Discovery Call Question Bank

Thanks for making time, [First Name]. My goal today is simple: understand what you're working on and figure out if we're even a fit. If we are, great. If not, I'll point you somewhere better. Sound fair?

Before I dig in, what made you reach out / agree to chat now versus three months ago?

Quick check so I don't waste your time: what would make this a useful conversation for you?

I've got a few questions about how things work today, then I'll share what I'm seeing and we can decide together on next steps. Good with that?

Roughly how much time do we have? I want to respect your calendar.

Walk me through how [process/area, e.g. inbound leads] works for you right now, start to finish.

Who's involved in [process], and what does each person own?

What tools or systems are you using for this today?

How long have you been doing it this way?

How are you handling [specific task, e.g. after-hours messages] at the moment?

On a typical week, how much volume are we talking about for [metric, e.g. inquiries, deals, tickets]?

Where does [process] tend to break down or slow you down?

What's the part of this that frustrates you or your team the most?

When [problem] happens, how often is that: daily, weekly, the odd time?

What have you already tried to fix it, and what happened?

If you could wave a wand and change one thing about how this works today, what would it be?

Is this something you're actively trying to solve, or more of a someday thing? Be honest, either is fine.

When [problem] happens, what's the knock-on effect downstream?

What does that cost you, in time, money, missed opportunities, or just stress?

Who else feels it when this goes wrong: customers, your team, leadership?

If nothing changes over the next 6 to 12 months, where does that leave you?

How are you measuring success in [area] right now? What number would tell you this got better?

On the flip side: if this were solved tomorrow, what would that free you up to do?

If we figured out this is a fit, what would the process look like on your side to move forward?

Besides you, who else would weigh in on a decision like this?

What does [other stakeholder] care most about? What would they need to see?

Are you looking at any other options or approaches right now?

What's driving the timeline? Is there a date or event this needs to be sorted by?

What would have to be true for you to feel confident moving ahead?

What's your rough budget range for solving this, so I can recommend the right thing and not oversell you?

Let me play back what I heard: today [current situation], the main issue is [problem], and it's costing you [impact]. You're hoping to have it solved by [timeline]. Did I get that right?

Based on that, here's what I think makes sense: [recommended next step].

Does that feel like the right next step to you, or is there something I'm missing?

How about we [specific action, e.g. set up a short demo / send a tailored proposal] for [day/time]? I'll get the invite over.

Between now and then, is there anything you need from me, or anyone else who should be on the next call?

Subject: Recap and next step from our chat, [First Name]