The real cost of technical delays in virtual sales meetings

It's not just frustrating. It's expensive. 

We’ve all been there. The sales call is starting, the client’s ready...and the presentation just won’t load. Or the rep gets kicked out of the meeting. Or the screen share won’t work. It’s “just a few minutes,” right? 
 

Except it’s not. 
 

These moments chip away at trust, professionalism, and time. And when it happens across dozens or hundreds of meetings? The cost is real, and bigger than most teams realize. 

What’s the impact? 

Credibility takes a hit. When the first impression is technical trouble, it signals a lack of readiness. It slows momentum and can raise doubts, especially in competitive sales cycles. 
 

Time is wasted – and it adds up fast. Let’s say a 15-minute delay affects a sales rep, a sales engineer, and three client-side decision-makers. If each person’s time is valued at around $200/hour, that’s roughly $250–$300 in lost time – for just one meeting. It’s just an example, but it illustrates how quickly the hidden costs stack up when delays become routine across a sales team. 
 

Customer experience suffers. A frustrated prospect might not say anything. They’ll just move on to the company that made joining and presenting easy. 

Internal morale drops. Reps get tired of workarounds. Sales engineers lose patience. IT gets blamed. The result? Missed revenue and internal tension. 

Executive meetings? Even more costly. 

Now picture a 10-minute delay in a strategy session with five senior leaders. At higher hourly rates, the cost of that delay could easily exceed $400, and that’s just in direct time, not the opportunity cost of delayed decisions. 
 

What can you do about it? 

If your teams are struggling with these issues, here’s a checklist to start making change: 

• Document the issues. What went wrong? What device or platform was involved? How did it affect the meeting? 

• Ask your colleagues. Are others experiencing the same problems? How is it affecting their sales performance? 

• Loop in IT. Who owns the video meeting setup? Are they aware of the issues? Can they offer a better solution? 
  
  
• Talk to your manager. Share your notes, highlight the business impact, and ask for support in finding a fix. 

Delays and glitches may seem small, but in virtual sales, they come with a cost. The good news? These are problems you can solve. 
 

With the right setup, your meetings can start on time, flow smoothly, and move the deal forward. That’s time - and trust - you can’t afford to waste. 

Learn how more about how to create a seamless meeting experience with Pexip here.