The Next Steps Graveyard
"Let's touch base next week." "I'll send some information over." "We should definitely talk again."
Two weeks later, nothing's happened. The deal is cold. The candidate ghosted. The customer churned.
Vague next steps are worse than no next steps. They create the illusion of progress.
What Makes Next Steps Real
AI coaching has clear criteria:
next_steps_secured is TRUE only if ALL are met:
1. Specific action agreed (not "let's chat again")
2. Specific date/time set OR clear trigger defined
3. Both parties acknowledged commitment
Let's break that down:
TRUE:
"I'll send the proposal Monday and we'll review it Wednesday at 2pm."
All three boxes checked. Specific action. Specific date. Mutual acknowledgment.
FALSE:
"Let's reconnect next week."
No specific action. No specific date. Vague commitment.
FALSE:
"I'll send some information over."
Missing follow-up commitment. Information sent, then what?
Across Every Vertical
This pattern appears everywhere:
Sales:
"Can we lock in Tuesday at 2pm to review this together?"
Recruitment:
"I'll send calendar options by end of day."
Customer Success:
"Let's schedule the QBR for January 15th — I'll send an agenda by Friday."
Real Estate:
"I'll book you in for Saturday at 11am. I'll send confirmation tonight."
IT Service Desk:
"I'll call you by 4pm with an update."
The format varies. The principle doesn't: specific, committed, acknowledged.
The Trigger Alternative
Sometimes dates don't work. The prospect needs to talk to their CFO first. The candidate needs to finish their current project.
That's fine. Use triggers instead:
"Once you've reviewed with your CFO, ping me and we'll schedule the demo."
"Once IT confirms SSO is set up, I'll schedule the security review within 48 hours."
The key: the trigger is specific, and your response is committed.
next_steps_secured: TRUE
Reason: Clear trigger defined with specific follow-up timeline
The Acknowledgment Check
Most missed next steps fail on the third criteria: both parties acknowledged.
Rep: "I'll send the proposal Monday." Prospect: silence
That's not agreement. That's assumption.
AI coaching catches this:
[28:45] Improvement - Control
Rep stated next step but didn't confirm prospect's agreement
Try: "Does 2pm Tuesday work on your end? I'll send the invite now."
The prospect needs to say yes. Out loud. Or the next step isn't secured.
The Pattern View
One missed next step is a coaching moment. A pattern of missed next steps is a behavior change:
Last 5 calls:
Call 1: next_steps_secured: false
Call 2: next_steps_secured: false
Call 3: next_steps_secured: true
Call 4: next_steps_secured: false
Call 5: next_steps_secured: false
This person ends calls without commitment 80% of the time. That's not a moment to fix — it's a habit to change.
AI coaching surfaces patterns, not just incidents.
The Psychology of Commitment
Why do specific next steps matter so much?
Psychological commitment: When someone agrees to a specific date and time, they're more likely to follow through.
Reduced friction: A calendar invite is easier to honor than a vague intention.
Accountability: Both parties know what was agreed. There's nowhere to hide.
Momentum: Each completed next step builds toward the outcome.
The Close That Works
End every conversation with:
- Specific action: "I'll send the proposal."
- Specific timing: "You'll have it by Monday at 10am."
- Specific follow-up: "Then we'll review together Wednesday at 2pm."
- Acknowledgment: "Does that work for you?"
- Lock it in: "Great, I'll send the calendar invite now."
next_steps_secured: TRUE ✓
Stop Hoping. Start Committing.
The deals you lost, the candidates who ghosted, the customers who churned — how many of them had vague next steps?
AI coaching makes sure every call ends with something real.
Upload your last call and see whether your next steps are actually secured.