Why BANT-as-form fails
Buyers don't self-report budget. They don't know their real timeline. Asked a form they lie or bounce; asked in conversation they'll tell you more in 90 seconds than the form ever surfaced.
The conversation-native model
- Trigger fit — what event brought them here
- Pain fit — what breaks today
- Solution fit — is our shape right
- Timing signal — what's forcing a decision
- Champion signal — is this the right person
Automation vs judgment
Automate the first four signals. Route the fifth to a human within five minutes. That split keeps qualification honest.