Hiring the wrong person can be one of the most expensive decisions you make. Here’s why—along with advice on hiring sales reps that perform.
Recruiting and hiring sales reps are daunting tasks, no matter what position you’re trying to fill. But bringing on a new IT or technology salesperson comes with even more risks and challenges.
For starters, sales positions are some of the most sought-after by employers around the world. Core competencies for these positions have also changed. The sales tactics and strategies that worked a decade ago are no longer effective.
Different companies have different approaches to growing their IT and technology sales teams. Some choose to hire quickly and hope for the best. Others rely on existing staff members to offer recommendations and referrals. Some companies reach out to workers at competitive organizations to see if they can persuade them to make a move. And others sometimes hand-pick existing employees who are successful in other positions and move them into sales.
But these approaches can be costly and ineffective in the long run, not always leading you in the right direction. Recruiting the wrong salesperson can be a very expensive mistake—and can cost much more than hiring the right person, even when they come with a hefty price tag. Here’s why.
1. Lost Productivity and Efficiency
You know you’ve hired the wrong salesperson when they require lots of hands-on, one-on-one time; need extensive training and resources; and lack enthusiasm or motivation.
The right salesperson will naturally require less training, less handholding, and fewer resources to get started. They’re inherently creative and capable, which means they’ll become part of your established workflows quickly and be able to generate revenue faster.
When you hire someone who’s a good cultural fit, that person can also help improve the productivity, morale, and performance of the employees around them, including other salespeople. They can bring new ideas and energy, plus a fresh sense of humor and inspiration.
2. Higher Staff Turnover Rates
Hiring the wrong person—one who doesn’t meet their KPIs or fit with your company culture—means the person is more likely to leave your company compared to someone who’s a good fit. You’ll have to start the process for hiring sales reps all over again.
It can also create a turnover domino effect: If their performance or unhappiness impacts other employees, then those team members may get frustrated and decide to look elsewhere for new opportunities.
Retention rates are higher when the right person is hired from the outset. They perform in line with expectations, they’re happy in their role, and they contribute to the success of the company.
3. Lower Customer Satisfaction Levels
The wrong salesperson won’t be successful at leading conversations, engaging with prospective customers, or fielding questions. As a result, the interactions they have with customers probably won’t be helpful or memorable.
On the other hand, the right salesperson will be able to build strong relationships with customers quickly, leading to high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. They’ll know how to close deals effectively by communicating value, overcoming objections, and responding to and empathizing with customers’ pain points.
4. Damaged Reputation
Tied closely to customer satisfaction is your company’s reputation.
Hiring the wrong salesperson can damage your company’s status if they make customers feel uncomfortable, don’t provide value, or aren’t sure about what they’re selling. Those negative experiences can spread quickly, whether through word of mouth, on social media, or on discussion forums.
But hiring sales reps with the right fit can improve your company’s reputation for being reliable and trustworthy. When customers get the attention, responses, and expertise they need, it serves as a positive reflection of your company and its brand.
Investing in the wrong person takes time and resources away from what you could be investing in: the right salesperson. Someone who can generate revenue, build strong relationships, and help your company grow.
So how can you get it right? Start with Revenueify’s REVUP Recruiting services. We help you overcome the challenges of recruiting, hiring, and retaining professional technology and IT salespeople.
We created a proven, data-driven process that works because it involves:
A pre-selected pool of over 300 candidates who are ideally suited for technology and IT sales
A recruitment process that includes an initial screening and rigorous, scientifically validated aptitude assessment so you can hire smarter
The coordination of all interviews, offers, and onboarding for new hires
The creation and documentation of sales processes that your new salespeople can use as a resource
Customized incentive plans that motivate new sellers to hit quotas
We can fill most sales positions in under 30 days, and every hire we help you make comes with a 90-day guarantee. If the new salesperson isn’t the right fit, we’ll re-hire for that role at no additional cost.