Free tool / pipeline diagnosis
Find whether the next client workflow fix should be visibility, qualification, proposal readiness, follow-up rhythm, source quality, or the tracking system itself.
Direct answer
Use this finder when the pipeline feels messy but the next fix is unclear. Enter anonymous weekly numbers, compare the bottleneck scores, and choose one improvement before adding more software, more content, or more outreach.
This tool runs in the browser. Use counts and anonymous labels only. Do not enter client names, emails, phone numbers, contract terms, invoices, passwords, medical details, legal details, or private messages.
Primary bottleneck
Active conversations are waiting or stuck, so the next improvement should make every next action visible and dated.
| Bottleneck | Score | Signal |
|---|
Make one improvement, then review again after the next weekly pipeline review. Do not add a heavier system until the same bottleneck repeats.
The finder is designed for a small service business pipeline, not a large sales team dashboard. Use it after a weekly review when there are enough active conversations to feel friction, but not enough data for a full analytics system.
| Bottleneck | Meaning | First practical fix |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility | Too few real conversations are entering the pipeline. | Clarify the offer, improve one source, or ask for specific referrals before changing software. |
| Qualification | Inquiries arrive, but too many are not clear enough to move forward. | Add or tighten intake questions around scope, timing, budget range, decision owner, and fit. |
| Proposal readiness | Qualified conversations do not become proposal-ready work. | Use a proposal readiness checklist and ask one missing clarification question. |
| Follow-up rhythm | Active conversations wait too long or stay stuck without a dated next action. | Give every active row a next action type, owner, and follow-up date. |
| Source quality | It is unclear which channel creates useful conversations. | Score sources by fit and quality before increasing volume. |
| System friction | The review takes too long or the tracker hides next actions. | Reduce fields, improve stage labels, or test a narrow CRM setup only for the repeated pain. |
Fix the highest score first unless it is created by a one-time event. If the same bottleneck appears across two or three weekly reviews, then it deserves a more permanent workflow change. That could be a better intake form, a clearer tracker, a CRM trial, a source review, or a proposal handoff cleanup.
The input fields, scoring rules, and interpretation bands are also available as JSON: pipeline-bottleneck-finder.json.