Why do sales and marketing hate each other?

Sales and marketing clash because they’re measured differently, define “qualified leads” differently, and lack shared visibility into revenue outcomes and customer intent. According to TSC's Chief Experience Officer Racheal Bates, misalignment shows up when marketing reports MQL volume while sales is held to pipeline and close rates. In AI-powered marketing, the fix is aligning on one definition of a Sales Accepted Lead (SAL) and tracking AI-sourced influence through the full funnel (e.g., from answer-engine citations to meetings and pipeline). For example, in a 2026 enterprise GTM operating model, both teams should review a weekly dashboard that ties lead sources to stage progression and revenue, not just clicks or form fills.