Whether you’re a sales manager sick of spreadsheets or a rep trying to keep deals straight, having the right sales pipeline setup is a lifesaver. If your team’s using Modjo, you probably know it’s good for call recording and conversation analysis—but it can also help you build pipelines that actually fit how you sell. This guide walks you through creating and managing custom pipelines in Modjo for B2B sales teams—no fluff, no guesswork.
Why bother with custom pipelines?
Out-of-the-box pipelines rarely match how real teams sell. Maybe your deal stages don’t look like everyone else’s, or you want to track renewals separate from new business. The point of building a custom pipeline isn’t to have something fancy to show the boss—it’s to make your sales process less confusing and more predictable.
A custom pipeline in Modjo helps you: - See where deals are stalling (and why) - Focus on real opportunities, not just busywork - Coach reps based on actual bottlenecks—no more blaming “market conditions” for everything
That said, don’t expect Modjo to magically fix a broken process. It’s a tool, not a miracle.
Step 1: Map your real sales process (before you touch Modjo)
Before you even open Modjo, spend 30 minutes sketching out how deals actually move from lead to close. If your process is a mess, that’s fine—better to know than to pretend.
Ask yourself: - What are the must-have stages? (e.g., “Discovery,” “Demo,” “Proposal Sent,” “Negotiation”) - Where do deals get stuck most often? - Do you need separate pipelines for new business, renewals, expansions, etc.?
Pro tip:
Don’t add a stage just because “everyone else does.” More stages = more admin work. Only include what you’ll actually track and use.
Step 2: Create your custom pipeline in Modjo
Once you know what you want, time to build it in Modjo. Here’s how:
-
Log in to Modjo
Use admin-level credentials. If you’re not an admin, get one on board now—most pipeline settings are locked down for regular users. -
Go to Pipeline Settings
Find the settings menu (usually under your profile or a gear icon) and look for “Pipelines” or “CRM Integration.” The UI changes from time to time, but it’s always there somewhere. -
Add a New Pipeline
Click “Add Pipeline” (or a similar button). Name it something your team will recognize—skip the buzzwords. -
Define Your Stages
Enter each stage name, in order. You can usually drag to reorder them. Keep the names short and clear—nobody wants to click through “Initial Qualification Discovery Call.” -
Assign Owners and Permissions
Decide who can see and edit each pipeline. Some teams run everything in one funnel; others split by team, region, or product. Don’t overcomplicate unless you have a real reason. -
Set Up Required Fields (if needed)
Modjo lets you set required info for each stage (e.g., “Expected Close Date” in “Negotiation”). Only use this if you know you’ll enforce it—otherwise, you’ll just annoy your team. -
Save and Review
Double-check your setup. It’s easier to fix mistakes now than after deals start piling in.
What works:
Modjo’s pipeline builder is straightforward. You don’t need to be a software engineer to set it up.
What doesn’t:
Don’t expect advanced automation or branching logic. If you want “if deal size > $50k, route to special pipeline,” you’ll need a full CRM for that.
Step 3: Move your team onto the new pipeline
Don’t just announce, “Hey, new pipeline—good luck!” A smooth rollout saves a ton of headaches.
- Communicate the changes clearly. Explain why you made the tweaks and what’s in it for the team. If it’s just “because leadership said so,” expect resistance.
- Show, don’t tell. Do a quick screen-share demo or record a 5-minute walkthrough. People retain more when they see it in action.
- Set expectations. If you want every deal updated weekly, say so. Otherwise, reps will default to whatever they did before.
Pro tip:
For the first month, check in with the team. Are they actually using the new stages? Do they find anything confusing or useless? Adjust before everyone develops bad habits.
Step 4: Keep your pipeline clean (and useful)
A pipeline full of dead deals is worse than no pipeline at all. Here’s how to keep yours honest:
- Regular pipeline reviews: Block time every week (or at least every two) to cull dead deals, move stages, and sanity-check what’s in there.
- Use filters and views: Modjo lets you filter by stage, owner, deal size, and more. Customize your views so you’re not staring at a wall of irrelevant deals.
- Don’t be afraid to delete or close deals: It’s not a failure—it’s reality. The fewer zombie deals, the better your forecasting and coaching.
What works:
If you use it, Modjo’s pipeline view gives a solid, real-time snapshot. It’s way better than chasing people for updates over Slack.
What doesn’t:
Modjo won’t nag reps or enforce data hygiene (like Salesforce might). If you want that, you’ll need to set expectations and follow up. No tool will do all your management for you.
Step 5: Use pipeline data for coaching and forecasting
The biggest value of a clean, custom pipeline isn’t just tracking deals—it’s spotting patterns so you can coach better and forecast more reliably.
- Look for bottlenecks: Are deals piling up in one stage? That’s where to focus training or process tweaks.
- Review lost deals: Modjo lets you listen to real call recordings linked to deals. Use these to see what’s actually happening, not just what reps write in notes.
- Forecast, but don’t rely solely on the pipeline: Especially if your team is new to using Modjo, take pipeline numbers with a grain of salt. Gut check them against what you’re hearing on the floor.
Pro tip:
Share pipeline insights with marketing, product, and leadership. But don’t sugarcoat. If the process is broken, highlight it—nothing gets better by ignoring it.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Over-engineering.
If your pipeline has more than 7-8 stages, you’re probably making life harder than it needs to be. - Never updating.
Your sales process will change. So should your pipeline. Review it every quarter—even small tweaks help. - Thinking the tool will fix process problems.
Modjo is powerful, but it won’t fix bad habits, unclear handoffs, or teams that don’t talk to each other.
What to ignore
- Fancy dashboards you never look at.
If no one uses the “opportunity age by rep by region” chart, don’t waste time building it. - Overly granular stages.
“Emailed Proposal” and “Proposal Opened” may sound nice, but usually just create extra work. - Features that don’t fit your workflow.
Modjo adds new features regularly, but if something doesn’t solve a real pain for your team, you’re not missing out by skipping it.
Wrapping up
Custom pipelines in Modjo can make your sales process clearer and easier—if you keep it simple. Build only what you’ll actually use, check in regularly, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. The best pipelines are the ones people actually update, not the prettiest ones on a slide deck. Start small, iterate, and remember: a clean, honest pipeline is worth more than any dashboard you’ll ever build.