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How to Use Gong for Sales Coaching: A Complete Guide
Discover 7 ways to use Gong for sales coaching and build sustainable habits that improve rep performance over time.
Moritz Beck
CTO
Feb 5, 2026
Want to turn your call recordings into actual coaching moments? Here's how to use Gong effectively.
Gong gives sales managers unprecedented visibility into what's happening on calls. But recording conversations is just the first step — the real value comes from turning those insights into sales coaching that improves rep performance.
Here are the 7 key ways to use Gong for coaching:
Call Scoring with Scorecards: Evaluate calls against a standardized methodology.
Smart Trackers: Monitor specific behaviors and topics across all conversations.
Best Practice Libraries: Build a collection of winning call moments for training.
1:1 Call Reviews: Use recorded calls as the foundation for coaching sessions.
Self-Coaching for Reps: Enable reps to review their own calls and improve independently.
Peer Learning: Share top performers' calls across the team.
Weekly Coaching Digests: Get automated summaries of coaching opportunities.
These features provide a data-driven foundation for coaching decisions. By consistently using them, managers can deliver more targeted feedback and help reps improve faster.
The Problem: Most teams start strong with Gong, then adoption fades. One study found managers went from 12 reviewed calls per month to zero within a year. The key is building sustainable coaching habits, not just installing software.
1. Call Scoring with Scorecards
Scorecards allow managers to evaluate calls against a standardized set of criteria. Instead of relying on gut feel, you can systematically assess whether reps are following your sales methodology.
How It Works
Create a scorecard based on your methodology (MEDDIC, SPICED, Sandler, etc.) with specific criteria like:
Discovery depth: Did the rep uncover the prospect's pain points?
Decision process mapping: Did they identify stakeholders and timeline?
Next steps: Did they secure a clear commitment?
Talk ratio: Did they listen more than they talked?
Gong will score calls against these criteria, giving you a consistent way to measure performance across your team.
Best Practices for Scorecards
Keep it simple — 5-7 criteria maximum
Weight the criteria that matter most to your sales motion
Review and adjust scorecards quarterly based on what's actually driving wins
Share scorecard criteria with reps so they know what "good" looks like
Pro Tip: Create different scorecards for different call types — discovery calls need different criteria than demo calls or negotiation calls.
2. Smart Trackers
Smart Trackers are Gong's AI-powered feature for monitoring specific topics, behaviors, and patterns across all conversations without manually reviewing every call. This leverages natural language processing to identify key moments automatically.
What You Can Track
Methodology adherence: Are reps asking MEDDIC questions?
Competitor mentions: When and how are competitors coming up?
Pricing discussions: How are reps handling pricing objections?
Feature requests: What are prospects asking for that you don't have?
Objection patterns: What objections come up most frequently?
Setting Up Effective Trackers
Start with your methodology: Create trackers for each step of your sales process
Monitor competitive positioning: Track when competitors are mentioned and how reps respond
Identify winning patterns: What do top performers say that others don't?
Track new initiatives: When you roll out new messaging, measure adoption
"Smart Trackers help us identify successful conversation patterns that can be replicated across the team — for example, tracking how effectively reps are conducting discovery calls or positioning competitive differentiators."
3. Best Practice Libraries
One of the most powerful coaching tools is showing reps what "great" actually sounds like. Gong lets you save call snippets and build a library of best practices — similar to how sports teams review game film.
What to Save
Winning openers: How top reps get past the first 30 seconds
Objection handling: Real examples of reps navigating pricing, timing, or competitor objections
Discovery questions: Great examples of uncovering pain
Closing moments: How reps secure next steps and commitments
Product positioning: How to articulate value proposition clearly
How to Use the Library
Onboarding: New hires listen to 10-15 best practice snippets before making their first calls
Team meetings: Share one "call of the week" highlighting a specific skill
1:1s: Pull relevant snippets when coaching on specific areas
Self-service: Let reps browse and learn on their own time
Key insight: Don't just save the full calls — save the specific 2-3 minute moments that demonstrate the skill you want to teach. Reps are more likely to actually listen.
4. 1:1 Call Reviews
The most impactful coaching happens when managers review specific calls with their reps. According to Harvard Business Review, effective coaching requires specific, timely feedback tied to observable behaviors. Gong makes this easier by providing transcripts, timestamps, and AI-highlighted moments.
The Ideal Call Review Process
Before the 1:1:
Rep selects 1-2 calls they want feedback on
Manager reviews calls using the scorecard
Manager identifies 2-3 specific moments to discuss (positive and constructive)
During the 1:1:
Start with what went well — reinforce winning behaviors
Jump to specific timestamps to discuss improvement areas
Ask the rep what they would do differently
Agree on one skill to focus on for the next week
After the 1:1:
Assign practice (role-play, specific calls to review)
Follow up on progress in the next session
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Reviewing too many calls at once (focus on 1-2 max)
Only giving negative feedback
Not connecting feedback to specific call moments
Forgetting to follow up on coaching commitments
5. Self-Coaching for Reps
Don't put all the coaching burden on managers. Gong enables reps to review their own calls and identify areas for improvement independently. Research on deliberate practice shows that self-directed skill development accelerates learning.
How Reps Can Self-Coach
Review call transcripts after every call to spot missed opportunities
Compare their calls to top performers' calls on similar deal types
Track their own metrics — talk ratio, question count, monologue length
Request feedback from managers or peers on specific calls
Listen to lost deals to understand what went wrong
Making Self-Coaching a Habit
Set a weekly goal: Review 2-3 of your own calls
Focus on one skill area per week
Keep a "learning log" of insights from call reviews
Share learnings with the team in a Slack channel or team meeting
Data point: Reps who regularly review their own calls improve 2x faster than those who rely solely on manager feedback.
6. Peer Learning
Some of the best coaching comes from peers, not managers. Gong makes it easy to share calls and learn from colleagues. This approach aligns with social learning theory, which shows that people learn effectively by observing others.
Ways to Enable Peer Learning
Call of the week: Each team member nominates a great call to share
Buddy system: Pair new reps with experienced reps to review calls together
Skill-specific sharing: When someone handles an objection well, share it with the team
Lost deal reviews: Review lost deals as a team to identify patterns (no blame, just learning)
Building a Peer Learning Culture
Celebrate reps who share their calls (both wins and losses)
Create a Slack channel for sharing call highlights
Include peer call reviews in onboarding programs
Recognize "most coachable" reps, not just top performers
7. Weekly Coaching Digests
Gong can automatically surface coaching opportunities so managers don't have to hunt for them. This is similar to how business intelligence tools surface key metrics for decision-makers.
What to Include in Your Weekly Review
Calls with low scores: Which calls need attention?
Methodology gaps: Which reps are skipping key steps?
Trending objections: What are prospects pushing back on this week?
At-risk deals: Which deals show warning signs based on call patterns?
Top performers: What are your best reps doing differently?
Creating a Sustainable Cadence
The Coaching Adoption Problem
Here's the uncomfortable truth: most teams don't sustain their Gong coaching habits.
According to CSO Insights research, sales teams that receive consistent coaching see 16.7% higher win rates. Yet most organizations struggle to maintain coaching momentum.
Why Coaching Fades
Managers get busy with pipeline reviews, forecasts, and firefighting
Listening to calls takes time that managers don't have
It's easier to look at dashboards than dig into individual calls
There's no accountability for coaching activities
The insights don't always translate into clear next steps
How to Make It Stick
Set call review targets: Managers commit to reviewing X calls per rep per week
Block time on the calendar: Coaching time that's protected, not optional
Track coaching activities: Are managers actually reviewing calls and giving feedback?
Tie it to outcomes: Show the correlation between coaching and rep improvement
Start small: Better to review 2 calls well than 10 calls superficially
The reality: One client went from 12 reviewed calls per manager per month to zero within a year. The tool didn't break — managers just got busy and the habit slipped. Without a system to surface what matters and ensure follow-through, even the best tools go unused.
Measuring Coaching Effectiveness
Coaching is only valuable if it actually improves performance. Here's how to know if it's working. These metrics align with standard sales performance management practices.
Leading Indicators
Methodology adherence scores improving over time
Talk ratio trending toward target (usually 40-60% rep talk time)
Specific skill scores improving (e.g., objection handling)
Reps asking for more feedback (sign of coaching culture)
Lagging Indicators
Win rate by rep improving
Sales cycle length decreasing
Quota attainment trending up
Time to first deal for new hires decreasing
The Feedback Loop
Identify skill gaps from call data
Deliver targeted coaching on specific areas
Track improvement in call scores
Connect to outcomes (did win rate improve?)
Adjust coaching focus based on results
Conclusion
Gong provides the raw material for great coaching — recorded calls, transcripts, AI insights, and scorecards. But the tool alone won't transform your team's performance.
The difference between teams that succeed with Gong and those that don't comes down to building sustainable coaching habits:
Managers who block time to review calls (not just look at dashboards)
Reps who actively self-coach and seek feedback
Teams that share best practices and learn from each other
Leaders who track coaching activities, not just outcomes
Action Steps to Get Started
Create or refine your scorecard based on your methodology
Set up 3-5 Smart Trackers for key behaviors
Build a starter library of 10 best practice snippets
Block 30 minutes per rep per week for call reviews
Establish a weekly team call-sharing ritual
Track coaching activity, not just rep performance
FAQs
How many calls should managers review per rep per week?
Aim for 2-3 calls per rep per week. Quality matters more than quantity — it's better to deeply review 2 calls with specific feedback than to skim 10 calls with generic observations.
How do I get reps to actually listen to their own calls?
Make it part of the job, not optional. Set expectations that reps review 2-3 of their own calls weekly. Track completion. Celebrate reps who share insights from their self-reviews.
What if managers don't have time for call reviews?
This is the most common challenge. The solution is to make it a priority, not an add-on. Block time on calendars. Use AI to surface the most important moments so managers don't have to listen to full calls. And consider whether some of your managers' other activities could be automated or delegated.
How long does it take to see results from coaching?
Expect to see improvements in call scores within 2-4 weeks of consistent coaching. Improvements in win rate and revenue typically take 1-2 quarters to materialize, since those are lagging indicators.
Should I use Gong's suggested coaching or build my own approach?
Start with Gong's suggestions to get quick value, then customize based on your methodology and what you learn about your team's specific gaps. The best approach combines AI-surfaced insights with your own judgment about what matters most.
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Moritz Beck
CTO
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