SalesFuel announces new data from sales managers on bad hiring, sales skills, Ai and artificial intelligence usage and marketing department alignment.
WESTERVILLE, Ohio, June 3, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- SalesFuel announces new research revealing the average cost of a bad B2B sales hire now totals $177,171, significantly higher than the figure most commonly cited by business leaders for the past decade. The findings were announced during a webinar hosted by Paul Nolan, Editor-in-Chief of Sales & Marketing Management, featuring C. Lee Smith, Founder and CEO of SalesFuel, and Kathy Crosett, Senior Vice President of Research at SalesFuel. The discussion drew on SalesFuel's Voice of the Sales Manager™ survey, representing perspectives from sales managers across a well-balanced mix of businesses and providing key insights into the state of sales management in 2026.
While many organizations focus on the recruiting and onboarding expense of replacing underperforming salespeople, SalesFuel's latest research shows the hidden costs are substantially greater. In addition to recruiting, compensation and training expenses can include:
- Destroyed sales forecasts
- Weaker customer relationships
- Declining team morale
- Reduction in productivity across SEVERAL departments
The research also found that companies typically spend nearly three months hiring a sales rep before that individual makes a first sales call, followed by another five-and-a-half months before reaching peer-level productivity.
"By the time managers recognize a hiring mistake, the negative impact has already spread throughout the sales team, customer relationships and revenue pipeline," said C. Lee Smith, Founder and CEO of SalesFuel.
"$177,171 is just the national average — the true cost can be even higher depending on industry, experience level and geography. The companies reducing turnover most effectively are using more objective, data-driven hiring methods instead of relying on instinct or urgency."
The research highlights how artificial intelligence is complicating the hiring process. Candidates increasingly use AI tools to write resumes and optimize applications to pass automated HR screening systems, making it harder for employers to accurately evaluate sales talent. They also use AI to write their resumes.
"This new research is eye-opening. Organizations are dealing with a much more sophisticated hiring environment than they were even a few years ago," said Kathy Crosett, Senior Vice President of Research at SalesFuel. "AI has made it easier for candidates to present themselves well on paper, but hiring managers still need reliable behavioral and aptitude data to identify who can truly perform, adapt and thrive in today's AI-driven selling environment."
A free, complete special report entitled: "The True Cost of a Bad Sales Hire" is available NOW with extremely detailed information regarding the survey results and can be downloaded HERE.
There are new solutions available to identify candidates who are poor matches and help businesses avoid making expensive mistakes. TeamTrait™ helps organizations improve hiring accuracy, optimize team performance and strengthen retention through cloud-based psychometric assessments, AI-powered behavioral interview questions, and customizable industry aptitude testing. The platform delivers actionable insights in approximately 20 minutes, helping managers avoid emotionally driven hiring decisions that often lead to costly turnover.
For additional research insights and methodology from the Voice of the Sales Manager™ survey, visit HERE.
Free TeamTrait™ two-week trial and two free assessments CLICK HERE
Webinar on-demand recording may be found HERE
About SalesFuel®:
Founded in 1989, SalesFuel® has a proven track record of offering a SaaS-based portfolio of sales tools, training and intelligence providing thousands of sales and media sales teams nationwide with the power to Sell Smarter®. Our portfolio of sales solutions includes AdMall®, providing tactical business intelligence for local marketing and media sales. AdMall is utilized by more than 15,000 media sales and marketing professionals. Other SalesFuel solutions include SalesCred®, our sales training programs that help salespeople build credibility, earn buyer trust and strengthen executive influence. SalesCred is delivered through in-person or virtual workshops and features AI in Sales training focused on the responsible use of AI. And TeamTrait™, a hiring, retention and team optimization solution, is the best alternative pre-hire assessment and aptitude testing platform for building high-performing teams.
About TeamTrait™
TeamTrait™ is a talent assessment platform designed to help organizations hire, develop and lead stronger teams. Powered by SalesFuel's Sales Acumen situational judgment test and the Four Fits™ methodology, TeamTrait provides insights into personality traits, motivations and role compatibility—helping managers predict sales success and build teams that perform at their best.
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Media Contact
Audrey Strong, SalesFuel, 1 6143183771, [email protected], https://salesfuel.com/
SOURCE SalesFuel
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