Solving Retention by Fixing Recruitment
A Case Study
What initially appeared to be a retention problem turned out to be a recruitment issue. We helped this growing organisation refine its hiring process and build a stronger onboarding framework, resulting in a dramatic improvement in new-hire quality, engagement, and performance.
Within six months, early attrition fell from 47% to 0%, while team cohesion and performance reached their strongest levels to date.
The challenge
The company had been struggling with high turnover in its Sales team, particularly within the first six months of employment.
At first glance, Leadership believed it was a retention issue — citing motivation and management challenges. But after conducting a detailed review, we uncovered the real cause: unclear role expectations and inconsistent recruitment practices leading to poor fit and unrealistic performance assumptions.
The lack of structured onboarding meant new hires were being set up to fail before they had a chance to succeed.
The solution
We partnered with the Leadership team to re-engineer the entire front end of the sales talent lifecycle — from job definition to onboarding.
Role Clarity & Success Profiles: We defined clear, measurable role requirements and created ideal candidate profiles that aligned with both business needs and company culture.
Structured Interview Framework: We designed a consistent interview process supported by scorecards to assess skills, mindset, and cultural fit objectively.
Onboarding Programme Design: We built a structured onboarding plan focusing on early ramp-up, performance expectations, and continuous feedback, ensuring new hires felt equipped and supported from day one.
This joined-up approach ensured that recruitment decisions were data-driven, consistent, and aligned with long-term growth objectives.
The results
- Six-month attrition dropped from 47% to 0%
- Higher quality of hire, with stronger fit and faster performance ramp-up
- Improved cultural cohesion within the Sales team
- Managers gained clarity and confidence in hiring and developing their people
- Recruitment costs reduced as the need for frequent replacements disappeared
Client feedback
“The Sales Doctor helped us see that our retention challenge started long before day one. By tightening our recruitment process and improving onboarding, we’re now hiring the right people — and keeping them.” — Managing Director, Professional Services Firm
In summary
By diagnosing the true cause of turnover, this project turned recruitment from a recurring pain point into a strength. With clearer role definitions, structured hiring, and supportive onboarding, the business now has a Sales team built for long-term success — confident, capable, and committed.