crm-pipeline-opslisted

# CRM Pipeline Operations ## Overview A CRM is either the system of record or it is decoration. The deciding factor is whether every lead enters automatically, every stage change is enforced by an event, and every report reads from it. CRMs that depend on someone remembering to log things produce data nobody trusts, which produces decisions made on feel. Guidance here is written to be tool-agnostic but maps directly onto agency-standard platforms (GoHighLevel and similar), where pipelines, calendars, SMS/email automation, and forms live in one system and can be packaged as a reusable snapshot. ## When to Use - Setting up a CRM for a business or a client account - Pipeline data is unreliable or stages are ambiguous - Building lead routing, nurture, or follow-up automation - Standardizing a repeatable account build across many clients Don't use for: reporting design (use `growth-metrics-and-reporting`) or the sales conversation itself (use `sales-call-framework`). ## Pipeline Design **Stages are events, not feelings.** Every stage must have an objective entry criterion that someone else could verify. "Warm" and "Interested" are not stages; "Meeting Booked" is. Standard service-business pipeline: | Stage | Entry criterion | Exit | |---|---|---| | New Lead | Form, call, or import lands | First contact attempted | | Contacted | Human attempted contact and logged it | Two-way conversation happened | | Qualified | Passed the qualification gate | Meeting scheduled | | Meeti