MEDDICC Is Timeless

MEDDIC has stood the test of time. Since its inception some twenty-odd years ago, MEDDIC has gone on to be embraced and adopted by enterprise sales organizations worldwide. 

In its more modern form as MEDDPICC and also MEDDIC with the additional C, MEDDICC. Regardless of which combination of the letters, it is one of the most well-known proficiencies relating to the industry of enterprise sales. 

On almost a daily basis, I have sellers and sales leaders reach out to me to ask about learning or implementing MEDDICC. A typical example is where a seller has seen a variation of MEDDIC advertised on a job description as being a requirement. Or from sales leaders, it is that they have heard from somewhere that MEDDIC can be the tool to help them enhance the velocity of their sales team.

It would appear the doers of MEDDIC were too busy doing! 

Then COVID19 happened, and all of a sudden, I found myself 4 hours a day richer due to not having to commute into London. Even though I had received many signals from my success with MEDDIC and people getting in touch concerning my Medium post, I had been ignoring them. The lockdown was the jolt I needed to finish the book, something I had started writing some 20 months before COVID19 lockdown hit the United Kingdom.

If COVID19 was, in fact, COVID22 or even COVID25 (meaning it took place in 2022 or 2025), do I think I would still have written a book on MEDDIC? I think the answer is a resounding YES! The chances of there being something that has enhanced my ability as a seller and sales leader coming along in the next few years is doubtful. 

Why is MEDDIC Timeless?

The answer to why MEDDIC is timeless is very straightforward to me. You have to look at how it was created. Dick Dunkel working at PTC, investigated the most common reasons why PTC was winning and losing deals, and it came down to six reoccurring elements. Those six elements were, of course, the elements of MEDDIC:

• Metrics

• Economic Buyer

• Decision Criteria

• Decision Process

• Identify the Pain

• Champion

Perhaps the magic of MEDDIC only exists because of Dick’s creativity in aligning those reoccurring factors into elements with titles starting with the letters that went on to form the catchy and memorable ‘MEDDICC’ which, of course, is remarkable because its likeness to the word medical role of the ‘MEDIC.’

The origins of MEDDIC come from the reasons why PTC was winning and losing deals, and the fact remains that enterprise deals are won and lost for the same reason today as they were then, and I am confident this is unlikely to change any time soon. 

This is because enterprise software exists to solve **Pains**; in doing so, the seller must build **Metrics**, which are presented within a business case that they get buy-in from a **Champion** that gets approved by the **Economic Buyer**. To ensure they are focusing on the right parts of the customer’s business, they need to understand the **Decision Criteria** and to forecast correctly they need to make sure they know the **Decision Process** clearly.

Over time there have, of course, been enhancements to the original MEDDIC framework. Examples of additions include:

MEDDIC and adding in the extra C for MEDDICC

Adding in the second C to MEDDIC, you include the competition, which is an important aspect to monitor in any deal, whether they are internal or external competition.

MEDDIC and adding in the P for MEDDPICC

By adding in a P to MEDDIC, you are creating MEDDPICC. The P stands for Paper Process, an important element of MEDDIC if you are regularly involved in complex paper processes with your deals. Frequently, however, the P is rolled into the Decision Process of MEDDICC. 

(Note, I have never seen a sales organization take MEDDIC and add in the P, for Paper Process but, not also add in the second C for Competition. MEDDPIC isn’t a popular variation of MEDDIC)

MEDDIC and another Phantom P for Partners

A less common variation of MEDDIC is to add in a P for Partners. While Partners such as other solution providers for which you will have to integrate with or consultancies and systems integrators are without a doubt an essential part of your deal if they are involved, using the P for Partners is less common.

MEDDIC and adding an R for Risks

If your sales cycles have multiple pivotal moments that can be classed as risks or well-known pitfalls you regularly can fall into, then identify these as Risks. This may be an excellent way to keep you and your team focused on looking for and looking for and overcoming these risks. This is usually implemented as MEDDPICCR. 

MEDDIC and yet another C, this time for Compelling Event

Another use for a C in MEDDIC is to call out the Compelling Event. This is very rare, but I have seen it. 

Unless you plan to have three C’s, I don’t think it is worth calling out the Compelling Event as a standout part of MEDDIC. It should be part of the Decision Process to identify the compelling event. 

MEDDIC and whether the C stands just for Champion?

In MEDDIC The Book, I talk about the Coach to Champion transition that sellers need to make. A Champion has to be qualified until that process has happened, your Champion should be classed as a Coach. Does this mean you need another C in your MEDDIC? No. It’s the same C. 

One of the most exciting thoughts for me with MEDDIC is how it will evolve over the next 25 years. I wonder if some letters in the existing MEDDIC will become less important. I CAN NOT WAIT to see what fresh innovations people bring to MEDDIC by adding additional elements.

This idea comes straight from MEDDIC co-creator Dick Dunkel, who, as you may know, has been practicing MEDDIC in some way shape or form since he created it in PTC decades ago.

The new element of MEDDIC is Trust! 

Trust is an imperative element in modern selling. Solution providers cannot hide anymore with so much visibility provided by the internet with review sites and word of mouth, not to mention the business model of SaaS, meaning you cannot sell technology with capital expenditure like you used to. Today is all operating expenditure that can be halted with short time frames. 

Just like we always say:

‘No Champion, No Deal’

Any deal, ever.

I think a fascinating new part of MEDDIC could be to say

'No Trust, No Deal’

Dick Dunkel – MEDDIC Co-Creator

MEDDPICCT? 🤔