# The MSP Prospect Qualification Framework

The MSP Prospect Qualification Framework is a four-fit scorecard that rates service fit, commercial fit, decision fit and growth potential, so MSPs spend presales time only on prospects that can become profitable long-term clients.

Presales engineering is one of the scarcest resources in an MSP. Every hour spent on a prospect that will never sign is an hour not spent on a client that could stay for years. A qualification framework protects that time.

## Service fit

Service fit asks whether the prospect's technology, size and support expectations match a service tier you already deliver well. A prospect that needs custom tooling you do not own, or support hours outside your model, will either be unprofitable or unhappy.

## Commercial fit

Commercial fit confirms that the prospect's budget matches your pricing and that the engagement is recurring. One-off project work can fill gaps, but it does not build enterprise value. A healthy commercial fit shows the prospect already spends on IT and sees it as ongoing operations.

## Decision fit

Decision fit tests whether the right person is in the room and whether they can sign within a reasonable cycle. If the final decision sits with a board, a procurement team or a parent company that reviews vendors annually, that timeline must be acceptable to your sales plan.

## Growth fit

Growth fit estimates whether the account could expand within its first year. Indicators include multiple sites, headcount growth, compliance requirements or a stated appetite for strategic advisory. Low-growth prospects are not rejected, but they are not prioritised over accounts with expansion potential.

> [!NOTE]
> Fit thresholds and score ranges are placeholders pending sales-team verification.

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Source: https://mspagenda.com/guides/prospect-qualification-framework
Last updated: 2026-09-11