The BANT sales methodology template incorporates a systematic approach to managing the transition of new business opportunities from the Business Development Representative (BDR) to the Account Executive (AE). This process ensures extreme pipeline hygiene and involves multiple rounds of acceptance before considering the opportunity as part of the sales forecast.

The BDR takes ownership of the new business opportunity. The BDR's role is to qualify and gather essential information according to the BANT framework, which evaluates the Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline of the potential customer. Once the BDR determines that the opportunity meets the BANT criteria, the ownership is transferred to the AE.

To ensure a seamless handover, two or three rounds of acceptance are conducted. The first round involves the BDR Manager, who reviews the BANT assessment and needs to approve the opportunity as valid pipeline. This step helps maintain the quality and accuracy of the sales pipeline.

After receiving approval from the BDR Manager, the opportunity moves to the next round, where the AE evaluates the justification provided by the BDR. The AE assesses the completeness of the BANT information and determines whether it meets the necessary criteria for considering it as part of the sales pipeline.

In the final round of acceptance, the AE's manager, which may be the VP or Chief Revenue Officer (CRO), reviews the opportunity. Their role is to provide a top-level assessment and ensure that the opportunity aligns with the overall sales strategy and goals of the organization.

Extreme pipeline hygiene is a key principle underlying this methodology. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining a high standard of data integrity and accuracy within the sales pipeline. By following this template, organizations can ensure that opportunities progress through a thorough evaluation process, reducing the risk of including weak or unqualified leads in the sales forecast.