Every CRO Should Ask These 5 Questions Before Committing Their Forecast
Why Forecast Questions Matter
Most CROs commit forecasts without asking the right questions. They look at pipeline, check rep commitments, and commit numbers — but they don't ask questions that surface forecast risk, execution issues, or accuracy problems.
Forecast questions should surface:
- Forecast risk — Deals that are at risk, deals that are overstated
- Execution issues — Execution gaps, execution problems
- Accuracy problems — Forecast inaccuracy, forecast inconsistency
Here are the 5 questions every CRO should ask before committing their forecast — why they matter, what they surface, and how to use them.
1. What Deals Are at Risk?
Why it matters: Deals at risk are deals that are forecasted but may not close. They're deals with risk factors, deals that are aging, or deals with execution issues.
What to ask:
- Which deals have risk factors?
- Which deals are aging?
- Which deals have execution issues?
- Which deals are forecasted but not progressing?
What it surfaces:
- Deal risk factors — Deals with risk indicators, deals with red flags
- Deal aging — Deals that are sitting too long, deals that aren't progressing
- Execution issues — Deals with low activity, deals with poor engagement
- Forecast risk — Deals that are forecasted but at risk
How to use it: Review deals at risk before committing forecast. Identify which deals need attention, which deals need coaching, and which deals need to be removed from forecast.
What good looks like: Few deals at risk, risk factors are identified, execution issues are addressed, forecast risk is low.
What bad looks like: Many deals at risk, risk factors aren't identified, execution issues aren't addressed, forecast risk is high.
2. What Execution Gaps Exist?
Why it matters: Execution gaps are gaps between what should happen and what's actually happening. They're gaps in activity, gaps in engagement, or gaps in progression.
What to ask:
- Where are execution gaps?
- What's not happening that should be happening?
- What execution issues exist?
- What's blocking execution?
What it surfaces:
- Activity gaps — Reps who aren't active, deals with low activity
- Engagement gaps — Accounts that aren't engaged, stakeholders who aren't engaged
- Progression gaps — Deals that aren't progressing, deals that are stuck
- Execution blockers — What's blocking execution, what's preventing progress
How to use it: Review execution gaps before committing forecast. Identify which gaps need to be closed, which execution issues need to be addressed, and which blockers need to be removed.
What good looks like: Few execution gaps, execution issues are identified, blockers are removed, execution is healthy.
What bad looks like: Many execution gaps, execution issues aren't identified, blockers aren't removed, execution is unhealthy.
3. What's Changed Since Last Forecast?
Why it matters: Changes since last forecast show whether forecast is improving or deteriorating. They're new deals, lost deals, or deal changes.
What to ask:
- What new deals were added?
- What deals were lost?
- What deals changed?
- What's different from last forecast?
What it surfaces:
- New deals — Deals that were added, deals that are new
- Lost deals — Deals that were lost, deals that were removed
- Deal changes — Deals that changed, deals that were updated
- Forecast changes — How forecast changed, why forecast changed
How to use it: Review changes before committing forecast. Identify which changes are positive, which changes are negative, and which changes need attention.
What good looks like: Changes are positive, new deals are strong, lost deals are minimal, forecast is improving.
What bad looks like: Changes are negative, new deals are weak, lost deals are significant, forecast is deteriorating.
4. What Reps Are Inconsistent?
Why it matters: Reps who are inconsistent are reps who miss forecasts, reps who are unreliable, or reps who need coaching.
What to ask:
- Which reps consistently miss forecasts?
- Which reps are unreliable?
- Which reps need coaching?
- Which reps have accuracy issues?
What it surfaces:
- Forecast accuracy — Reps who are accurate, reps who aren't
- Rep reliability — Reps who are reliable, reps who aren't
- Coaching needs — Reps who need coaching, reps who don't
- Accuracy issues — Reps with accuracy problems, reps without
How to use it: Review rep consistency before committing forecast. Identify which reps need coaching, which reps need attention, and which reps can be relied upon.
What good looks like: Reps are consistent, forecast accuracy is high, rep reliability is strong, coaching needs are minimal.
What bad looks like: Reps are inconsistent, forecast accuracy is low, rep reliability is weak, coaching needs are significant.
5. What Account Context Is Missing?
Why it matters: Account context is critical for forecast accuracy. Missing account context means missing account intelligence, missing account signals, or missing account risk.
What to ask:
- What account context is missing?
- What account intelligence is needed?
- What account signals are missing?
- What account risk isn't visible?
What it surfaces:
- Account intelligence gaps — Missing account research, missing account context
- Account signal gaps — Missing triggers, missing signals
- Account risk gaps — Missing risk factors, missing risk indicators
- Account planning gaps — Missing account plans, missing account strategy
How to use it: Review account context before committing forecast. Identify which accounts need context, which accounts need intelligence, and which accounts need planning.
What good looks like: Account context is complete, account intelligence is available, account signals are visible, account risk is identified.
What bad looks like: Account context is missing, account intelligence isn't available, account signals aren't visible, account risk isn't identified.
How to Use These Questions
Before forecast commit: Ask these questions before committing forecast. Use them to surface forecast risk, execution issues, and accuracy problems.
During forecast review: Use these questions during forecast review. Use them to identify issues, patterns, and opportunities.
After forecast commit: Review these questions after forecast commit. Use them to track forecast accuracy, identify forecast issues, and improve forecast process.
The Bottom Line
These 5 questions surface what matters for forecast accuracy:
- Deal risk — Deals that are at risk
- Execution gaps — Execution issues and gaps
- Forecast changes — Changes since last forecast
- Rep consistency — Reps who are inconsistent
- Account context — Missing account context and intelligence
The challenge: These questions surface forecast risk, but they don't solve the structural problem — forecasts are still built manually, account context is still missing, and execution gaps still exist.
The solution: Systems that maintain account context continuously, enable proactive account planning, and provide execution signals — not just forecast risk, but account intelligence that enables forecast accuracy.
That's the 5 questions every CRO should ask before committing their forecast — questions that surface forecast risk, execution issues, and accuracy problems, but recognizing that questions alone don't solve forecast accuracy without systems that maintain account context and enable proactive account planning.