BANT Questions

Originally created by IBM, BANT remains one of the simplest and most widely used qualification frameworks in SaaS.

The purpose of BANT questions is to understand whether the opportunity deserves more time, whether the buyer is ready, and whether the problem is important enough to solve now. When used well, BANT questions help reps run cleaner pipelines and avoid chasing low-quality deals.

Why BANT questions still matter

SaaS buyers have more autonomy and more options than ever. Qualification frameworks help sales teams prioritize energy and avoid ‘hope pipeline.’

BANT questions matter because they:

• Protect your time by filtering out deals with no urgency or fit
• Keep forecasting accurate
• Prevent reps from over-investing in low-value opportunities
• Improve handoff between SDRs, AEs, and RevOps
• Bring structure to messy early conversations

Breaking down BANT through practical questions

Budget: Can they afford the solution?

The goal isn’t to ask bluntly, “What’s your budget?” Instead, you explore context, constraints, and willingness to pay.
Examples:

• “How are you managing this problem today, and what does it cost you?”
• “Have you allocated funds to solve this this quarter?”
• “How does your team typically evaluate ROI for tools like this?”

Authority: Who makes the decision, and who influences it?

It is well known that for most SaaS deals, committees are involved.
Examples:

• “Who else will weigh in on this decision?”
• “What does decision-making look like for tools in this category?”
• “Is there anyone who might push back on this?”

Need: What problem is painful enough to fix?

You’re looking for urgency, impact, and clarity.
Examples:

• “What would happen if this problem continues for another six months?”
• “Which teams feel this pain most?”
• “What’s the cost of not solving this now?”

Timeline: When do they want to solve the problem?

This helps you avoid ‘parked’ deals.
Examples:

• “Are you aiming for a solution this quarter or next?”
• “Is this tied to an internal deadline or initiative?”
• “What happens if this slips to next year?”

BANT questions are a lens to explore whether the opportunity makes sense for both sides.

Common mistakes when using BANT questions

• Asking in a rigid, scripted way that kills rapport
• Treating BANT as a full qualification tool when it’s only a starting point
• Ignoring the emotional drivers behind need and urgency
• Using BANT too early, before trust is built
• Fixating on “budget” when most SaaS deals create budgets when the value is clear

BANT works best when it feels like a conversation.

How to use BANT questions in SaaS discovery

• Start with Need before Budget, as it builds context and motivation
• Ask open-ended questions and let silence do some work
• Mirror the buyer’s language back to them
• Summarize before transitioning (“Here’s what I’m hearing…”)
• Use BANT to guide qualification, not to qualify them out loud

A good discovery call uncovers BANT without the buyer ever realizing you’re using a framework.

How AI improves BANT qualification

AI gives reps more context, so BANT becomes deeper and more accurate:

• Call analysis shows whether reps asked true Need or Authority questions
• Intent data reveals budget signals before the call
• AI-generated summaries highlight what BANT criteria were met
• Smart scoring models predict which BANT-qualified deals are actually winnable
• Real-time coaching tools prompt reps when they skip a BANT category

AI helps make qualifications sharper and more consistent across the team.

AI prompt to generate BANT questions

What to provide the AI beforehand

• Description of your product and pricing model
• Target customer segment (SMB, mid-market, enterprise)
• Average deal size and buying committee size
• Typical pain points and triggers for purchasing
• Current qualification challenges
• Sales cycle length and common bottlenecks
• Examples of past wins and losses

Use this with a generative AI tool to create a tailored BANT guide for your product: