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Sample · Fictional company, people and calls

SAMPLE COACHING REPORT

From one sales call to coaching a rep can use.

In Close-Rate · Call transcript, excerpt

Discovery · Brackwater FreightRenee Castillo, COO · Sep 29, 2026

14:33

Renee Castillo (Customer)

Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

verified

Exact words, found in the call

14:52

Maya Okafor (Rep)

That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

Buyer-owned impact · level 2 of 5

15:06

Renee Castillo (Customer)

Okay. I mean, we've heard that before.

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In Close-Rate · Call transcript, excerpt

Discovery · Brackwater FreightRenee Castillo, COO · Sep 29, 2026

14:33

Renee Castillo (Customer)

Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

verified

Exact words, found in the call

14:52

Maya Okafor (Rep)

That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

Buyer-owned impact · level 2 of 5

15:06

Renee Castillo (Customer)

Okay. I mean, we've heard that before.

About this sample

01
Keelstone Finance Partners
Fictional firm selling an outsourced controller and FP&A team, six-month minimum.
02
Maya Okafor
Fictional account executive. 8 calls, Sep 15 – Oct 2, 2026.
03
13 skills, 5 sections
We chose the level for each skill on each call. The same code real reports use turned them into scores.
04
Quotes checked
Quotes in her report were matched word for word against the calls they cite. One that didn't match is labelled as a summary.

The company, people and calls are invented. We also wrote the coaching and chose the rubric level for each skill on each call. The report layout, the scoring arithmetic and the quote checks are the product's own. About this sample

THE STORY

One moment, followed all the way through

On September 29, Maya had a first call with Renee Castillo, COO of Brackwater Freight. Fourteen minutes in, Renee said something important. Here's how Close-Rate handles a moment like this.

01 ·THE CALL· Discovery

Renee describes a costly surprise

Renee closes Brackwater's books at night, after running dispatch all day. Maya asks what the hardest part is. Renee tells her about last winter's payroll scare, and Maya answers with Keelstone's results.

In Close-Rate · Call transcript, excerpt

Discovery · Brackwater FreightRenee Castillo, COO · Sep 29, 2026

14:28

Maya Okafor (Rep)

What's the hardest part of running finance this way?

14:33

Renee Castillo (Customer)Buyer signal

Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

14:52

Maya Okafor (Rep)Rep response

That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

15:06

Renee Castillo (Customer)Buyer reaction

Okay. I mean, we've heard that before.

15:10

Maya Okafor (Rep)

Fair. So tell me about the reporting the bank asks for.

How it's made

Calls come in from Zoom, RingCentral or an upload and are transcribed with speaker labels. Close-Rate works out who is the rep and who is the buyer from the meeting details and introductions. The original transcript is never edited.

Why it matters

A buyer describing a problem in their own words is the most useful minute of a discovery call. What the rep does in the next ten seconds decides whether the buyer says more.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

Calls come in from Zoom, RingCentral or an upload and are transcribed with speaker labels. Close-Rate works out who is the rep and who is the buyer from the meeting details and introductions. The original transcript is never edited.

Why it matters

A buyer describing a problem in their own words is the most useful minute of a discovery call. What the rep does in the next ten seconds decides whether the buyer says more.

02 ·THE EVIDENCE· Discovery

The moment, matched to the transcript

Close-Rate marks the exchange in three parts, tagged in the call above: what the buyer said, how the rep responded and what the buyer said next. Before the moment can appear in Maya's report, its words and their order are checked against the transcript.

From Maya's report · Discovery

verified

Words and order match the transcript

Renee's line, Maya's answer and Renee's reply appear in the call, in that order.

What tempers this reading

Renee Castillo (Customer)
I'll be straight with you. We used an outsourced bookkeeping firm in 2024. We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up.

Her doubt may come from the 2024 bookkeeping firm she mentions later, not from this answer. Text alone can't show how she felt.

See it in Maya's report

How it's made

Each exchange is checked against the transcript, word for word and in order, before it can appear on a card. A match proves the words are in the call. It doesn't prove what anyone meant, so each card says what tempers the reading.

Why it matters

Coaching starts from the buyer: what they said, how the rep answered, what they said next. The rep controls the middle step. The buyer's reaction is information, not a grade.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

Each exchange is checked against the transcript, word for word and in order, before it can appear on a card. A match proves the words are in the call. It doesn't prove what anyone meant, so each card says what tempers the reading.

Why it matters

Coaching starts from the buyer: what they said, how the rep answered, what they said next. The rep controls the middle step. The buyer's reaction is information, not a grade.

03 ·THE SCORE· Discovery

Scored against a written standard

This moment counts toward Buyer-owned impact: does the rep let the buyer describe what a problem costs them before offering a fix? Maya's answer matches level 2 of 5. Here is the standard, and where each of her calls landed.

The written standard · Buyer-owned impact

Level 5 of 5: Strong
Checks the impact in the buyer's own words, accepts it when there isn't one, and never invents costs or pressure.
Level 4 of 5: Proficient
Asks how much the impact matters, in the buyer's own terms.
Level 3 of 5: Developing
Asks what the problem leads to, without assuming a loss.
Level 2 of 5: Basic
Acknowledges the problem, then moves on before asking why it matters.
Level 1 of 5: Not demonstrated
Skips past a problem the buyer raised.

2 + 2 + 3 + 3 + 4 = 14 ÷ 5 scored calls = 2.80

The exact rubric wording

5Checks the buyer's own account of impact and value of change, respecting absent impact or refusal; never invents costs, fear or pressure.
4Explores the size or practical significance of that impact in the buyer's own terms.
3Asks about a relevant consequence without presuming loss or demanding personal disclosure.
2Validates the problem but pivots before exploring why it matters.
1Dismisses or bypasses an expressed problem despite a chance to explore its impact.

Missing isn't low. Kettleby (Sep 17) and Quillon (Sep 24) never gave Maya the opening, so they're marked not applicable, not failed. Pinehollow (Sep 30) was only partly recorded, so it doesn't count toward this skill.

See Maya's Discovery score

How it's made

Every call is assessed against 13 skills. For each skill the reviewer picks the written level that matches what happened and cites the passage. In this sample we chose the levels ourselves. Code turns levels into points and averages them, and the writing step can't change a number. Whether a deal closed is never an input: Wrenfield signed and Kettleby didn't, and neither fact is in these scores.

Why it matters

A problem the buyer describes in their own words is theirs. A problem the seller describes is a claim the buyer can doubt, which is what Renee did. The standard rewards asking about consequences without presuming them, and accepting it when the buyer says the problem is small.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

Every call is assessed against 13 skills. For each skill the reviewer picks the written level that matches what happened and cites the passage. In this sample we chose the levels ourselves. Code turns levels into points and averages them, and the writing step can't change a number. Whether a deal closed is never an input: Wrenfield signed and Kettleby didn't, and neither fact is in these scores.

Why it matters

A problem the buyer describes in their own words is theirs. A problem the seller describes is a claim the buyer can doubt, which is what Renee did. The standard rewards asking about consequences without presuming them, and accepting it when the buyer says the problem is small.

04 ·THE COACHING· Discovery

What to say instead, and how to practice it

The report quotes the line, offers a better one, points to Maya's own best example of the same skill and gives her a drill built from her calls.

From Maya's report · Discovery

Instead of answering with results, try

Suggested wording · not from the call

Four days' notice on payroll. What did that week look like for you? (Let her answer.) And if you'd seen it coming six weeks out instead of four days, what would you have done differently?

See the missed moment

Her own best example of the same skill

Maya Okafor (Rep) · Ellery & Rhodes · Oct 2
Three months after. What happens when you find out that late?

See the strong example

A drill built from her calls

Two questions before the pitch

When a buyer describes a costly problem, get their own account of what it led to, and how much it matters, before you describe Keelstone.

See the whole drill

How it's made

Suggested wording is advice, so it's never shown as a quote. The report puts its weight on one behavior, with Maya's own best example, a short drill and a check for her next real call.

Why it matters

People change one habit at a time. Maya's own call from October 2 is a better model than a script, because it shows she can already do it.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

Suggested wording is advice, so it's never shown as a quote. The report puts its weight on one behavior, with Maya's own best example, a short drill and a check for her next real call.

Why it matters

People change one habit at a time. Maya's own call from October 2 is a better model than a script, because it shows she can already do it.

05 ·THE NEXT CALL

A plan for Thursday, with the owner in the room

Maya's next Brackwater call is Thursday, with the owner, Walt Harmon. From the same calls, Close-Rate prepares her: one focus, what's still unknown, three questions and wording to try. She can rehearse with a simulated buyer, draft the confirmation email, plan for a yes, a no or a 'not yet', or ask her own question.

In Close-Rate · Prepare my next call

BEFORE THE CALL

Brackwater Freight

Thursday with Renee and Walt

Let Walt describe what last winter's payroll scare cost Brackwater, in his own words, before you show him anything.

On Sep 29 you answered Renee's payroll story with Keelstone's results, and she pushed back. Walt hasn't heard the pitch yet, and he still brings up the 2024 bookkeeping firm.

What we’re working from

Renee described drawing on the credit line to make payroll with about four days of warning.

Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

Call-linked summary · AI interpretation

Renee said the forecast matters more to her than getting her evenings back.

The forecast is the part I care about. The nights, honestly, I've made peace with.

Call-linked summary · AI interpretation

Walt still raises the 2024 bookkeeping firm that missed a sales tax filing.

We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up.

Call-linked summary · AI interpretation

You sent Renee the overview deck on Sep 30. She hasn't replied, and Walt hasn't confirmed Thursday.

Reported by you

Still to clarify

What Walt needs to see to approve a commitment of this size.

Whether the December covenant review is a hard deadline or a preference.

Who would own the close checklist day to day: Renee or Carla.

Questions worth asking

01

Walt, Renee told me about last winter's payroll scare. How did that look from where you sit?

02

If you'd seen it coming six weeks out instead of four days, what would you have done differently?

03

What would you need to see from us to know this won't be a repeat of 2024?

Try saying · suggested wording

Before I show you anything, I'd like to make sure I understand what matters to both of you. Renee, you told me the forecast matters more than the late nights. Walt, is that how you'd put it, or is something else at the top of your list?

Your proposed next move

If the forecast is the priority for both of them, propose a start date that gets November closed before the December review, and ask Walt what he'd need to see to approve it. If it isn't a priority right now, ask whether to revisit after the review.

How it's made

Plans use only the calls Maya selects. Every point says where it came from: the call, something Maya reported, or an inference to confirm. Practice runs against a simulated buyer, and drafts are never sent for her.

Why it matters

Good preparation is knowing what you don't know. The plan lists what's still unclear, like what Walt needs to approve, so Maya walks in curious instead of scripted. The branches for agree, hesitate and decline are suggestions, not predictions.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

Plans use only the calls Maya selects. Every point says where it came from: the call, something Maya reported, or an inference to confirm. Practice runs against a simulated buyer, and drafts are never sent for her.

Why it matters

Good preparation is knowing what you don't know. The plan lists what's still unclear, like what Walt needs to approve, so Maya walks in curious instead of scripted. The branches for agree, hesitate and decline are suggestions, not predictions.

06 ·THE TEAM

The same evidence, rolled up for the coach

Maya's manager, Jordan, gets a team report for the same three weeks: 31 calls across four reps. Strengths and gaps stay attached to the rep who has them.

Excerpt from the team report

Team report · Sep 15 – Oct 2, 2026 · 31 calls · 4 reps · fictional

Across 31 calls, price came up most often, and it's where the team's answers are weakest: reps tended to defend the price before asking what was behind the concern. Ines's Sable Creek call shows the alternative on a different objection: she asked what the partner's first question would be, then built the next step around it.

Four reps, same three weeks

Rep	Calls	Most consistent strength	Practice next	Coverage
Maya Okafor	8	Candid about what Keelstone can and can't do	Ask what a problem led to before presenting	7 full recordings, 1 partial
Luis Navarro	9	Checks his summary of needs before presenting	Ask what's behind a price concern before answering it	9 full recordings
Ines Carvalho	10	Opens with time, priorities and the decision	Follow-up questions that go past the first answer	10 full recordings
Theo Brandt	4	Not enough evidence yet	Record whole calls so there's something to coach	4 calls: 1 partial recording, 1 with two buyers merged into one voice

Strengths and practice areas come from each rep's own scored calls. Theo's calls don't give enough context to say either, so the report doesn't guess.

9 of 31

calls where a buyer raised price or budget

from 31 calls

Objection frequency

Pricing

9 calls

Weak

Example response

Harlow Veterinary · Sep 25

“I understand. What I'd point out is that most of our clients find the forecast pays for itself within the first two quarters, just from catching cash issues earlier.”

Need to Think / Consult Others

7 calls

Mixed

Example response

Sable Creek · Sep 30

“That makes sense. What do you think Ellen's first question will be?”

Timing

5 calls

Adequate

Example response

Ellery & Rhodes · Oct 2

“Is that about the team's time during year-end, or about budget for the new year?”

Can Do It Myself

4 calls

Weak

Trust

3 calls

Adequate

Example response

Brackwater · Sep 29

“That's fair. Your controller would be named in the agreement, and if we ever change who's on your account, you'd hear it from me first, with a two-week overlap. I can't promise nobody ever leaves, but I can promise you won't be handed off without notice.”

Competition

3 calls

Strong

Example response

Wrenfield · Sep 23

“Then here's how it usually splits. Kevin keeps taxes and the year-end review. We do the monthly close and the forecasting, which is the work he's been asking you for. Would it help if I set up twenty minutes with Kevin so he can tell you himself whether anything overlaps?”

Next step

Before Friday's pipeline review

coach

Run one 20-minute price role-play with Luis and Theo

Use Luis's Sep 25 Harlow Veterinary moment. One rule: the first reply to a price concern is a question. Ines's Sable Creek call is the model; ask her to play the buyer.

How it's made

The team report reads every rep's calls for the period and keeps each rep's evidence separate. Objection and outcome counts, like '9 of 31 calls', are tallied by code from the call records, and every figure says how many calls it rests on.

Why it matters

A pattern the whole team shares, like answering price before asking what's behind it, is worth one group session. Individual habits get coached one rep at a time.

How it's made · Why it matters

How it's made

The team report reads every rep's calls for the period and keeps each rep's evidence separate. Objection and outcome counts, like '9 of 31 calls', are tallied by code from the call records, and every figure says how many calls it rests on.

Why it matters

A pattern the whole team shares, like answering price before asking what's behind it, is worth one group session. Individual habits get coached one rep at a time.

That was one moment. Maya's report covers all eight calls.

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THE REPORT

Maya's full report

Five sections, every score with its coverage, and the calls behind each one. Tap any quote to read it in the call.

Sample · Fictional company, people and calls

Rendered with Close-Rate's report components

11 notes explain how this report was made

1.One rep, three weeks
2.What the close rate counts
3.Written last, from checked moments
4.Why most sections say low confidence
5.The model never writes a number
6.Suggested wording is advice
7.Honest limits build trust
8.No score isn't a low score
9.Counted by code
10.A clean no can score at the top
11.When a quote fails the check

Maya Okafor · Coaching report (fictional sample)

Calls from

Sep 15 – Oct 2, 2026

Conversations

8

Close Rate

12.5%

Generated

Oct 5, 2026

Summary

You ask good questions about how a buyer's business runs, and you're candid about what Keelstone can't promise. Buyers respond to both. One habit shows up across these calls: when a buyer describes something costly, you explain how Keelstone fixes it before they've said what it costs them, and before you've checked you have their priorities in the right order. This report puts its weight on that habit, with a drill to practice before Thursday's Brackwater call.

Priorities for the next call

Ask what it led to before you pitch
When a buyer describes a costly event, ask what happened next and how much it matters before mentioning Keelstone. Practice with the drill in Discovery. Next-call check: on Thursday, did Walt or Renee describe the impact in their own words before you presented?
“That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.”
Discovery · Brackwater Freight
Check the order before presenting
Summarize what you heard, then ask whether you have the order right, and lead with whatever they put first. Next-call check: the buyer confirmed or corrected your summary before you showed anything.
“Based on what you've told me, here's how I'd see it working. Your controller takes the reconciliations off your nights, Carla keeps chasing receipts but into one shared close checklist, and you get a cash forecast you can actually plan payroll and dispatch around.”
Value Presentation · Brackwater Freight
End with a deliverable, an owner and a date
Use your Wrenfield recap as the template: what you'll send, what they'll do, and when you'll talk next. Next-call check: Thursday ends with a dated step that says what Walt needs to see.
“This was really helpful. I'll send a few things over, and maybe we get Walt on a call next week?”
Closing · Brackwater Freight
“So, to recap who does what: I'll send the engagement letter and the overlap note for Kevin by Friday, you'll set up the twenty minutes with Kevin, and we'll talk again on Tuesday the 29th.”
Closing · Wrenfield Home Health

Section Scores

Average:

Rapport Building

Discovery

Value Presentation

Objection Handling

Closing

Rapport Building

4.1/5

8/8 calls contributed · Partial coverage

Low confidence

Sub-competency breakdown

Connection and listening

4.3/5

8 of 8 calls scored

See scoring evidence

5/5 on this call · Reflected the concern back and offered two readings for the buyer to choose between.

Maya Okafor (Rep): That makes sense. Is it the cost of overlap that worries you, or is it more about Kevin and his team having to work with someone new?

5/5 on this call · Took the worry seriously and asked a question that builds on it.

Maya Okafor (Rep): That's worth taking seriously. Who would they hear about it from first?

Shared purpose

3.9/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Stated a purpose and asked what the buyer wanted, but didn't check time or the decision.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Thanks for making time, Renee. I'd like to use the first part of this to understand how finance runs at Brackwater today, and then, if it's useful, show you how we've set this up for other carriers. Does that work, or is there something you need to get out of today?

5/5 on this call · Checked time, each buyer's priorities and what the call should decide.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Before we start, I have us until 2:45. Dr. Marsh, Lisa, what would make this a good use of the next forty minutes for each of you? And at the end, would it be useful to decide whether a second conversation makes sense, or is today just about learning? Customer (Pinehollow Dental Group): For me it's whether this frees Lisa up. Lisa, you wanted to know if it works with our practice software, right? And yes, let's decide at the end.

You listen well. You pick up what buyers say and build on it, and they keep talking. The opening is where you can do more: on Brackwater and Kettleby you stated your agenda and asked what the buyer wanted, but didn't check their time or what the call should decide. On Pinehollow you did all three, and both buyers set the agenda with you in the first minute.

Strong example

Pinehollow · Sep 21 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Pinehollow: Time, Priorities, Decision

“Before we start, I have us until 2:45. Dr. Marsh, Lisa, what would make this a good use of the next forty minutes for each of you? And at the end, would it be useful to decide whether a second conversation makes sense, or is today just about learning?”

Why it worked

You named the time, asked each buyer what would make the call worthwhile, and asked up front whether today should end in a decision. Both answered before you asked a single discovery question, so the agenda was theirs as much as yours.

Pattern to repeat

Time, their priorities, the decision. Ask all three in the first two minutes, and let the buyer change the plan.

From the call

verified

“Thanks for making time, Renee. I'd like to use the first part of this to understand how finance runs at Brackwater today, and then, if it's useful, show you how we've set this up for other carriers. Does that work, or is there something you need to get out of today?”

— Maya Okafor (Rep)

Brackwater · Sep 29

A good start that stops one question short. Renee's answer, getting this off the ground before year-end, was the most useful thing she said in the first five minutes, and you didn't ask what made year-end matter until 24 minutes in.

Script rewrite

Opening a first call (Brackwater, Sep 29)

BEFORE

Thanks for making time, Renee. I'd like to use the first part of this to understand how finance runs at Brackwater today, and then, if it's useful, show you how we've set this up for other carriers. Does that work, or is there something you need to get out of today?

AFTER

Thanks for making time, Renee. I have us until 11:45. Does that still work? I'd like to understand how finance runs at Brackwater today and, if it's useful, show you how we've set this up for other carriers. What do you need to get out of today, and if it goes well, what should we decide at the end?

It adds the two checks you skipped: time and the decision. When Renee said 'before year-end,' you'd have had a reason to ask why right then.

Discovery

3.3/5

7/8 calls contributed · Partial coverage

Low confidence

Sub-competency breakdown

Understanding the buyer

3.7/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

4/5 on this call · Explored how the numbers are used, by the bank and by the owner.

Maya Okafor (Rep): The twentieth. And what do you use the numbers for once they're closed? Renee Castillo (Customer): Mostly the bank. We have a line of credit with covenants, and they want a quarterly package. And Walt wants to know if we made money, which, by the twentieth, he's already decided based on his gut.

5/5 on this call · Asked how the decision gets made and who else is involved.

Maya Okafor (Rep): How will the two of you decide, and is anyone else involved? Customer (Pinehollow Dental Group): The other three partners vote, but they'll go with what Alan recommends. Lisa and I would bring it to the partners' meeting in January.

Useful follow-up questions

3.4/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · A relevant follow-up on the close date that stayed at the surface.

Maya Okafor (Rep): The twentieth. And what do you use the numbers for once they're closed?

4/5 on this call · Built on the answer to uncover the consequence: the next bid repeats the loss.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Three months after. What happens when you find out that late? Celia Ellery (Customer): We've already bid the next one the same way. We did it twice last year with healthcare clients. Same fee structure, same overruns.

Buyer-owned impact

2.8/5

5 of 8 calls scored · 2 not applicable · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

2/5 on this call · Validated the problem, then moved to the solution before exploring why it mattered.

Renee Castillo (Customer): Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

4/5 on this call · Asked what the late discovery leads to, then how much it matters, in the buyer's own terms.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Three months after. What happens when you find out that late? Celia Ellery (Customer): We've already bid the next one the same way. We did it twice last year with healthcare clients. Same fee structure, same overruns. Maya Okafor (Rep): So the cost isn't just the one project, it's that the next bid repeats it. How much does that matter compared to everything else on your list? Celia Ellery (Customer): It's the main thing. If I could see margin by project while it's still running, I'd fix half our problems.

2/5 on this call · Described the forecasting model before asking what floating payroll costs the business.

Joanne Pruitt (Customer): Medicaid reimbursements come in sixty to ninety days late, so some months I'm floating payroll on my personal card. Maya Okafor (Rep): We see that a lot with home health. Our forecasting model handles reimbursement lag really well.

Confirm before presenting

3.2/5

5 of 8 calls scored · 2 not applicable · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Summarized the needs but presented without checking; the buyer corrected the order.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Based on what you've told me, here's how I'd see it working. Your controller takes the reconciliations off your nights, Carla keeps chasing receipts but into one shared close checklist, and you get a cash forecast you can actually plan payroll and dispatch around. Renee Castillo (Customer): The forecast is the part I care about. The nights, honestly, I've made peace with.

4/5 on this call · Summarized the needs and checked the order before recommending.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Before I show you anything, let me check I've got this right. You want to see margin on each project while it's still running, so the next bid doesn't repeat the last one, and you need it without adding work for your project managers. Is that the right order? Celia Ellery (Customer): Yes, that's it. The project managers part matters, they're already stretched.

Your questions about how a buyer's business runs are thorough. The gap is what happens right after a buyer tells you something expensive: on Brackwater and Wrenfield you went straight to how Keelstone fixes it, before the buyer had said what the problem costs them. On Ellery & Rhodes you stayed with it for two more questions, and Celia told you it was the main thing on her list.

The conversation moment

Source matched

Buyer signal

Renee Castillo (Customer): Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

Rep response

Maya Okafor (Rep): That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

Buyer reaction

Renee Castillo (Customer): Okay. I mean, we've heard that before.

Coaching interpretation

Renee described a specific, costly event: drawing on the credit line to make payroll with four days of warning. The response moved to Keelstone's results before she had said what that event meant for her or for Brackwater, and her reply suggests the claim didn't land on its own.

What tempers this reading

Renee Castillo (Customer): I'll be straight with you. We used an outsourced bookkeeping firm in 2024. We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up.

Her doubt may come from the 2024 bookkeeping firm she mentions later, not from this answer. Text alone can't show how she felt.

Read the surrounding exchange

Maya Okafor (Rep): What's the hardest part of running finance this way? Renee Castillo (Customer): Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday. Renee Castillo (Customer): Okay. I mean, we've heard that before. Maya Okafor (Rep): Fair. So tell me about the reporting the bank asks for.

Buyer agreement is not a measure of rep skill.

Missed moment

Pivoted to solution

Brackwater · Sep 29 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Brackwater: Four Days' Notice

Maya Okafor (Rep): What's the hardest part of running finance this way? Renee Castillo (Customer): Honestly, by the time we close, the month is half over and I'm still guessing on cash. Last winter we had to pull from the line to make payroll, and I didn't see it coming until about four days before.

What was said

That's exactly what our controllers fix. Most of our clients are closing in ten business days within the first quarter, and you'd get a thirteen-week cash forecast every Monday.

What should have been said

Four days' notice on payroll. What did that week look like for you? (Let her answer.) And if you'd seen it coming six weeks out instead of four days, what would you have done differently?

Renee had just described a specific, expensive surprise. Your answer was accurate, but it was your description of the problem, not hers, and she discounted it straight away. Fourteen minutes later she told you the forecast is what she cares about most. If she had described what that surprise cost her and Walt, you'd have her words to bring into Thursday's call.

Strong example

Ellery & Rhodes · Oct 2 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Ellery & Rhodes: The Bid That Repeats

“Three months after. What happens when you find out that late?”

Why it worked

You repeated her phrase and asked what it leads to, without suggesting an answer. Celia named the real cost herself, the next bid repeating the loss, and then ranked it as her top priority. You never had to argue that the problem mattered.

Pattern to repeat

Repeat the buyer's words, ask what they lead to, then ask how much it matters compared to everything else.

Practice drill

Two questions before the pitch

When a buyer describes a costly problem, get their own account of what it led to, and how much it matters, before you describe Keelstone.

Have your manager or a peer read you these three buyer lines from your own calls, one at a time: Renee's payroll scare (Brackwater), Joanne's Medicaid lag (Wrenfield) and Celia's late project losses (Ellery & Rhodes).
Answer each with one open question about what happened next. Don't mention Keelstone, and don't suggest an answer.
When they answer, ask how much it matters compared to everything else on their plate.
If they say it isn't a big deal, accept it and move on. That's information too.
Run it twice. Record the second round and listen for any 'we', 'our' or numbers in your first response.

Four days' notice on payroll. What did that week look like for you?

AFTER THE CALL, CHECK

My first response was a question, with nothing about Keelstone in it.
The buyer described the impact in their words, not mine.
I asked how much it matters before moving on.

2 of 5

scored calls where you described Keelstone's fix before asking what the problem led to

from 5 calls

Value Presentation

3.7/5

7/8 calls contributed · Evidence-based rubric

Medium confidence

Sub-competency breakdown

Relevant value

3.3/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 not applicable

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Connected the forecast to her need through another client's example rather than her situation.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Got it. Then let me show you what the Monday forecast looks like for another carrier we work with.

4/5 on this call · Adapted the presentation to the buyer's stated priority.

Maya Okafor (Rep): Okay. Then I'll start with how the project reports get built without them.

Clear, bounded explanation

4/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 not applicable

See scoring evidence

4/5 on this call · Answered the integration question directly and offered a sample to verify.

Maya Okafor (Rep): We'd export. I don't want to tell you we work inside your practice software when we don't. What we do is pull the daily production report and the deposits, and reconcile those. I can show you a sample from another dental group so you can judge whether it's enough.

5/5 on this call · Separated what the bank decides from what Keelstone controls, with a dated commitment.

Maya Okafor (Rep): I can't promise the bank extends the line. What I can promise is that the reporting package they asked for is ready by the tenth of each month, and you'll see it before they do.

Your explanations are clear, and you say plainly what Keelstone can't do. Joanne and Lisa both responded to that. Where it slips is the order: on Brackwater you summarized Renee's needs and started presenting in the same breath, and she had to correct which need mattered most.

The conversation moment

Source matched

Buyer signal

Not observed in this passage.

Rep response

Maya Okafor (Rep): Based on what you've told me, here's how I'd see it working. Your controller takes the reconciliations off your nights, Carla keeps chasing receipts but into one shared close checklist, and you get a cash forecast you can actually plan payroll and dispatch around.

Buyer reaction

Renee Castillo (Customer): The forecast is the part I care about. The nights, honestly, I've made peace with.

Coaching interpretation

The summary was accurate, but it led with the need Renee ranks lowest, and it went straight into presenting without asking whether it was right. Her correction came after the presentation had started instead of shaping it.

What tempers this reading

Renee may rank these differently with Walt in the room. Her correction shows her priority, not how the rest of the presentation landed.

Read the surrounding exchange

Maya Okafor (Rep): Based on what you've told me, here's how I'd see it working. Your controller takes the reconciliations off your nights, Carla keeps chasing receipts but into one shared close checklist, and you get a cash forecast you can actually plan payroll and dispatch around. Renee Castillo (Customer): The forecast is the part I care about. The nights, honestly, I've made peace with. Maya Okafor (Rep): Got it. Then let me show you what the Monday forecast looks like for another carrier we work with.

Buyer agreement is not a measure of rep skill.

Script rewrite

Moving from discovery to your recommendation (Brackwater, 28:10)

BEFORE

Based on what you've told me, here's how I'd see it working. Your controller takes the reconciliations off your nights, Carla keeps chasing receipts but into one shared close checklist, and you get a cash forecast you can actually plan payroll and dispatch around.

AFTER

Before I show you anything, let me check I've got the order right. It sounds like the cash forecast matters most, so you can see a payroll squeeze coming, then the bank package, and getting your nights back is a bonus. Is that the right order, or would you put it differently?

Renee corrected the order anyway. Asking first moves that correction to before you present, so you lead with the forecast and she hears her own priority back. You did exactly this with Celia on Oct 2.

Strong example

Wrenfield · Sep 23 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Wrenfield: What I Can't Promise

“I can't promise the bank extends the line. What I can promise is that the reporting package they asked for is ready by the tenth of each month, and you'll see it before they do.”

Why it worked

You separated what the bank decides from what Keelstone controls, and made a specific promise about the part you control, tied to what Joanne said she needed. A bounded promise is easier to believe than a big one.

Pattern to repeat

Name what you can't control, then promise the part you can, with a date.

From the call

verified

“We'd export. I don't want to tell you we work inside your practice software when we don't.”

— Maya Okafor (Rep)

Pinehollow · Sep 30

The same move on an integration question: a plain no, then a sample so Lisa can judge for herself. The first nine minutes of this call weren't recorded, so this report can't say how you set it up.

Same opportunity, two calls

What happened	Brackwater Freight, Sep 29	Ellery & Rhodes, Oct 2
What the buyer raised	A payroll squeeze she saw four days out	Project losses found three months late
Your next move	Described Keelstone's results	Asked what finding out late leads to
Who described the impact	You did	Celia did: the next bid repeats the loss
Summary before presenting	Given but not checked; Renee corrected it	Checked; Celia confirmed it

Both calls gave you the same opening. The difference was two questions and one check.

Objection Handling

3.0/5

4/8 calls contributed · Partial coverage

Low confidence

Sub-competency breakdown

Understand everyday objections

3/5

4 of 8 calls scored · 2 not applicable · 2 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Clarified what evidence would matter and answered with a commitment, but didn't check whether it helped.

Renee Castillo (Customer): I'll be straight with you. We used an outsourced bookkeeping firm in 2024. We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's a real concern, and I'd want to know it too. What would you need to see from us to know it won't be a repeat? Renee Castillo (Customer): One person who actually knows our business. And I don't want to find out about problems from the state. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's fair. Your controller would be named in the agreement, and if we ever change who's on your account, you'd hear it from me first, with a two-week overlap. I can't promise nobody ever leaves, but I can promise you won't be handed off without notice.

2/5 on this call · Answered with a cost comparison before clarifying what was behind the concern.

Malik Adeyemi (Customer): Seven and a half a month is a lot. For ninety thousand a year I could hire my own controller. Maya Okafor (Rep): I hear you. But a good controller is going to run you at least one-ten loaded, and you'd still need FP&A on top of that, so we're actually the cheaper option.

4/5 on this call · Validated, isolated cost versus relationship, and proposed a way for the CPA to confirm.

Joanne Pruitt (Customer): My hesitation is Kevin. His firm already does our taxes and the year-end review. I don't want to pay two firms for the same work. Maya Okafor (Rep): That makes sense. Is it the cost of overlap that worries you, or is it more about Kevin and his team having to work with someone new? Joanne Pruitt (Customer): The cost. Kevin's fine, he's been asking us for cleaner books for two years. Maya Okafor (Rep): Then here's how it usually splits. Kevin keeps taxes and the year-end review. We do the monthly close and the forecasting, which is the work he's been asking you for. Would it help if I set up twenty minutes with Kevin so he can tell you himself whether anything overlaps?

Navigate decision barriers

—

Not scored on any of the 8 calls · 6 not applicable · 2 without enough context

When you ask what's behind a concern before answering it, it works. Joanne's worry about paying two firms turned out to be about cost, not Kevin, and she agreed to a 20-minute call to settle it. When you answer first, as with Malik's price comparison, the call ends on your argument instead of his reason.

Objection frequency

Need to Think / Consult Others

3 calls

Mixed

How to handle it

Listen for

“Lisa and I would bring it to the partners' meeting in January.”

Isolate first

What will the partners want to know that we haven't covered yet?

Then try

I can write that up as one page they can read without either of you there. Would it help if you told me what's missing before the meeting?

Timing / Not Ready

2 calls

Adequate

Example response

Ellery & Rhodes · Oct 2

“Is that about the team's time during year-end, or about budget for the new year?”

How to handle it

Listen for

“We can't take on anything new until after our fiscal year-end in January.”

Isolate first

Is it the timing of the work, or the timing of the decision?

Then try

If it's the work, we can agree the plan now and start after year-end, so nothing lands on your team in December. Would that help, or is the decision itself better left until then?

Pricing / Budget Concerns

1 call

Weak

How to handle it

Listen for

“Seven and a half a month is a lot.”

Isolate first

Is it mainly the monthly number, or that you'd rather have someone in the building full time?

Then try

If it's the number, let's compare like for like: a hire plus the forecasting work you'd still need. If it's having someone in the building, tell me what they'd do day to day. Which is closer?

Can Do It Myself

1 call

Weak

How to handle it

Listen for

“For ninety thousand a year I could hire my own controller.”

Isolate first

What would that person spend most of their week on?

Then try

If inventory is half the problem, a controller alone may not fix it, and that's worth knowing before you hire. Would it help to sketch the role together, whoever ends up filling it?

Competition / Alternatives

1 call

Strong

Example response

Wrenfield · Sep 23

“Then here's how it usually splits. Kevin keeps taxes and the year-end review. We do the monthly close and the forecasting, which is the work he's been asking you for. Would it help if I set up twenty minutes with Kevin so he can tell you himself whether anything overlaps?”

How to handle it

Listen for

“I don't want to pay two firms for the same work.”

Isolate first

Is it the cost of overlap, or Kevin's team having to work with someone new?

Then try

Kevin keeps taxes and the year-end review; we take the monthly close and forecasting he's been asking for. Would it help to have Kevin tell you himself whether anything overlaps?

Trust / Credibility Concerns

1 call

Adequate

Example response

Brackwater · Sep 29

“That's fair. Your controller would be named in the agreement, and if we ever change who's on your account, you'd hear it from me first, with a two-week overlap. I can't promise nobody ever leaves, but I can promise you won't be handed off without notice.”

How to handle it

Listen for

“We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing.”

Isolate first

What would you need to see from us to know it won't be a repeat?

Then try

Your controller is named in the agreement, and any change comes with notice and a two-week overlap. Does that cover what happened last time, or is there something else Walt will ask about?

Strong example

Wrenfield · Sep 23 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Wrenfield: Cost or Kevin?

“That makes sense. Is it the cost of overlap that worries you, or is it more about Kevin and his team having to work with someone new?”

Why it worked

You offered two specific readings of her concern and let her pick. Her answer told you exactly what to address, and your offer let Kevin confirm it instead of asking Joanne to take your word for it.

Pattern to repeat

Acknowledge it, offer two possible reasons, ask which it is, and answer only the one they choose.

Missed moment

Answered before clarifying

Kettleby · Sep 17 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Kettleby: The Controller Math

Malik Adeyemi (Customer): Seven and a half a month is a lot. For ninety thousand a year I could hire my own controller.

What was said

I hear you. But a good controller is going to run you at least one-ten loaded, and you'd still need FP&A on top of that, so we're actually the cheaper option.

What should have been said

That's a fair comparison. When you think about hiring instead, is it mainly the monthly number, or is it that you'd rather have someone in the building full time?

Earlier in the call Malik said he wanted someone who sits with his ops team, and that half his problems are inventory. Your cost comparison answered the question he asked, not the reason behind it. Hiring may well have been right for Kettleby. Losing the deal isn't the issue; not knowing why is.

The conversation moment

Source matched

Buyer signal

Renee Castillo (Customer): I'll be straight with you. We used an outsourced bookkeeping firm in 2024. We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up.

Rep response

Maya Okafor (Rep): That's a real concern, and I'd want to know it too. What would you need to see from us to know it won't be a repeat?

Buyer reaction

Renee Castillo (Customer): One person who actually knows our business. And I don't want to find out about problems from the state.

Coaching interpretation

You acknowledged the concern and asked what evidence would matter to her before answering, then made a commitment you control instead of promising what you can't. You didn't check whether that settled it, or whether anything else about 2024 would worry Walt.

What tempers this reading

Renee's reply is encouraging, but agreement isn't the measure here, and Walt hasn't heard this answer yet.

Read the surrounding exchange

Renee Castillo (Customer): I'll be straight with you. We used an outsourced bookkeeping firm in 2024. We had three different people on our account in eight months, and they missed a sales tax filing. Walt still brings it up. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's a real concern, and I'd want to know it too. What would you need to see from us to know it won't be a repeat? Renee Castillo (Customer): One person who actually knows our business. And I don't want to find out about problems from the state. Maya Okafor (Rep): That's fair. Your controller would be named in the agreement, and if we ever change who's on your account, you'd hear it from me first, with a two-week overlap. I can't promise nobody ever leaves, but I can promise you won't be handed off without notice. Renee Castillo (Customer): That's more honest than what we got last time.

Buyer agreement is not a measure of rep skill.

Next step

Starting with Thursday's Brackwater call

rep

Add one check after every objection answer

After you respond, ask: 'Does that cover it, or is there something else behind it?' You answered Celia's timing concern well but didn't check it, and Walt's view of the 2024 firm is still open.

Closing

3.5/5

7/8 calls contributed · Partial coverage

Low confidence

Sub-competency breakdown

Appropriate next-step ask

3.9/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Proposed a next call with the owner but left the deliverable and timing open.

Maya Okafor (Rep): This was really helpful. I'll send a few things over, and maybe we get Walt on a call next week? Renee Castillo (Customer): Sure. Thursday mornings are usually good for him.

5/5 on this call · Accepted the no and let the buyer choose the check-in.

Maya Okafor (Rep): I appreciate you saying that plainly. It sounds like the right call for where you are. Would it be useful if I checked in after your raise closes, or would you rather reach out if things change? Hannah Lowe (Customer): March would be fine. A short email. Maya Okafor (Rep): Then I'll send one short email in March, and if the answer is still no, that's the last you'll hear from me.

5/5 on this call · Action, owner and date for both sides, with a pause condition.

Maya Okafor (Rep): So, to recap who does what: I'll send the engagement letter and the overlap note for Kevin by Friday, you'll set up the twenty minutes with Kevin, and we'll talk again on Tuesday the 29th. If Kevin sees a problem, we pause, and I won't send anything else until we've sorted it. Does that work? Joanne Pruitt (Customer): That works.

Reason to act

3.3/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

3/5 on this call · Explored the buyer's real deadline, the December covenant review.

Maya Okafor (Rep): You mentioned year-end. What happens at year-end that makes it matter? Renee Castillo (Customer): The bank does our annual covenant review in December. I'd like to walk in with numbers I trust.

4/5 on this call · Respected 'not now' and tied the check-in to the buyer's own timeline.

Hannah Lowe (Customer): To be honest, I don't think this is the right time. We hired a full-time controller two weeks ago, and we're raising in the first quarter. I'd be a bad customer for you right now. Maya Okafor (Rep): I appreciate you saying that plainly. It sounds like the right call for where you are. Would it be useful if I checked in after your raise closes, or would you rather reach out if things change?

Clear commitments

3.3/5

7 of 8 calls scored · 1 without enough context

See scoring evidence

2/5 on this call · Promised to send 'a few things' with no deliverable or date.

Maya Okafor (Rep): This was really helpful. I'll send a few things over, and maybe we get Walt on a call next week? Renee Castillo (Customer): Sure. Thursday mornings are usually good for him. Maya Okafor (Rep): Perfect. I'll send something over.

5/5 on this call · Deliverable, owner and date for both sides.

Maya Okafor (Rep): So, to recap who does what: I'll send the engagement letter and the overlap note for Kevin by Friday, you'll set up the twenty minutes with Kevin, and we'll talk again on Tuesday the 29th. If Kevin sees a problem, we pause, and I won't send anything else until we've sorted it. Does that work?

You handle a 'no' with real care. With Quillon you accepted the timing, agreed one short email in March, and said that would be the last unless Hannah wanted more. The gap is the opposite case: when a buyer is interested, your next steps get vague. 'I'll send a few things over' ended the Brackwater call without saying what, by when, or what Walt needs to see.

Strong example

Quillon · Sep 24 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Quillon: A Clean No

“I appreciate you saying that plainly. It sounds like the right call for where you are. Would it be useful if I checked in after your raise closes, or would you rather reach out if things change?”

Why it worked

You agreed with her reasoning instead of arguing with it, and let her choose whether and when to hear from you. She picked March herself, so the follow-up is one she asked for.

Pattern to repeat

When the answer is no, agree with the reason, offer one specific check-in, and let them choose.

Missed moment

Vague next step

Brackwater · Sep 29 · Maya Okafor (Rep)

verified

Brackwater: A Few Things Over

Maya Okafor (Rep): Any questions before we wrap? Renee Castillo (Customer): Not right now. I'll probably think of five tonight.

What was said

This was really helpful. I'll send a few things over, and maybe we get Walt on a call next week?

What should have been said

Let's put Thursday the 8th at 9:00 on the calendar with you and Walt. Before then I'll send a one-page plan for having November closed before your December review. What would Walt need to see on Thursday to know whether this is worth his time?

Renee answered with Thursday mornings for Walt, and earlier she gave you the deadline. A next step with a named deliverable, a date and Walt's criteria gives you something to prepare and gives her something to take to Walt. 'A few things' gives neither.

From the call

verified

“So, to recap who does what: I'll send the engagement letter and the overlap note for Kevin by Friday, you'll set up the twenty minutes with Kevin, and we'll talk again on Tuesday the 29th.”

— Maya Okafor (Rep)

Wrenfield · Sep 23

Every commitment has an owner and a date, including Joanne's. This is the close to bring to Brackwater.

Paraphrase

Pinehollow · Sep 30 · Lisa Moreno (Customer)

Lisa said the partners will decide in January and need materials they can read on their own.

— Lisa Moreno (Customer)

If January is the real decision point, build the Pinehollow follow-up around that meeting rather than a generic check-in.

AI summary, not a direct quote.

Paraphrase of the original. View the source transcript to read the exact wording.

2 of 7

calls that ended with a deliverable, an owner and a date

from 7 calls

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THE METHOD

How a report is built

Seven steps between a recorded call and the report a rep reads.

The seven steps

Calls come in.
From Zoom, RingCentral or an upload, transcribed with speaker labels. English calls only.
Who said what.
Close-Rate works out the rep and the buyer from the meeting details, the opening and introductions. A name someone typed in is never overwritten.
A brief for every call.
A structured summary of the situation, problems raised, objections and next steps. Briefs are summaries, so they're never used as quotes.
Thirteen skills, every call.
The reviewer reads the whole call, picks out the key exchanges and, for each skill, chooses the written level that matches what happened, citing the exchange that shows it.
Code does the math.
Levels become points from 1 to 5, averaged across calls with equal weights. The writing step can't change a score, and whether a deal closed is never part of the input.
Five sections, written separately.
Each section is written from the scores, the cited passages, the call briefs and any company materials you've added. The writer can search the calls and read more of a transcript before submitting.
Checks before anyone sees it.
Quoted wording is checked against the source transcript. A quote that doesn't match word for word is either shown as a labelled summary or flagged with a warning so you can check the call. Small samples are marked, and the same moment isn't repeated across sections.

Where language models are used

Language models do the reading and the writing: finding moments, choosing rubric levels and drafting the coaching. Code does the parts that have to be exact: copying quotes from the transcript, checking them, and computing every number.

What the checks prove

The quoted words appear, in order, in the call cited.
In a conversation moment, the buyer and rep lines appear in that order.
Scores match the per-call grades, and objection and outcome counts match the call records.

What they don't

That a reading of a moment is the only one. Each card lists what tempers it.
Who said what. Speaker roles are inferred, and the card says so.
That a behavior caused a win or a loss.
Phrases under 20 characters, which are too short to check.

What the report won't do

Predict which deals will close. Scores describe behavior, not outcomes.
Grade tone, pace, talk time or how long the small talk lasted.
Treat a 'no' as a failure, or a 'yes' as proof of skill.
Fill gaps with guesses. Missing context is shown as missing.
Coach live during a call, read calls in languages other than English, or work from CRM fields.

How we check quotes

THE PSYCHOLOGY

The sales psychology behind it

The report follows the five-part framework Brian Balboni, Close-Rate's co-founder and CEO, uses to coach consultative sales teams. Scores measure what a rep controls, using six principles.

Grade the rep, not the buyer
A buyer saying no isn't a rep failing. Scores measure what the rep did when the opening came up, and a respectful no can be excellent closing.
See Quillon's clean no
Signal, response, reaction
Every moment is read in order: what the buyer said, how the rep answered, what the buyer said next. That's where coaching has something to work with.
See the three parts in a call
The buyer describes the problem
Reps are coached to ask what a problem leads to without presuming the answer, and to accept it when the buyer says it's small. No invented costs, no fear.
See Maya ask what it led to
Understand the concern before answering it
Acknowledge it, ask what's behind it, check it's the only thing, answer with something that matters to this buyer, then check it helped.
See Maya ask what's behind a concern
Real reasons to act, not pressure
Urgency comes from the buyer's own deadlines, like Brackwater's December bank review. Invented scarcity and discount deadlines score at the bottom.
See how Closing is scored
One habit at a time
Each report puts its weight behind one behavior, with an example from the rep's own calls, a short drill and a check for the next real call.
See the two-question drill

There's no target talk ratio, question count or required number of closes. The standard is whether the rep helped this buyer understand and decide. Second-level questions and the discovery close (confirming what you heard before you present) come from Brian's coaching methodology.

The 13 skills

Descriptions summarize the written rubric.

Rapport Building2 skills

Skill	In plain terms	Top level looks like
Connection and listening	Responds to what the buyer actually said and builds on it.	Consistently builds on answers and checks understanding. No forced small talk.
Shared purpose	Agrees the point of the call with the buyer instead of announcing it.	Checks purpose, priorities, time and what the call should decide, and adapts.

Connection and listening: Responds to what the buyer actually said and builds on it.; TOP LEVELConsistently builds on answers and checks understanding. No forced small talk.
Shared purpose: Agrees the point of the call with the buyer instead of announcing it.; TOP LEVELChecks purpose, priorities, time and what the call should decide, and adapts.

Discovery4 skills

Skill	In plain terms	Top level looks like
Understanding the buyer	Situation, problem, desired outcome, constraints, and how they'll decide.	Connects it all, checks it's right, and leaves real unknowns open.
Useful follow-up questions	Non-leading second-level questions for a concrete example or cause.	Checks cause and impact against the buyer's account and adjusts when corrected.
Buyer-owned impact	The buyer, not the rep, describes what the problem costs.	Explores impact in the buyer's terms, respects it when there isn't one, and never invents costs or pressure.
Confirm before presenting	Summarize what you heard and check it before recommending.	Adapts the recommendation to the buyer's correction, or explicitly checks fit.

Understanding the buyer: Situation, problem, desired outcome, constraints, and how they'll decide.; TOP LEVELConnects it all, checks it's right, and leaves real unknowns open.
Useful follow-up questions: Non-leading second-level questions for a concrete example or cause.; TOP LEVELChecks cause and impact against the buyer's account and adjusts when corrected.
Buyer-owned impact: The buyer, not the rep, describes what the problem costs.; TOP LEVELExplores impact in the buyer's terms, respects it when there isn't one, and never invents costs or pressure.
Confirm before presenting: Summarize what you heard and check it before recommending.; TOP LEVELAdapts the recommendation to the buyer's correction, or explicitly checks fit.

Value Presentation2 skills

Skill	In plain terms	Top level looks like
Relevant value	Ties what you offer to a need the buyer stated.	Tests the connection, names fit and limits, and promises nothing it can't support.
Clear, bounded explanation	Clear answers that say what can't be promised. Graded on clarity and candor, not product trivia.	Checks understanding and resolves the practical question with clear limits or a way to verify.

Relevant value: Ties what you offer to a need the buyer stated.; TOP LEVELTests the connection, names fit and limits, and promises nothing it can't support.
Clear, bounded explanation: Clear answers that say what can't be promised. Graded on clarity and candor, not product trivia.; TOP LEVELChecks understanding and resolves the practical question with clear limits or a way to verify.

Objection Handling2 skills

Skill	In plain terms	Top level looks like
Understand everyday objections	Price, timing, fit, a bad past experience.	Validates, finds what's driving it, answers with relevant evidence, checks it helped, never pressures.
Navigate decision barriers	Several stakeholders, risk, trust or implementation.	Separates the constraints, proposes a concrete way to test the key uncertainty with the right person, keeps open risks visible.

Understand everyday objections: Price, timing, fit, a bad past experience.; TOP LEVELValidates, finds what's driving it, answers with relevant evidence, checks it helped, never pressures.
Navigate decision barriers: Several stakeholders, risk, trust or implementation.; TOP LEVELSeparates the constraints, proposes a concrete way to test the key uncertainty with the right person, keeps open risks visible.

Closing3 skills

Skill	In plain terms	Top level looks like
Appropriate next-step ask	A concrete next step that fits where the buyer is.	Agrees action, owner and timing, and adapts to the answer. Accepting a clear no can be excellent.
Reason to act	The buyer's own timing and cost of waiting.	Checks why timing matters and tests a realistic path, even when the answer is "not now".
Clear commitments	Who does what, by when, on both sides.	Checks expectations and the next checkpoint. A promise to follow up isn't counted as done.

Appropriate next-step ask: A concrete next step that fits where the buyer is.; TOP LEVELAgrees action, owner and timing, and adapts to the answer. Accepting a clear no can be excellent.
Reason to act: The buyer's own timing and cost of waiting.; TOP LEVELChecks why timing matters and tests a realistic path, even when the answer is "not now".
Clear commitments: Who does what, by when, on both sides.; TOP LEVELChecks expectations and the next checkpoint. A promise to follow up isn't counted as done.

BEYOND THE REPORT

Also built from the same calls

Rep profile
Each rep's scores across reports, skill by skill, with the calls behind them.
Objection cheat sheet
The objections a rep actually hears, each with a question that gets to the real concern.
Scheduled reports
Daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly, sent to the people you choose.
PDF export
Every report downloads as a PDF to share or print.
Company context
Add your playbook, pricing and scripts. Reports and coaching use them as references, not as instructions.

FAQ

Questions

Is this a real customer's report?

No. Keelstone Finance Partners, Maya and every buyer are made up, and so are the calls. We wrote the calls, chose the rubric level for each skill on each call, and wrote the coaching, so one page shows every kind of card a report can contain. The scores were then computed from those levels, and the quotes checked, by the same code real reports use. In a report on your calls, Close-Rate reads your recordings and chooses the levels itself, so which cards appear depends on what happened in them.

How is this different from a call-recording dashboard?

Most tools show a manager what happened. Close-Rate writes each rep a report about their own calls, with the line to change and a way to practice it.

Will it fit our sales process?

It's built for high-ticket, consultative sales. Add your playbook, pricing and scripts as company context and reports use them as references. They won't push a script over what the buyer needs.

How often do reports arrive?

Schedule them daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly, or generate one any time from the calls you choose.

What do I need to start?

An account and some recorded calls. Connect Zoom or RingCentral, or upload recordings, then generate your first report. No consult required.

Sample · Fictional company, people and calls

Start with your own calls.

Connect Zoom or RingCentral, or upload a few recordings, and generate your first coaching report in the trial.

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