Why Your Pipeline Isn’t Converting (And How RevOps Can Fix It)
Your team’s running ads, hosting webinars, and your SDRs are booking meetings like it’s 2021. On paper, pipeline looks healthy. But revenue? Not so much.
If you’re a founder, CRO, or marketing leader staring at a full funnel that isn’t closing, you’re not alone—and you’re not crazy.
At Domestique, we work with B2B SaaS companies in exactly this spot. And the issue usually isn’t “bad leads” or “lazy reps.” It’s that the pipeline engine has cracks—under the surface, at the operational level—where things quietly fall apart.
Here’s what’s really going wrong behind the scenes—and how Revenue Operations can fix it.
1. Attribution is Lying to You
Most teams think they have an attribution problem. What they really have is a data confidence problem.
We see this all the time: a lead books a demo, attribution says “Organic Search,” but the AE hears, “I saw your CEO on LinkedIn, then clicked an email, then went to your site.” Now marketing’s optimizing SEO spend, and no one knows what's actually working.
Fix it with RevOps:
Implement hybrid attribution models (blend of first-touch + last-touch + self-reported attribution)
Clean up UTMs, CRM tracking fields, and deduplication logic
Align attribution logic with buyer behavior—not just source codes
Better attribution = smarter spend + pipeline you can actually trust.
2. Your Scoring Model is a Wreck
Lead scoring is where pipeline goes to die.
Maybe you’re over-prioritizing job titles. Or giving too much weight to form fills. Or not scoring product signals at all. The result? BDRs chase low-fit leads while real opportunities sit untouched.
Fix it with RevOps:
Build a two-dimensional scoring model (fit and behavior)
Incorporate intent data and product usage (if PLG)
Calibrate scores to reflect actual conversion likelihood—not wishful thinking
At Domestique, we helped a client double MQL-to-SQL conversion just by revisiting their lead scoring logic and building in custom thresholds by persona and buying stage.
3. The BDR → AE Handoff is Breaking Trust
Your BDR books a call. The AE shows up late or unprepared. The buyer re-explains everything. Trust is lost in 3 minutes.
This isn’t a “sales training” problem—it’s a process problem.
Fix it with RevOps:
Standardize qualification criteria (don’t leave it up to “gut feel”)
Automate meeting prep: push enriched lead + notes directly into AE workflows
Use CRM automation to enforce SLAs and follow-up cadences
We’ve implemented “warm intro workflows” where BDRs log contextual handoff notes that automatically sync to the AE’s calendar and Slack channel. Small change. Big impact.
4. Lifecycle Stages are a Mess
What qualifies as an MQL? When does an opportunity become “Pipeline”? What even counts as “Closed Lost”? Most teams don’t agree—even internally.
The result: murky reporting, misaligned goals, and a constant sense of confusion.
Fix it with RevOps:
Define clear, binary lifecycle stages (ideally with stakeholder consensus)
Build automation rules that move leads through those stages reliably
Tag “stalled” leads so you can measure where deals go to die
One of our clients went from 42% pipeline leakage to under 20%—just by cleaning up their lifecycle definitions and making every team use the same playbook.
5. You’re Measuring Volume, Not Velocity
Funnel metrics often focus on quantity (how many leads, how many ops). But if you’re not tracking how fast deals move—or why they stall—you’re flying blind.
Fix it with RevOps:
Analyze stage-to-stage conversion speed, not just conversion rate
Flag deals that “age out” or get stuck in mid-funnel
Set benchmarks per segment (e.g., SMB vs. enterprise will move differently)
The best part? Once you identify velocity blockers, they’re often fixable—better enablement, stronger CTAs, or clearer next-step definitions.
Final Word: Fixing Pipeline is an Ops Problem
If your pipeline isn’t converting, don’t just turn up the ad spend or yell at your AEs. Step back and look at the infrastructure.
That’s what RevOps is for.
At Domestique, we specialize in identifying these quiet inefficiencies—then implementing smart, practical fixes that drive real revenue lift. No silver bullets. Just better systems.
Curious where your pipeline is leaking?
Let’s do an audit. → www.domestique.info/contact
