Sales Interview Questions and Answers: 60 Questions from Easy to Hard
This guide is for sales job seekers in India: freshers applying for sales executive, BDE and inside sales roles, and experienced professionals moving into senior, team lead or key account positions. It has 60 interview questions split into easy, medium and hard, each with a sample answer that shows how a strong candidate thinks, often with numbers in rupees and lakh. Topics include prospecting, cold calling, objection handling, negotiation, closing, CRM, targets, dealer and channel sales, and role plays such as 'sell me this pen'. Read each answer, then practise saying it aloud in your own words with your own numbers.
What Sales interviews cover
- Motivation and attitude: why you want sales, how you handle rejection, and whether you are comfortable with targets, daily call volumes and field travel.
- Core selling skills: prospecting, qualifying leads, cold calling, asking questions before pitching, explaining benefits, following up and asking for the order.
- Objection handling and negotiation, often tested through live role plays such as 'sell me this pen', 'your price is too high' or 'just email me the details'.
- Numbers: targets in Rs lakh, conversion rates, pipeline coverage, average deal size and quick funnel calculations that you are expected to do in your head.
- For senior roles: splitting team targets, forecasting, CRM discipline, dealer and channel management, key account growth, discount control and incentive design.
How freshers should prepare
- Research the company's product, price range, typical customer and main competitors, so your role-play answers sound specific rather than generic.
- Prepare a 60-second introduction that sells you, with one real example of persuading people, such as college fest sponsorships, events or a part-time job.
- Practise five common objections aloud with a friend, namely price, busy, competitor, send details and I'll think about it, until your replies sound natural.
- Learn basic funnel maths: how many leads, meetings and deals a target needs. Interviewers often test this with quick calculations in rupees and lakh.
- Show that you are coachable and disciplined: talk about routines, daily goals and feedback you acted on, not only about being a good talker.
How experienced candidates should prepare
- Know your numbers exactly: the last four quarters' target and achievement, average deal size, sales cycle, conversion rates and your biggest deal. Vague numbers raise doubts.
- Prepare three stories with situation, action and result: a big win, a lost deal and what you learned, and a difficult customer you turned around.
- Be ready to explain your sales process stage by stage and how you use the CRM, including how you forecast and keep your pipeline honest.
- For team lead and key account roles, prepare examples of coaching an underperformer, splitting targets, managing dealers and growing an account year on year.
- Expect a role play on the employer's real product. Ask for a few minutes to prepare, and start with discovery questions before you pitch anything.
Talking about salary and incentives
- Separate fixed pay, variable pay and incentives when you state your current CTC.
- Ask how targets are set, how incentives are calculated and when they are paid.
- Ask about allowances for travel, fuel and mobile, which matter a lot in field sales.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Pitching features straight away in a role play without asking a single question about the customer's needs, budget or current solution.
- Offering a discount at the first price objection. Interviewers want to see you defend value and trade concessions, not give margin away.
- Quoting inflated or rounded numbers from past roles that you cannot explain. One follow-up question about how you achieved them will expose it.
- Criticising competitors, previous employers or customers. It suggests you will blame others when targets are missed in this job too.
- Ending the role play or the interview without asking for the order or the next step, which is the one thing every sales manager watches for.
Sales interview questions: Easy questions (freshers)
1. Why do you want to start your career in sales?
A strong answer links your nature to what the job needs. For example: 'I enjoy meeting new people and I like work where results are clear. In sales my effort shows directly in numbers, calls made, meetings booked and revenue closed, and I want to be rewarded through incentives for performing well. Sales also teaches skills that help in every career: listening, persuasion and handling pressure.' Then back it with one real example, such as selling 150 passes for your college fest. Avoid saying only 'I am good at talking', because managers value listening and discipline more.
2. Sell me this pen.
Do not start by praising the pen. Ask a few questions first: 'When did you last use a pen? What do you mostly write, notes, cheques or signatures? What annoys you about the pens you use now?' Suppose the interviewer says they sign many documents in client meetings. Link the pen to that need: 'This pen writes smoothly from the first stroke, does not leak in your pocket and looks professional when you sign in front of a client. It costs Rs 250. Shall I give you two, one for the office and one for your bag?' The interviewer is checking whether you ask before you pitch, and whether you actually ask for the order.
3. What is a sales funnel, and why does it matter?
A sales funnel is the series of stages a buyer moves through from first contact to purchase. A typical B2B funnel is lead, qualified lead, meeting or demo, proposal, negotiation, and closed won or lost. At each stage some prospects drop out, so the funnel narrows. For example, 200 leads might give 60 qualified leads, 25 demos, 12 proposals and 5 closed deals. The pipeline is the list of live deals in these stages with their values. Knowing your conversion rate at each stage shows where you are weak and how many leads you need to reach your target.
4. What is the difference between B2B and B2C sales?
In B2B, business to business, you sell to companies, such as software to a manufacturer or raw material to a dealer. Deals are larger, several people are involved in the decision (owner, finance, the team that will use it), the cycle takes weeks or months, and the decision rests on return on investment and trust. In B2C, business to consumer, you sell to individuals, such as a two-wheeler, an insurance policy or an online course. Deal sizes are smaller, one person or a family decides, and decisions are faster and more emotional. B2B needs patience and structured follow-up; B2C needs volume and quick rapport.
5. What is the difference between inside sales and field sales?
Inside sales is done remotely, through phone calls, video calls, email and WhatsApp, from an office or home. You handle many conversations, often 60 to 100 calls a day, and products are usually standard, such as online courses, loans or software plans. Field sales means meeting customers in person: visiting shops, offices, dealers or homes in a territory, often 8 to 12 visits a day. It suits relationship-heavy or high-value sales, such as FMCG distribution, pharma or industrial products. Field roles usually include travel allowance; inside roles reward call discipline, speed and accurate CRM updates.
6. How do you handle rejection?
I treat a 'no' as 'not now', not as a judgement on me. Rejection is part of the numbers: if 1 in 10 calls becomes a meeting, the nine refusals are what lead me to that one yes. After a rejection I note the reason in the CRM, ask politely whether I can check back in a month or two, and move to the next call without a long break. Once a week I review the reasons I heard. If many people say the same thing, such as 'too expensive' or 'not the right person', I change my pitch or my target list instead of just making more calls.
7. How would you open a cold call in the first 30 seconds?
In the first 30 seconds I need to earn the next two minutes. I greet the person by name, say who I am and why I am calling in one line, mention something relevant to them, and ask for permission or a short question. For example: 'Hi Mr Sharma, this is Riya from ABC Software. I am calling because many 20 to 50-person firms in Pune lose hours every month on manual attendance. Do you have two minutes now, or shall I call back at 4 pm?' I avoid reading a long script, I skip filler like 'How are you today?', and I speak slowly and clearly.
8. A customer says, 'I'm busy, call me later.' What do you do?
I respect it, but I try to turn 'later' into a fixed time. 'Sure, I understand. Is tomorrow at 11 am or 4 pm better for a five-minute call?' Offering two specific slots makes it easy to say yes. If they sound annoyed, I give one line of value first: 'Just so you know why I called, we help retailers reduce stock-outs. Tomorrow at 11?' Then I log the callback in the CRM and call exactly on time, which itself builds trust. If they say 'not interested' rather than 'busy', that is a different objection, and I ask what they use today.
9. A customer says, 'Your price is too high.' How do you respond?
I do not drop the price straight away, because that suggests it was inflated. First I find out what 'too high' means: 'Compared to what? Is it the total amount or the monthly budget that worries you?' Then I connect price to value. For example: 'The plan is Rs 30,000 a year, which is about Rs 82 a day. If it saves your accountant even one hour daily, it pays for itself.' If budget is the real issue, I offer options such as a smaller plan, quarterly payments or fewer users rather than a straight discount, so the value is kept intact.
10. What is a lead, and how do you qualify it?
A lead is a person or company that has shown possible interest or fits your customer profile, such as someone who filled an enquiry form. Qualifying means checking whether it deserves your time before you invest in demos and proposals. A simple framework is BANT: Budget (can they afford it?), Authority (am I speaking to the decision maker or only an influencer?), Need (do they have the problem we solve?) and Timeline (when do they plan to buy?). A lead with a clear need and a three-month timeline gets priority over one who is 'just exploring', so my time goes where the chances of closing are highest.
11. What is the difference between a feature and a benefit?
A feature is what the product has; a benefit is what the customer gains from it. 'This scooter has a 22-litre under-seat boot' is a feature. 'You can lock your helmet and laptop bag inside, so you don't carry them around the office' is the benefit. Customers buy benefits, so after stating a feature I add 'which means...' and connect it to something the customer told me earlier. The same feature gives different benefits to different buyers, which is why I ask questions before I pitch.
12. What is a CRM, and how would you use it as a sales executive?
A CRM, customer relationship management system, is software where the sales team records every lead, contact, call, meeting, deal stage, deal value and next follow-up date. It replaces personal diaries and Excel sheets, so nothing is forgotten when someone is on leave or leaves the company, and managers can see the pipeline and forecast sales. Popular options in India include Salesforce, Zoho CRM, HubSpot, LeadSquared and Freshsales. As a fresher, say you can learn any CRM quickly and that you would update it the same day, after each call, rather than at the end of the week.
13. How many times would you follow up with a prospect, and how?
Most deals do not close on the first call, so follow-up is where much of the selling happens. Each follow-up should have a reason, not just 'checking in': share a case study, answer a question they raised, or send a price comparison. A practical rhythm is a summary message on day 1, a call on day 3, useful content on day 7, and then every one to two weeks. I usually make five to seven attempts across phone, WhatsApp and email before parking a lead, and I record every attempt and the next date in the CRM so none slip.
14. Your monthly target is Rs 5 lakh, the average deal is Rs 25,000 and 20% of qualified leads convert. How many qualified leads do you need?
Work backwards from the target. Rs 5 lakh divided by an average deal of Rs 25,000 means 20 closed deals. If 20% of qualified leads convert, I need 20 divided by 0.20, which is 100 qualified leads in the month. If only half of raw leads turn out to be qualified, that is 200 raw leads, about 9 to 10 new leads every working day over 22 days. I would plan my daily calls to reach that number and check progress every week, so I know by day 10 whether I am on track instead of finding out on day 28.
15. What is a trial close, and how is it different from the final close?
Closing is asking the customer for a commitment: an order, a payment, a signed proposal or a clear next step. A trial close checks readiness before the final ask, without pressure. Examples: 'From what you have seen, does this solve the attendance problem you mentioned?' or 'If we go ahead, would you start with both branches or only Noida first?' If the answer is positive, I move to the close: 'Shall I send the order form for both branches today?' If it is negative, I have found the objection early, which is better than hearing a vague 'I'll think about it' at the end.
16. How would you prepare for your first visit to a retail shop owner in your territory?
Before the visit I check the shop's location, what it sells, which brands it stocks, and any past history with our company in the CRM. I plan my route so I cover nearby outlets the same day. I carry samples, the price list, current scheme details, order forms and a charged phone for UPI or the ordering app. I go at a quiet time, not during the evening rush, look at the shelf first, and ask about their sales and problems before pitching. I aim to leave with an order, or at least a clear next step, and I log the visit straight away.
17. A customer says, 'I'll think about it.' How do you respond?
This usually hides a concern the customer has not said yet. I stay calm and ask: 'Of course, it is an important decision. So that I can help, what is the main thing you want to think over: the price, the features, or getting approval from someone?' The answer gives me the real objection, which I can then address. If they need to consult a partner, I offer a short call with both of them. Before ending, I fix a specific follow-up: 'Shall I call you on Thursday at 5 pm?' Then I send a short summary of what we discussed.
18. What is the difference between upselling and cross-selling?
Upselling means moving a customer to a higher-value version of what they are already buying, such as from a one-year plan to a two-year plan, or from the basic model to the premium one. Cross-selling means adding a related product, such as an extended warranty with a laptop or a payroll module with attendance software. Both work only when they solve a need the customer has mentioned, not as a push at the end. If a laptop buyer says they travel a lot, offering a Rs 1,500 accidental damage plan makes sense to them. Done well, both raise order value and customer satisfaction.
19. Which KPIs does a sales executive track?
Activity metrics: calls made, calls connected, talk time, emails sent, field visits and meetings booked. Funnel metrics: lead-to-meeting and meeting-to-close conversion rates, and pipeline value. Result metrics: revenue or units against target, number of deals, average deal size and, in many Indian companies, collections, because a sale counts only when the payment arrives. I track activity daily because I control it, and results weekly. If my conversion is good but revenue is low, I need more activity; if activity is high but conversion is low, I need a better pitch or better leads.
20. You have 60 seconds. Sell yourself to me as if you were the product.
Use the same structure as any pitch: who you are, proof, and why it matters to the buyer. Example: 'I am Arjun, a BBA graduate from Indore. In my final year I sold 180 college fest passes worth Rs 54,000 in two weeks by calling alumni and running a stall. I learned that listening first and following up on time works better than talking a lot. I am comfortable making 80 calls a day and travelling across the city. I would like to join your team as a BDE and can start next week.' Finish with a clear ask, exactly as you would with a customer.
Sales interview questions: Medium questions (1-3 years)
21. Walk me through your sales process, from getting a lead to closing the deal.
Interviewers want a clear structure with your real numbers. Example: 'I sold HR software to small businesses. About 150 leads a month came from website enquiries and my own outreach. I qualified them in a 10-minute call on team size, current process and decision maker, which left around 50. From those I held about 25 demos, sent 15 proposals and closed 6 to 8 deals a month at an average of Rs 45,000, roughly Rs 3 lakh against a Rs 2.75 lakh target. My biggest improvement was offering same-day demo slots, which raised demo attendance from 60% to about 80%.' Keep it under two minutes and use your own figures.
22. Tell me about a deal you lost. What did you learn from it?
Choose a real loss, own your part and show what changed afterwards. Example: 'I was working on a deal worth Rs 8 lakh a year with a logistics company. I dealt only with the operations head, who liked us, but I never met the finance director. In the final week finance chose a cheaper competitor, and I had no relationship there to defend our value. I learned to map everyone involved in the decision before the proposal stage. Now I ask early on who else will approve the purchase, and I request a meeting with finance before I send pricing.' Do not blame the price, the product or the customer.
23. How do you build and manage your pipeline to hit a monthly target consistently?
I keep a pipeline worth about three times my monthly target, because based on my win rate only about a third of it converts. With a Rs 4 lakh target, I want around Rs 12 lakh of qualified opportunities, each with a next step. Every Monday I review each deal's stage, value, expected close date and next action. Deals with no activity for two weeks are either revived with a specific reason or marked lost, so the pipeline stays honest. I also protect time for prospecting every morning, so next month's pipeline is being built while I close this month's deals.
24. A prospect says, 'We are already using a competitor.' How do you handle it?
I never criticise the competitor. I start by understanding: 'That's good, it means you already see the value. What made you choose them, and what would you improve if you could?' There is usually a gap, such as slow support, a missing feature or a big price increase at renewal. I note their renewal date in the CRM. Then I position our strength on that exact gap and offer a low-risk way to compare, such as a 14-day trial, a pilot in one branch or a side-by-side demo. If they are fully satisfied, I stay in touch politely and call again about 60 days before their renewal.
25. A prospect says, 'Just send me the details on email.' What do you do?
Often this is a polite way to end the call, so a brochure alone rarely moves the deal. I agree, but make the email specific: 'Sure. So that I send only what is relevant, are you more interested in reducing cost or saving your team's time?' Then I send a short email or WhatsApp with two or three points tied to their answer, not a 20-page PDF. Before hanging up, I fix the next step: 'I'll send it in 10 minutes. Can we speak on Wednesday at 3 pm for ten minutes to see if it fits?' If they refuse any follow-up time, they are probably not interested yet.
26. A customer asks for a 20% discount to sign today. How do you negotiate?
I never give a discount without getting something in return, and I first find out why they want it: a budget limit, a competitor quote or simple habit. Then I trade: 'I can't do 20%, but if you sign for two years instead of one, or pay annually in advance, I can offer 8%.' Other trades include more users, a referral, a case study or signing this week. Before the meeting I know my walk-away point and my approval limit. If I do move, I move in smaller and smaller steps, such as 5% and then 2%, which signals that I am close to the floor.
27. How do you reach the decision maker when a gatekeeper keeps blocking you?
I treat the receptionist or assistant as an ally, not an obstacle. I am polite, use their name and give an honest, clear reason: 'I'm calling about reducing machine downtime at your plant. Who handles maintenance purchases?' Asking for help works far better than pretending to know the boss. If I am still blocked, I try other routes: calling early in the morning or after 6 pm, when senior people often answer directly; a short LinkedIn message; a referral from an existing customer; or another department head who can introduce me. I log every attempt and stop after a reasonable number.
28. You have more leads than you can call. How do you decide which to prioritise?
I rank leads by fit and intent. Fit means they match our ideal customer: company size, industry, city and budget range. Intent means signs of buying: they requested a demo, visited the pricing page, replied to an email, or have a deadline such as a new financial year. High fit and high intent get a call within the hour; high fit with low intent goes into a nurture sequence of useful content; low fit leads get a polite automated reply. Many CRMs can score leads on these signals. Every month I review won and lost deals and adjust the scoring so it matches what actually converts.
29. Which closing techniques do you use, and when?
I choose based on the buyer. A summary close recaps what the customer agreed solves their problem and then asks for the order. An alternative choice close offers two ways to say yes: 'Would you like delivery on Monday or Wednesday?' An assumptive close moves to next steps once buying signals are strong: 'I'll prepare the agreement for 25 users.' An urgency close uses a real deadline, such as a price revision on 1 April or limited stock at the scheme rate. I avoid fake urgency, because customers talk to each other and lost trust costs far more than one deal.
30. A prospect stops responding after you send the proposal. What do you do?
First I check whether I caused it: did the last meeting end without a clear next step? Then I follow up with value instead of 'any update?', for example a short ROI sheet built on their own numbers or a story from a similar customer. I switch channels between call, WhatsApp and email, and I try another person who attended the meeting. After three or four attempts over two weeks, I send a polite closing message: 'Should I close this file for now, or is the decision just delayed?' This often gets a reply. If not, I mark it lost with the reason and set a reminder to check back later.
31. What information do you keep in the CRM, and why do managers care so much about it?
I update the CRM the same day, ideally right after each call or meeting. For every deal I keep the correct stage, value, expected close date, the people involved, a two-line note on the last conversation and, most important, the next step with a date. A deal without a next step is not really in the pipeline. Managers rely on this data for forecasts, hiring and stock planning, and the company keeps the customer relationship if I move on. It helps me too: I can filter today's follow-ups, see which lead sources convert best, and show my work in numbers, not memory.
32. It is the 20th of the month and you have achieved only 60% of your target. What will you do in the last 10 days?
Say the target is Rs 6 lakh and I have Rs 3.6 lakh, so the gap is Rs 2.4 lakh. I would not panic or start random cold calling. First I review the pipeline and pick deals that can realistically close in 10 days: proposals sent, negotiations and pending approvals. If six late-stage deals are worth about Rs 50,000 each, I need five of them. I work each one: meet the decision maker, clear the last objection, use an approved closing offer if it is justified, and bring my manager into key calls. In parallel I call existing customers for renewals or upgrades, which close faster than new leads.
33. How would you convince a new dealer to start stocking your product?
A dealer stocks a product only if it makes the dealer money without much effort, so I present a business case for the dealer: margin per unit, expected monthly volume and how fast the stock moves. For example: 'On a Rs 1,000 product your margin is 15%, which is Rs 150 a unit. Similar shops near you sell about 60 a month, so that is Rs 9,000 extra profit every month.' I explain the support too: schemes, display material, credit days, and the return policy for damaged goods. I start with a small trial order to reduce the dealer's risk and visit again within a week to check how it is selling.
34. A dealer has a large overdue payment but wants more stock. How do you handle it?
I would not bend credit rules to push volume, because unpaid stock can become a bad debt. First I check the ledger: how much is overdue and for how long. Then I speak to the dealer directly: 'Rs 3 lakh is pending beyond 45 days. I want to dispatch this order; can we clear at least Rs 2 lakh this week?' Options include part payment against the new dispatch, post-dated cheques, or a smaller order within the dealer's credit limit. If the dealer has a genuine cash-flow problem, I bring my manager and the accounts team in with a written payment plan. Collecting payments is part of a sales executive's job.
35. An angry customer calls because their delivery is three days late. How do you handle the call?
I let them speak fully without interrupting, then acknowledge the problem: 'You are right to be upset; you were promised delivery on Monday and it has not arrived.' I do not blame logistics or another department in front of the customer. I check the actual status during the call or immediately after, and give a specific update with a time: 'The order is at the Nagpur hub and will reach you tomorrow before 1 pm. I will call you at 10 am to confirm.' Then I keep that promise. If the delay caused them a loss, I ask my manager about a goodwill gesture, and I find out why it happened.
36. Role play: sell our payroll software to the owner of a 50-employee company who uses Excel today.
Start with questions, not a demo: 'How do you calculate salaries today? How long does it take each month? How often do employees question their payslips?' Suppose the answer is two days of the accountant's time plus frequent overtime errors. Then pitch on that pain: 'Attendance from the app flows straight into payroll, so salaries take an hour instead of two days, and employees can see their own attendance, so disputes drop.' Add simple numbers: two days of a Rs 30,000-salaried accountant is about Rs 2,300 a month, before counting the cost of wrong overtime payments, against a plan of about Rs 2,000 a month. Close by offering a one-month trial with their real data.
37. What is consultative selling, and how do you use SPIN questions?
Transactional selling focuses on the product and price for a quick, simple purchase. Consultative selling starts with the customer's problem and then fits the solution to it, which suits higher-value B2B sales. SPIN is a questioning method for this. Situation questions: how do you handle this today? Problem questions: what difficulties does that cause? Implication questions: what does that cost you in time, money or customers? Need-payoff questions: if this were solved, what would it mean for you? The implication questions matter most, because they make the customer feel the cost of doing nothing, which justifies the price.
38. How do you use LinkedIn and referrals to find B2B prospects?
On LinkedIn I search by role, company size and city, then read the person's posts and company news to find a genuine reason to reach out, such as a new branch or a hiring drive. My connection request is short and personal, with no pitch. Once they accept, I share something useful, like a short case study from their industry, and then ask for a 15-minute call. Referrals work even better: after a successful delivery I ask happy customers, 'Who else in your network faces this problem, and would you introduce us?' A warm introduction usually converts several times better than a cold call.
39. You make 60 calls a day. 25% connect, 10% of connects become meetings, and you close 30% of meetings. How many deals will you close in 22 working days?
Work it step by step. 60 calls a day for 22 working days is 1,320 calls. A 25% connect rate gives 330 conversations. If 10% of those become meetings, that is 33 meetings, and closing 30% of them gives about 10 deals in the month. The calculation also shows where to improve. If the target needs 15 deals, I could raise calls to 90 a day, improve the connect rate by calling at better times, or get better at booking meetings. Raising the meeting rate from 10% to 15% alone gives about 50 meetings and 15 deals.
40. A customer says a local vendor is much cheaper than you. How do you justify the higher price?
I move the conversation from price to total cost and return. Example: our software costs Rs 60,000 a year and a local vendor quotes Rs 35,000. I show what the extra Rs 25,000 buys. If ours saves an accountant earning Rs 25,000 a month about two hours a day, that time is worth around Rs 75,000 a year: Rs 25,000 divided by 208 working hours is about Rs 120 an hour, times 52 hours a month, times 12. The difference is recovered three times over, plus better support and lower risk of data loss. I also ask what happens if the cheaper option fails during salary week, and offer references from similar customers.
Sales interview questions: Hard questions (experienced)
41. Your team of six executives has a quarterly target of Rs 1.2 crore. How do you split it?
I would not split it equally at Rs 20 lakh each without data. First I look at each territory's potential, each person's last three quarters, whether anyone is still ramping up, and the current pipeline. I also keep a buffer: individual targets usually add up to 5 to 10% more than the team number, because someone will miss. For example, individual targets totalling Rs 1.3 crore: Rs 26 lakh each for two strong performers in rich territories, Rs 21 lakh each for three steady performers, and Rs 15 lakh for a new joiner. Then I break each target into monthly and weekly activity goals and explain the logic openly so it feels fair.
42. One of your top performers has missed target for two months in a row. How do you handle it?
I start with a private, honest conversation, not a warning. A top performer slipping usually has a reason: burnout, a personal issue, a territory change, a lost key account, or feeling unrewarded. I review the data first, such as activity, pipeline and conversion, so the discussion is specific: 'Your calls are steady, but demos have halved since June.' Then I ask what changed and listen. Together we set a 30-day plan with weekly checkpoints and the support I will give, like joint calls or leads from a new segment. If the issue is motivation, I discuss growth: a key account, mentoring juniors or a path to promotion.
43. How do you make an accurate monthly or quarterly sales forecast?
I start from the CRM, weighting each deal by the historical win rate of its stage, and then review every large deal by hand. If our history shows proposals close at 40% and negotiations at 70%, a Rs 10 lakh deal in negotiation counts as Rs 7 lakh in the weighted pipeline. I also sort deals into commit (very likely, such as a purchase order expected), best case and pipeline. Each week I question the top deals: is the decision maker engaged, is the next step agreed, does the close date match the buyer's approval process? I compare past forecasts with actual results to correct for over-optimistic or sandbagging reps.
44. How do you grow revenue from an existing key account?
I build a written account plan. It covers the customer's business goals for the year, our current share of their spend, every stakeholder with their influence and attitude towards us, and the whitespace: products, divisions or locations not yet using us. For example, a client using our attendance software in 2 of its 9 plants has a seven-plant expansion opportunity. I hold quarterly business reviews that show the value we delivered in their terms, such as hours saved or errors reduced, and then propose the next step. I also build relationships at several levels, so the account does not depend on one champion who might leave.
45. A key account says a competitor is offering 15% lower prices and they may switch. What do you do?
I do not panic or match the price immediately. I meet the decision makers to understand whether this is a real move or a negotiation tactic, and what exactly the competitor has offered, because scope, service levels and payment terms often differ. Then I quantify our value for them: delivery reliability, fewer defects, dedicated support, and the cost of switching, such as retraining and downtime. If price really is the issue, I make a structured offer instead of a flat cut, such as a 5% loyalty discount for a two-year renewal, volume slabs or a lower-cost service tier. I involve my leadership early, because losing a key account affects the whole business.
46. How do you prepare for a negotiation with a large company's procurement team?
I prepare my walk-away price, my target price and the value of every concession I can offer, such as payment terms, volume pricing, implementation or support. I also estimate their BATNA, the best alternative to a negotiated agreement, meaning what they will do if we don't agree; the weaker their alternatives, the more room I have. In the meeting I let them state all their demands first, then trade each concession for something: 'If we move to 60-day payment, can we fix a three-year term?' I avoid automatically splitting the difference. Procurement teams are measured on savings, so I sometimes help them show a saving through volume pricing instead of cutting the unit rate, and I confirm every agreement in writing.
47. How do you manage an enterprise deal with many stakeholders and a long sales cycle?
I map everyone involved: the economic buyer who controls the budget, the champion who wants us to win, technical evaluators, end users, procurement and possible blockers. I test whether the champion is real, meaning they have influence and will share internal information. Then I plan for each group: a technical session for IT, a business case with a payback period for finance, a pilot for end users. I agree a mutual action plan with the customer listing every step, owner and date up to signing, so the deal does not drift. Cycles of six to nine months need regular, useful touchpoints, not just status calls.
48. A customer wants 90-day payment terms instead of your standard 30 days on a Rs 20 lakh order. How do you respond?
Credit costs money, so I put a number on it first. Giving 60 extra days at a 12% annual cost of capital costs us about Rs 39,500 on this order (Rs 20 lakh times 12% times 60 divided by 365). Then I decide what to ask for in return: a slightly higher price, a larger order, a longer contract or a part advance. A typical reply: '90 days is possible if the order goes up to Rs 25 lakh, or I can offer 45 days at the current price.' I also check the customer's payment history and get finance approval before agreeing. Accepting 90 days without pricing it in can wipe out the margin on the deal.
49. A dealer complains that your company's direct sales team undercut the dealer on a customer in the dealer's territory. How do you resolve it?
First I listen and get the facts: which customer, what price, who quoted and when. If our direct team really sold below the dealer's price in the dealer's territory, the dealer is right, and if I ignore it, other dealers will lose trust and stop pushing our products. I fix the immediate case, for example by passing the dealer the margin on that sale. Then I fix the system: clear rules of engagement on which accounts the direct team handles, say enterprise customers above Rs 25 lakh a year; deal registration, so the first partner to register a lead is protected; and one minimum price for both channels.
50. How would you design a quarterly scheme to grow dealer sales by 20%?
A good scheme drives the behaviour we want, is simple to explain and pays for itself from margin. I would set slabs on growth over each dealer's own base, not one common number for all: for example, 1% extra margin on total sales for 10 to 20% growth, and 2% beyond 20%. I would pay it on collected value, not billing, so dealers do not load stock they cannot pay for. A dealer with a Rs 10 lakh base who reaches Rs 12.5 lakh earns 2% of Rs 12.5 lakh, which is Rs 25,000. If our gross margin is 30%, the extra Rs 2.5 lakh of sales brings Rs 75,000, so the scheme is affordable. Then I track it weekly.
51. How do you coach a newly hired BDE during the first three months?
I use a 30-60-90 day plan. In the first month: product training, listening to calls by our best performers, shadowing field visits, and role plays of the five most common objections until the replies sound natural. In the second month they run their own calls while I listen in, and I give feedback straight after, one or two points at a time, not ten. Targets ramp up: 50% of the normal target in month two, 75% in month three and the full target from month four. Every week we review recorded calls and their funnel numbers to find the exact weak stage: connecting, booking meetings or closing.
52. As a team lead, which metrics do you review every week, and what is the difference between leading and lagging indicators?
Lagging indicators show results after the fact: revenue, deals won, average deal size and collections. Leading indicators predict those results: new qualified leads, meetings held, proposals sent, pipeline coverage against target and how quickly deals move between stages. I review leading indicators weekly for each person, because they can still be changed this month. A drop in revenue next month usually shows up earlier as fewer meetings or a pipeline below three times the target. I also compare stage conversion across the team: if one executive books many demos but closes few, that is a coaching need, not an activity problem.
53. How do you control discounting in your team without losing deals?
Uncontrolled discounts train customers to wait for month-end and eat into margin, so I set clear limits: for example, executives can give up to 5%, team leads up to 10%, and anything above needs the sales head and finance. Every discount request must state the reason, the competitor's price if any, and what we get in return, such as a longer contract or advance payment. I track the average discount by person and by month in the CRM. If someone's discounts are always at the maximum, I coach them on value selling. I also push the team to close earlier in the month, which reduces panic discounting.
54. You discover that one of your executives has been entering fake meetings and inflated deals in the CRM. How do you handle it?
First I verify with evidence: call logs, meeting records and, for a sample of deals, a quick check with the customer. If the entries are fake, I treat it seriously, because it corrupts forecasts, damages trust and affects the whole team's credibility. I speak to the executive privately, show the evidence and listen; often the cause is pressure to look busy. The records are corrected, any customer who was misled is contacted, and the matter is documented with HR as per company policy. Then I fix the system around it: weekly pipeline reviews, rewards for accurate forecasts, and making it safe to report a deal as lost.
55. How would you open a new territory, for example launching sales in Tier-2 cities?
I start with data: market size, which industries and customer segments exist there, which competitors are active, and any existing customers or enquiries from those cities. Then I choose the route to market: direct field sales for large accounts, and dealers or channel partners for smaller customers where local relationships matter. I launch with a small team that speaks the local language and aim for three to five anchor customers who can give references. In Tier-2 cities buyers are often more price-sensitive and want to see trust first, so demos, local case studies and quick after-sales service matter. I set 90-day goals for leads, partners signed and first revenue before scaling.
56. Role play: I am the CFO. Convince me to sign a three-year contract instead of one year.
A CFO cares about return, risk and cash flow, so I speak in numbers. 'The solution costs Rs 18 lakh a year. Your team spends about Rs 30 lakh a year on the manual process, overtime and errors we discussed, so payback is around seven months. A three-year contract fixes the price at Rs 18 lakh, while our standard renewal adds 8% a year, which saves you about Rs 4.4 lakh over three years. To reduce your risk, we include service-level penalties and an exit clause if we miss them for two quarters, and billing can be quarterly to protect cash flow.' Then I ask: 'Which of these terms would you need changed to sign this month?'
57. A large deal has been stuck at the final stage for two months. How do you rescue it?
I find out why it is stuck before following up harder. I check whether I still have access to the decision maker, whether priorities or budget have changed, and whether a new stakeholder or competitor has appeared. Then I ask my champion directly: 'What has to happen internally for this to be signed, and what could stop it?' Depending on the answer, I may bring in a senior leader from our side for a leader-to-leader conversation, reduce the scope to a smaller first phase, or update the business case with fresh numbers. I agree a dated plan with the customer. If there is no real path to closing, I take it out of the forecast honestly.
58. Role play: I am a key account client. Your team missed our service levels twice last week and we lost orders. Respond to me.
First I listen without defending, then take ownership: 'You are right. We committed to a four-hour response and missed it twice last week, and it cost you orders. I am sorry.' Next I give facts and the fix: what went wrong, what we have already changed, and a named person with a direct number for escalations. I offer a fair remedy agreed with my management, such as the service credit in our contract, rather than a vague promise. Then I schedule a review in two weeks to show the improvement with data. Handled well, a complaint like this can strengthen the relationship, because the client sees how we act under pressure.
59. What do you look for when hiring sales executives for your team?
I look for evidence, not just confidence. The traits I want are resilience after rejection, discipline in daily activity, curiosity, good listening and honesty. I ask for specific numbers from past roles: target, achievement, average deal size, sales cycle and how they generated leads. I run a role play using our real product and objections, and give feedback halfway through to see whether they apply it immediately, which shows coachability. For freshers, I look for examples like college fest sponsorships or part-time sales jobs. I also check references to confirm the numbers they claim. A candidate who blames every miss on managers or the market is a red flag.
60. How would you design an incentive plan for a team of sales executives?
A good plan is simple, matches company goals, and pays well for over-achievement. Example for a BDE with a CTC of Rs 6 lakh: 70% fixed (Rs 4.2 lakh) and 30% variable (Rs 1.8 lakh) at 100% of target. The variable is paid quarterly, with a threshold so nothing is paid below 70% achievement, a payout that rises in line with achievement from 70% to 100%, and an accelerator, such as 1.5 times the rate, above 100%. I link part of the payout to collections rather than billing and add a small component for strategic goals like new customers. I avoid caps where possible, because they make top performers stop selling once they hit them.
Ready to apply?
There are 5,894 open jobs asking for Sales on CoreHRx right now. Create a free profile once and apply with it.