Mock discovery call interview: a prep guide for account executives

Thanks for making the time. I've got us down for 30 minutes. I'd like to understand how your team plans and tracks deliveries today and where it gets stuck, then we can decide together whether a demo makes sense. Anything you'd add? ... Great. I noticed you've opened two new depots this year. How has that changed the planning side?

I confirm the time we have, say what I want to understand, and propose what we'll decide at the end, usually whether a next meeting makes sense. Then I ask if they want to add anything. That last part matters, because if they have an agenda of their own I want to hear it in minute one, not minute 25.

I think in layers. Situation: "How do you handle it today?" Problem: "Where does that break down?" Impact: "What does it cost you when it does?" And history: "What have you tried already?" The specific wording changes, but I don't move on until I've heard an answer to the impact question.

I'd switch from open questions to narrower ones with options, like "Is it more of a time problem or a cost problem?" I might share what I see with similar teams and ask whether it's true for them. If they're still closed, I'd ask directly whether now is a good time, because sometimes it isn't.

I ask about the process instead: "When you bought your current system, how did that decision get made?" and "Who else would want a say if you changed it?" That tells me who is involved and what each of them cares about, and nobody feels demoted.

I'd never dodge it. I'd say it depends mainly on team size and which parts they need, give a range if I'm allowed to, and then ask: "So I can be precise, how many people would use it, and which part matters most?" That answers the question and moves discovery forward.

When I can describe their problem, what it costs them, who cares about it and when they need it solved, and they agree with my summary. If they correct the summary, I'm not done yet.

I'd lean on something like MEDDIC, but I wouldn't read it out. On a first call the essentials are the pain and its cost, who makes the decision, how they buy and the timeline. I'd want those four before booking a demo, and I'd write down what's still unknown for the next meeting.

That's completely fine. Out of curiosity, what made you start looking now? ... So the new depots are coming in the spring. Would it help if we kept this light: a short overview now, and a proper look closer to the time with whoever else would be involved?

I keep the last five minutes for it. I summarize what I heard, ask if I've got it right, propose a specific next step, and ask who else should be there. Then I put it in the calendar while we're still on the call.

I learned the pain is order-status tickets since they added same-day delivery, it's showing up in reviews, and the COO is watching. I don't know the budget or how they bought their last tool. Next I'd run a demo focused on order-status tickets, with the COO there, and ask about the buying process before then.