MEDDIC
MEDDIC is A B2B sales qualification framework built around six criteria: Metrics, Economic Buyer, Decision Criteria, Decision Process, Identify Pain, and Champion. RevOps enforces it through CRM fields and stage gates.
MEDDIC is the qualification framework that separates pipeline fiction from pipeline fact. Developed at PTC in the 1990s, it forces reps to validate six things before a deal is real: what success looks like in numbers (Metrics), who controls the budget (Economic Buyer), how the decision will be made (Decision Criteria and Decision Process), what problem you're solving (Identify Pain), and who's fighting for you internally (Champion).
The framework works because it exposes weak deals early. A rep who can't articulate the customer's decision criteria or hasn't identified the economic buyer is guessing, not selling. MEDDIC turns "I think it's going well" into provable, inspectable qualification.
The Six Elements
- Metrics: Quantified business outcomes the buyer expects. Not "they want to improve efficiency" but "they need to reduce cycle time by 30% to hit Q3 targets."
- Economic Buyer: The person who can approve budget without escalation. Not your champion, not the evaluator. The one who signs.
- Decision Criteria: The specific requirements (technical, business, legal) the buyer will use to evaluate options.
- Decision Process: The steps, timeline, and stakeholders involved in making and approving the purchase.
- Identify Pain: The business problem driving urgency. No pain, no deal. Compelling events create timelines.
- Champion: An internal advocate with power and influence who's actively selling on your behalf. They need something to gain personally from your success.
RevOps Implementation
RevOps operationalizes MEDDIC by building it into the CRM. Custom fields for each element on the opportunity record. Stage gate requirements that won't let deals advance without key fields populated. Forecast reviews that inspect MEDDIC completeness alongside pipeline value. Tools like Gong can auto-detect MEDDIC elements in sales conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between MEDDIC and MEDDICC?
MEDDICC adds a second C for Competition. MEDDPICC adds Paper Process and Competition. The core framework is the same. Most teams pick the variant that matches their sales complexity. Enterprise deals with heavy procurement involvement benefit from the Paper Process addition.
How does RevOps enforce MEDDIC in CRM?
Build custom fields for each MEDDIC element on the opportunity record. Set validation rules that require key fields before a deal can advance to later stages. Run forecast reviews that inspect MEDDIC scores alongside dollar values. Track completion rates by rep and stage to identify coaching opportunities. The goal isn't paperwork for its own sake; it's forcing the qualification conversations that prevent bad deals from clogging the pipeline.
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