[GTM glossary](/glossary.txt) Point of contact Sales # Point of contact (POC) Also known as: single point of contact, SPOC In short A point of contact (POC) is the person designated to handle communication for a company, team, or project. In sales, it is the individual at a prospect or customer you deal with day to day. A point of contact is not always the decision maker. They may be a user, a manager, or an admin who coordinates internally. Knowing the difference keeps deals from stalling. ## Why the point of contact matters in sales Deals move through people. Your point of contact shares information, books meetings, and carries your message to others. A responsive one speeds up the cycle; a weak one can leave you stuck. --- ## Point of contact vs. decision maker vs. champion * **Point of contact:** Your day-to-day route into the account. May have no buying authority. * **Decision maker:** Has the authority or budget to approve the purchase. * **Champion:** [Actively](/compare/ocean-vs-actively.txt) sells on your behalf inside the company because they want the outcome. --- ## How to work with a point of contact ### Confirm their role early Ask how purchases like this are normally approved and who else is involved. Do it politely and as a normal part of planning. ### Build a second and third contact Relying on one person is risky. If they leave or lose interest, the deal goes with them. Map the wider buying committee and reach out to others with their knowledge. ### Keep a clear next step End each interaction with a dated action and an owner on both sides. --- ## Common mistakes * **Treating the POC as the buyer:** Pitching only to a coordinator can leave the budget holder unaware of you. * **Going around them:** Skipping your contact without warning can damage trust. Ask for introductions instead. * **Single-threading:** One contact means one point of failure. * **Stale records:** Contacts change jobs. Check your CRM data regularly. --- ## Point of contact in customer success After the sale, a named POC on your side and theirs keeps onboarding, support, and renewals clear. Record both in the account plan so nothing falls between teams. --- ## Point of contact FAQs **What does point of contact mean in sales?** In sales, a point of contact is the person at a prospect or customer who handles communication with you. They coordinate meetings and information, but they may not have the authority to approve a purchase. **What is the difference between a point of contact and a decision maker?** A point of contact is the person you communicate with day to day. A decision maker has the authority or budget to approve the purchase. They can be the same person, but in many B2B deals they are different people. **What does POC stand for in sales?** POC most often stands for point of contact, meaning your main person at an account. In technical sales it can also mean proof of concept, so check the context. This page covers the point of contact meaning. **How do you find the right point of contact at a company?** Start with the role that owns the problem you solve, then confirm through research, referrals, or a first conversation. Ask your first contact who else is involved in the decision so you can map the buying group. Share term --- ## More related phrases * [Buyer](/glossary/buyer.txt) * [Fear, uncertainty, doubt](/glossary/fear-uncertainty-doubt.txt) * [Influencer (buying committee)](/glossary/influencer.txt) ## Similar phrases * [Champion](/glossary/champion.txt) A champion is a person inside a buyer's company who supports your solution, sells it internally, and helps you move the deal forward. * [Decision maker](/glossary/decision-maker.txt) A decision maker is the person with the authority and budget to approve a purchase, and the key contact to reach and convince in a B2B deal. * [Economic buyer](/glossary/economic-buyer.txt) An economic buyer is the person with final authority over budget for a purchase, who can approve spending and overrule other stakeholders on a deal. * [Buying committee](/glossary/buying-committee.txt) A buying committee is the group of stakeholders at a company who evaluate and approve a purchase together, typically including a champion, users, technical reviewers, finance, and an executive sponsor. * [Stakeholder mapping](/glossary/stakeholder-mapping.txt) Stakeholder mapping identifies everyone involved in a B2B buying decision and records their role, influence, and stance, so sales teams can plan who to engage and how.