PE-201c · Module 1

Capacity-Aware Routing

3 min read

The most sophisticated routing algorithms are capacity-aware — they consider not just who should get the lead but who can effectively work it right now. A rep with 40 open deals at various stages has less capacity to work a new lead than a rep with 15. A rep in the middle of a critical negotiation has less attention for new leads than a rep in a prospecting week. Capacity-aware routing distributes leads based on current workload, not just territory or round-robin position.

Do This

  • Factor open deal count, active stage distribution, and recent activity volume into routing weight
  • Reduce a rep's routing weight when they have more than 3 deals in Negotiation stage — those deals need focus
  • Increase a rep's routing weight after they close a deal — they have fresh capacity

Avoid This

  • Route based on territory alone without considering current workload — territory owners at capacity drop leads
  • Use a static capacity number that never changes — capacity fluctuates weekly based on deal stage mix
  • Ignore the rep's calendar — routing a lead to someone in back-to-back meetings all day guarantees slow response

Capacity scoring is the calculation that makes this work. Assign each rep a capacity score based on: total open deals (fewer = higher capacity), deals in late stages (more late-stage deals = lower capacity for new leads), time since last lead assignment (longer = higher priority), and calendar availability (more open time = higher capacity). Route new leads to the rep with the highest composite capacity score within the eligible routing pool.