2.4 · How it works· 2 min read
People or agents: who leads at each stage
Who leads depends on how often something happens and how much is at stake. The goal is that the founder leads only where trust is made or lost: Choose, Sign and Stay. An agent prepares, a person sends.
The question isn't whether to use agents. It's where they should lead, and where a person should.
The answer depends on two things: how often the same thing happens, and how much is at stake when it goes wrong. In a small industry, a lot is at stake more often than you'd think.
Four ways to split the work
| Mode | Who does what | Fits when |
|---|---|---|
| Rules run it | Fixed if-this-then-that. No judgement involved | It happens often, and little is at stake |
| Agent leads, person watches | The agent acts within limits. A person steps in on exceptions | It happens often, in clear patterns |
| Person leads, agent helps | The agent researches, sums up and flags. The person decides | Judgement matters, and speed still helps |
| Person owns it | The agent prepares. It never sends or decides | Much is at stake, and trust is on the line |
Stage by stage
| Stage | What to watch for | What agents do | What people decide | Who leads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notice | A peer mentions you, an introduction, a first visit | Note where they came from, and who mentioned you | Who to thank, and how | Rules and agents |
| Learn | Repeat visits, questions, a call booked | Pull together what you already know about them | What to say first | Person leads, agent helps |
| Choose | Pricing visits, more people on calls, a reference asked for | Prepare the history, find a customer they'd trust | Real budget, real urgency, real fit | Person leads, agent helps |
| Sign | Proposal opened, contract questions | Draft the proposal, write down every promise made | Everything said to the buyer | Person owns it |
| Start | Setup steps done or missed, first value reached | Carry the promises to onboarding, track milestones | What "live" means; step in when someone stalls | Agent leads, person watches |
| Stay | Usage drops, sharp tickets, missed meetings | Spot risk early, pull together the full story, suggest a response | The conversation with the customer | Person owns it |
| Grow | A happy call, first value, a past user in a new job | Spot the moment, draft the introduction ask | Whether to ask, and the ask itself | Agent leads, person sends |
The table shows who leads, not who takes part. Agents help in every stage. People answer for every stage.
What this means for a founder
Today you lead every row. The goal is that you lead only where trust is made or lost: Choose, Sign and Stay. Everywhere else, your team runs the loop, and you hear about the exceptions.
That's what "a sales loop your team runs" means in practice.
Exceptions, not approvals
There are two ways to get this wrong.
- A person approves everything. Safe, and slow. Your onboarding lead can't check every message for every new customer. Things queue up, and the speed you wanted disappears.
- Nobody watches. Fast, and risky. Mistakes reach customers before anyone notices.
The middle way: agents work inside agreed limits, and people get the exceptions, with context. Instead of checking every onboarding message, your onboarding lead gets the customers who stalled, with what happened and a suggested next step.
One agent, several stages
An agent doesn't belong to one stage. An agent that watches how customers are doing can track setup during Start, risk during Stay and the moment to ask for an introduction during Grow. Same agent, different jobs depending on where the customer is.
One rule we don't bend
From Choose onwards, nothing a buyer or customer receives should read as automated. An agent prepares. A person sends.
Questions this chapter answers
- Which parts of selling should agents handle, and which should people keep?
- It depends on how often something happens and how much is at stake. Rules and agents can note where a buyer came from and track setup. People lead where trust is made or lost: choosing, signing, and the conversation with an unhappy customer. From Choose onwards, an agent prepares and a person sends.
- Do I have to approve everything an agent does?
- No. Approving everything is safe and slow; nobody watching is fast and risky. The middle way is that agents work inside agreed limits and people get the exceptions, with context: what happened and a suggested next step.