What the paper process covers
Once a buyer has decided to go ahead, the purchase often still has to pass through several formal steps. Common ones include a procurement review, a security or data protection questionnaire, legal review of the contract, setting the seller up as a new supplier and the final signature, sometimes in a fixed order with named approvers. The paper process is the P that MEDDPICC adds to MEDDIC, because so many deals that look certain slip here rather than in the sales conversation itself.
Example
After a strong demo, a rep asks what happens once the team decides. She learns that every new supplier needs a security questionnaire, a legal review and the CFO's signature, and that legal works through contracts in the order they arrive. She sends the questionnaire that week and gets the contract into the legal queue, so the deal is ready to sign by the planned date.
Why it matters
Deals that everyone expects to close this month often slip because nobody asked how long legal review takes or who signs. The paper process is also where new people appear, such as a procurement manager measured on savings, who can reopen the price discussion. Mapping it early means you can start the slow steps alongside the commercial ones, set a realistic close date and avoid surprising your champion with a request they can't meet.
How to practice it
Practice asking about the paper process before the proposal, without sounding presumptuous: 'Suppose you decide this is right. What happens between that decision and a signed agreement?' Then follow up on each step: who owns it, how long it usually takes and what they'll need from you. Practice the procurement conversation too, since it's often the first time price comes up again after your champion has agreed.