Definition
Relying on only one relationship or contact point within a client organization, creating massive risk when that person leaves or changes roles. The business development equivalent of putting all your eggs in one basket, then dropping the basket.
Example Usage
We were single-threaded with their CTO, so when he left for a startup, our $2M deal evaporated overnight.
Origin
Enterprise sales and account management terminology from the 2000s
Fun Fact
Sales textbooks warn against single threading, yet it remains one of the most common reasons deals fall apart unexpectedly.
Source: Enterprise sales and relationship management terminology
Related Terms
Translate This Term
See “single threading” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.
Try the Translator