sales business developmentaccount managementrenewalssaasupsell
Complete evaluation framework
What to assess and how to score it
Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.
01
Evaluation factor
Track record
35% weight
Check their book size in ARR, logo count, gross and net revenue retention, and named expansion wins; ask which renewals they saved and what churn they lost.
Explains the market and buyer they sold to, not just the product
Distinguishes what they closed from what the team closed
Can describe a deal they lost and why
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No numbers; cannot describe what they actually sold or to whom.
2
Needs Improvement
Vague attainment; credit for team results is unclear.
3
Satisfactory
Real record with some numbers; attribution occasionally fuzzy.
4
Very Good
Clear numbers and ownership, including honest losses.
5
Excellent
Quotes NRR above 110 percent, names specific expansion deals with dollar values, and owns the logos that churned and why.
02
Evaluation factor
Method and qualification
25% weight
Probe how they run QBRs, build success plans, track product usage signals in Gainsight or Salesforce, and score renewal risk before the 90 day window.
Evidence to listen for
Has a repeatable approach to qualifying and progressing deals
Can walk a real deal from first contact to close
Handles objections with questions rather than scripts
Knows when to disqualify
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
No method; pitches at everyone and hopes.
2
Needs Improvement
Weak qualification; deals stall with no diagnosis.
3
Satisfactory
Workable method; inconsistent on complex or long cycles.
4
Very Good
Clear repeatable method; disqualifies early and deliberately.
5
Excellent
Describes a repeatable renewal cadence tied to usage data and adoption milestones, not calendar-driven check-ins weeks before expiry.
03
Evaluation factor
Relationships and trust
25% weight
Assess how they hold multi-threaded relationships across champion, economic buyer, and IT admin, and what they did when their champion left mid-contract.
Evidence to listen for
Has clients or talent who came back or referred them
Manages a difficult conversation without damaging the relationship
Represents the client's interest, not only the commission
Builds rapport across seniority levels
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Transactional; burns relationships for a close.
2
Needs Improvement
Builds rapport but does not sustain relationships.
3
Satisfactory
Solid relationships; less tested in conflict.
4
Very Good
Repeat business and referrals; handles conflict without damage.
5
Excellent
Names three or more contacts per account, shows how they rebuilt sponsorship after turnover, and admits accounts where trust broke down.
04
Evaluation factor
Drive and resilience
15% weight
Test how they handle escalations over outages, pricing pushback at renewal, and quarters where a flagship account downgraded despite their efforts.
Evidence to listen for
Handles rejection and a bad quarter without unravelling
Self-directed on pipeline rather than waiting for leads
Coachable on feedback
Honest in how they represent the product and themselves
Five-point scoring guide
1
Poor
Gives up easily; blames leads, product, or market.
2
Needs Improvement
Motivation depends on momentum; resistant to coaching.
3
Satisfactory
Steady; recovers from setbacks with support.
4
Very Good
Self-motivated, coachable, and steady through bad stretches.
5
Excellent
Recounts a tough renewal negotiation or sev-1 escalation calmly, with clear steps taken and lessons applied to the next cycle.
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