sales business developmentin home closekwh proposalsppa financingresidential solar
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 signed kW volume, monthly close counts, average system size, and install-to-cancel rate; ask which segment (residential retrofit, new build, commercial rooftop) they sold.
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 specific numbers: kW signed per month, sit-to-close percentage, cancellation rate under ten percent, and average ticket by financing type.
02
Evaluation factor
Method and qualification
25% weight
Probe how they qualify: utility bill analysis, roof age and shading, credit tiers for loan approval, homeowner status, and Aurora or OpenSolar design workflow.
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
Qualifies on bill history, roof condition, credit tier, and decision-maker presence before designing, and disqualifies unsuitable roofs early.
03
Evaluation factor
Relationships and trust
25% weight
Assess how they handle skeptical homeowners on savings claims, escalators, lien questions, and net metering changes; look for referral and neighbor-cluster generation.
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
Explains PPA versus loan versus cash trade-offs honestly, sets install timeline expectations, and sources a large share of deals from referrals.
04
Evaluation factor
Drive and resilience
15% weight
Test tolerance for canvassing, self-generated appointments, and long permit-to-install gaps; ask how they held pipeline through incentive changes or utility rate rulings.
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
Keeps self-generated pipeline running through policy shifts, works evenings and weekends for in-home sits, and tracks activity daily without prompting.
Put this rubric to work
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