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What is Win Loss Analysis?

Win-Loss Analysis is a forensic market research exercise that focuses on de-constructing how companies market and sell their products and services from the prospect’s perspective.  The process employed within most programs typically entails conducting extensive telephone interviews with new clients or lost prospects.  The goal is to glean as much useful and actionable information as possible, to synthesize it quickly and accurately, and to use the information to facilitate continuous improvement across the organization.

During the last 15 years, more and more companies operating in large, sophisticated B2B market sectors have been initiating sales process Win Loss Analysis programs, either by conducting post-sales debriefs internally or by engaging outside research firms to conduct post-decision interviews with their clients and prospects.  That said, the growth of such sales analysis is in its early stages, as fewer than 20 percent of all companies have implemented formal programs.  Tapping into the intelligence and insights that are derived can give your team an edge in future sales situations -- in a highly competitive marketplace, knowledge is power.

A Win-Loss Analysis program helps a company understand the perspectives and vendor selection drivers of individuals who make and influence important purchasing decisions during competitive sales situations.  The purpose of conducting debriefs is to understand how an organization’s entire sales process was received by the prospect, both in an absolute sense and compared to the efforts of competitors.  This is particularly important in sophisticated business-to-business markets, where sales cycles are long and complex, and purchase decisions are frequently driven by subjective criteria that transcend pricing. 

Win-Loss Analysis programs are most often put into place by senior marketing, product, sales and research executives who are interested in pursuing a data-driven approach to provide their companies a competitive edge in sales situations.  In addition to helping to improve sales efficiency and success rates,  these kinds of programs are also a critical management tool that can improve the strategic functioning of an organization.  Individual transcripts can be used to improve understanding or focus attention on a single sales situation, and in an ongoing program, the data generated can be aggregated to provide an overview of strengths, weaknesses, and competitive trends across the company’s sales efforts.  Sharing win loss debrief information across an organization can open cross-functional lines of communication and collaboration.  The benefits of sales analysis are not limited to the sales organization -- the rich competitive intelligence that Win Loss Analysis provides on the market environment can lead to product and service enhancements, as well as implementation of new marketing, pricing and technology strategies across the whole enterprise.

Win Loss Program Benefits

How to Implement a Win Loss Analysis Program

Common Win Loss Challenges

Global Win Loss Capabilities

Common Sales Issues

Win Loss Analysis White Papers

Anova Consulting Win Loss & Customer Satisfaction Analysis Capabilities Brochure