Some new sales hires may look great on paper and nail their interview, but once they’re out representing your MSP, they falter.

Using effective interviewing strategies can go a long way toward improving your chances of making good choices, but even the most experienced sales managers sometimes make the wrong hiring choice. When that happens, you’re better off letting the person go as soon as possible to minimize the damage.

In a recent CharTec Academy session, Director of Sales Nick Points talked about the importance of being slow to hire and quick to fire. One of the most common mistakes an MSP can make is hiring the wrong salespeople, so righting the ship early is necessary. How can you tell when it’s time to let someone go? Here are some of Nick’s tips for spotting failure early.

They let rejection get slow them down

No one likes rejection, but a good salesperson knows how to rise above it. If your salesperson gives in to rejection by believing a prospect who doesn’t return their call will never buy from them – that’s a big red flag.

They have no sense of urgency

Salespeople must have a palpable sense of urgency to get things done. They need to be buzzing around with a desire to strike while the iron is hot. If your new salesperson doesn’t seem like they’re in a hurry to get things done and are dragging their feet when it comes to following up on emails, for example, you need to watch out. This flaw also applies to salespeople who have proven themselves early in their careers but have become complacent and wait for opportunities to come to them instead of remaining proactive.

They’re not willing to work outside of business hours

Sales isn’t a 9-to-5 job. If your salesperson is watching the clock and picking up their keys at 4:59, they might be the wrong person for the role. Working in sales often means early mornings, late evenings, and even the occasional weekend. Anyone who isn’t willing to put in the effort will never get the results you need to succeed. It’s best to cut your losses and move on.

They’re not confident and assertive enough

One thing to look out for is a salesperson who fails to close in presentations. In the end, after all the hard work through the sales process and discovery, all they do is ask, “So, what do you think?”.

Leaving it open like that and telling the prospect to get back to you is not the way forward. You want salespeople who are confident enough to ask for the business at that moment. If they don’t work to close on the day they present, you may have a salesperson on your hand who has the wrong personality for the job. This weakness is something a DISC personality assessment could have told you before you made the hire.

They fall short in training

Your salesperson will show you who they are in the early days of training – make sure you pay attention! For example, CharTec uses a 30-day Accelerator program for onboarding new salespeople. During that time, they’re not selling. Instead, they’re trying to learn everything necessary about the company and what they are expected to achieve. To that end, they conduct interviews with leaders of the organization and submit a report the following day by 8 am. If they fail to meet these early deadlines, you need to let them go. If they can’t even complete a simple task during the “honeymoon phase” when they should be trying to impress you, it’s not going to get better.

No MSP can afford to keep salespeople who don’t perform on their payroll. Look out for these signs. It’s time to cut your losses to avoid wasting everyone’s time – not to mention potentially burning leads and destroying relationships with existing clients.

If you have never used our 30-day Accelerator program, contact us at membership@chartec.net and we’ll get you set up. Or, feel free to download our 30 day Sales Roadmap and Sales Offer Letter here. And if you want more in-person help with hiring the right salesperson, maybe it’s time to attend our Academy. Not only will you get two intensive days of MSP-focused training sessions, but you’ll have the opportunity to network with other MSP owners who have overcome the challenges you’re currently facing. You can register here: https://chartec.net/chartec-academy/