Sales management - Contact Lifecycle Stages

Contact Lifecycle Stages in Sales Management

Purpose

The Contact Lifecycle defines the progressive stages a contact moves through, from the initial lead acquisition to long-term customer retention.
It provides a structured approach for managing interactions, ensuring consistent communication, tracking performance, and optimizing conversion rates.

Each stage can include automated or manual actions—such as assigning consultants, sending emails, or scheduling meetings—designed to guide contacts through the sales funnel efficiently.

Module Path

Control Center → Sales Management → Contact → Contact Lifecycle

Accessing the Configuration

Navigate to Sales Management → Contact → Contact Lifecycle.
Click Add Contact Lifecycle to create a new lifecycle.
Use the Edit icon next to an existing lifecycle to modify details or actions.
Click Delete to remove a lifecycle no longer in use.

Configuration Fields

Field	Description
Name	Defines the title of the lifecycle (e.g., Standard Lifecycle).
Description	Provides context on how this lifecycle supports the customer journey (e.g., from initial awareness to loyalty).
Company	Specifies which company or business unit uses this lifecycle model.

Stage Configuration

Each lifecycle is composed of stages, representing milestones or engagement levels.
Stages can be customized with actions that are triggered manually.

Example Stage Structure:

Stage	Description	Typical Actions
Lead	The contact has been identified but not yet qualified.	Verify Information, Welcome Message
MQL (Marketing Qualified Lead)	Contact has shown interest and is nurtured through marketing efforts.	Send Newsletter, Offer Demo
SQL (Sales Qualified Lead)	The contact meets sales qualification criteria and is ready for engagement.	Proposal, Offer Demonstration
Customer	The contact has converted to a customer.	Feedback Collection, Account Creation
Inactive / Churned	The contact has paused or stopped engagement.	Get Feedback, Send New Offer

💡Tip Each stage can have custom actions (e.g., Assign Salesperson, Notify Team, Send Email) to standardize sales team activities.

Example Configuration

Field	Example Value
Name	Standard Lifecycle
Description	Defines all stages a contact passes through—from awareness to loyalty.
Company	Architecture Company
Stages	Lead → MQL → SQL → Customer
Actions	Send Email, Assign Consultant, Create Account, Collect Feedback

Interpretation:
This setup provides a clear path for managing a contact’s progression—from lead qualification to active customer retention—with predefined steps and responsibilities for each stage.

Usage

The Contact Lifecycle is applied to contacts during their interaction journey.
It helps sales teams visualize the conversion path, automate repetitive actions, and ensure that all prospects receive consistent follow-up.
Reports and dashboards can analyze conversion rates per stage, average time in stage, and pipeline performance.
Lifecycles can differ per company or business unit to reflect specific sales strategies.

Best Practices

Align with your sales funnel: Match lifecycle stages to your organization’s lead management process.
Define clear entry and exit criteria: Ensure each stage has measurable conditions for progression.
Automate repetitive actions: Use predefined actions to save time and ensure consistency.
Monitor performance: Regularly review stage metrics to optimize conversion and retention rates.
Simplify where possible: Too many stages can confuse users—keep it logical and actionable.

Summary

Item	Description
Feature	Contact Lifecycle
Location	Sales Management → Contact
Objective	Define and manage the progression of contacts from leads to customers
Key Fields	Name, Description, Company, Stages
Typical Stages	Lead, MQL, SQL, Customer, Inactive, Churned
Example Actions	Assign Consultant, Send Email, Schedule Meeting, Collect Feedback

Sales Management – Contact Segmentation
General Parameters – Notifications / Actions (Global Settings)
System – User Profiles and Access Rules
System Configuration – Companies Setup