Tell me about a time you missed your quota. What happened and what did you change?

What the interviewer wants to hear

• Honest ownership without blaming others
• Analysis using numbers such as pipeline, win rate or cycle
• Specific changes made
• Measured improvement afterwards

Model answer

In one quarter I reached only 70% of quota. When I analysed my numbers, my win rate was fine, but my pipeline coverage had dropped to under 2x because I had stopped prospecting while chasing a few large deals. Two of those slipped and I had nothing to replace them. I took ownership and changed my routine: I blocked one hour every morning for prospecting, set a personal goal of 3x coverage and reviewed it weekly with my manager. I also started multi-threading big deals earlier. The next two quarters I reached 105% and 112%, and my forecast became more accurate.

More hard Sales Executive questions

• The business team wants your product, but procurement is pushing hard for a 25% discount near quarter end. How do you handle the negotiation?
• Your manager wants you to add a deal to commit to make the team forecast look better, but you believe it will not close this quarter. What do you do?
• You learn late in the cycle that the prospect is leaning towards a competitor. How do you respond?
• You are given a new territory with no existing pipeline and a quota starting in 90 days. How would you plan your first three months?
• A customer who signed three months ago says you mis-sold them and wants to cancel. How do you handle it?
• Your manager wants you to push through a deal you believe the customer will regret. What do you do?
• You have a mid-size customer paying $50,000 a year. How would you try to grow them to $150,000 over two years?
• Your commission plan pays most on a product that is often not the right fit for your customers. How do you handle this?
• You take over a territory where most of the pipeline is old, inactive or unqualified. How do you rebuild it quickly?