Ask for closed revenue, average contract value, and close rate on their own calls, not the team's blended numbers.
Evidence to listen for 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 Gives their own close rate and contract values, cleanly separated from the team's blended results.
Test their call structure on long-cycle, high-value deals and how they handle a price objection without discounting reflexively.
Evidence to listen for 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 Has a repeatable call structure for high-value deals and handles price with questions rather than discounts.
Assess how they coach reps and whether anyone they trained went on to hit quota.
Evidence to listen for 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 Has coached reps who then hit quota, and can describe what they changed in a specific rep's approach.
Judge how they behave in a bad month, and whether their pitch stays honest when the number is at risk.
Evidence to listen for 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 Holds standards and honesty through a bad month rather than overselling to save the number.
