovery | 0.57 | ≥ 0.70 | Develop | |
| Decision-makers & Stakeholders | Discovery | 0.50 | ≥ 0.65 | Develop | |
| Timeline & Urgency | Discovery | 0.49 | ≥ 0.70 | Critical gap | |
| Future State Exploration | Discovery | 0.43 | ≥ 0.65 | Critical gap | |
| Shaping the Buyer's Vision | Discovery | 0.26 | ≥ 0.60 | Critical gap | |
| Business Impact | Discovery | 0.23 | ≥ 0.65 | Critical gap | |
| Active Listening & Summary | Discovery | 0.22 | ≥ 0.65 | Critical gap | |
| Demo Questions | Demo | 0.77 | ≥ 0.75 | Strong | |
| Discovery-Demo Alignment | Demo | 0.39 | ≥ 0.75 | Critical gap | |
| Demo Agenda | Demo | 0.55 | ≥ 0.75 | Develop | |
| Pain-led Prioritisation | Demo | 0.50 | ≥ 0.70 | Develop | |
| Anchoring | Demo | 0.36 | ≥ 0.70 | Critical gap | |
| Customer Stories | Demo | 0.10 | ≥ 0.60 | Critical gap | |
| Pricing Discussion | Commercial | 0.77 | ≥ 0.75 | Strong | |
| Concrete Next Step | Commercial | 0.69 | ≥ 0.80 | Develop |
Data reflects averages across 1,400+ scored calls · 32 companies · 91% DACH & Benelux · 2019–2026 · Discovery and demo calls only
Where this data comes from
This report analyses over 1,400 scored discovery and demo calls across 32 B2B SaaS companies, assessed using a consistent rubric over seven years. All calls were scored at the criterion level — not estimated or approximated. Upsell, expansion, and customer success calls were excluded.
How every call was scored
Live observation, not AI transcription
Every call was listened to and scored by Nils in real time or from recording. No automated scoring, no AI analysis, no keyword counting.
Consistent rubric across all calls
The same 22 criteria were applied to every call, every cohort, every company. The rubric did not change between 2019 and 2026, making year-on-year comparison valid.
Scored at criterion level, not call level
Each of the 22 criteria gets its own score: 0 (not done), 5 (partially done), or 10 (done well). No overall "gut feel" rating. Every number is traceable.
Only discovery and demo calls
CS calls, renewals, upsell conversations, and cold outreach were excluded. This keeps the data focused on the part of the sales motion where most revenue is won or lost.
Why this is different from every other benchmark report
All individual rep data anonymised. Scores reflect averages across cohorts. This report is directional benchmark data from real engagements, not a statistically controlled academic study.
91% of companies are headquartered in the Netherlands, Germany, or Belgium. Patterns are consistent enough to be directionally valid for B2B SaaS teams in similar markets — readers should apply judgement when comparing to North American or enterprise-heavy contexts.
Four actions for every Benelux/DACH SaaS and AI sales team that wants to win the game.
These are the highest leverage moves based on what this data consistently shows across European teams.
Ask "what does this problem cost you?" on every single call
75% of your reps never quantify the impact of the buyer's problem. Start coaching this one question into every discovery call this week. It is the single fastest win in the dataset and it's coachable within days.
End every discovery call with a 60 second summary
Play back the problem, the impact, and the proposed next step before you hang up. This forces deeper discovery, creates differentiation, and gives the buyer something to sell internally. Almost nobody does it.
Create a shared Google Doc with 10 customer stories by next Friday
Your best reps already use stories. The rest don't because they don't have any. Start a simple shared doc organised by pain type and sector. Ten stories is enough to start. Make it a team ritual to add one per week.
Listen to 2 calls per rep per week and score them
Most managers review pipeline. Few listen to calls. Pick 2 calls per rep, score them on Impact, Summary, and Stories. Share the scores. The gaps in this data are not motivation problems. They are coaching problems.
Find out how to clone
your best sales rep.
Most teams have a top performer whose magic they cannot replicate. This is how you crack it.
One from a mediocre-performing rep. One from your top performer. Transcripts work too.
Against the full 23-criterion rubric. I identify the hidden gems — the specific behaviours that explain why one rep consistently wins and the other does not.
We get on a call. I walk you through the hidden gems — the exact behaviours that make your top rep win — and show you how to systematically replicate those across your team.
Most managers know they have a performance gap — they just cannot see clearly where it comes from. In the call, I show you exactly which moments in the conversation separate your best rep from the rest, what is foundational to their success that is being missed elsewhere, and what a realistic path to replication looks like for your specific team.
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