In St. Louis, known for its humid summers and love for backyard retreats, Pool & Spa companies find themselves in high demand. Today’s narrative brings us to Oasis Outdoors, a composite yet illustrative example of a local company struggling with its sales team.

The Hiring Struggle

Oasis Outdoors had a problem that’s all too familiar: frequent turnover, a string of bad hires, and sales reps who just couldn't seal the deal at the kitchen table during high-pressure sales appointments. With Missouri’s weather driving consistent interest in backyard luxury, the pressure was on to have a team that could effectively convert leads into sales.

Their main challenge? Finding salespeople who could master the art of the one-call close. Despite St. Louis being a bustling hub of opportunity with a variety of "sales jobs", Oasis Outdoors found its team constantly underperforming.

The Turning Point: C.O.R.E. to the Rescue

In seeking alternatives, Oasis Outdoors discovered the free C.O.R.E. behavioral sales assessment offered through Salesman Connect. This tool promised what their traditional interviews couldn’t: insight into applicants’ behavioral profiles to predict their sales success.

This sales aptitude test became the beacon of hope they needed. With it, Oasis Outdoors set out to identify true one-call closers—those who could drive commissions and thrive in commission sales positions.

Concrete Steps Toward Success

Empowered by the assessments, Oasis Outdoors redefined their hiring process in just three steps:

• Identify Traits: First, they used the C.O.R.E. assessment to profile their top existing salespeople, gaining insight into the behavioral traits that correlated with successful closers.
• Refined Recruitment: With clear traits in mind, they revisited their job postings, optimizing them for "hire Pool & Spa sales reps" and tailoring their interview questions around these key behaviors.
• Focused Training: New hires, selected for their potential as "one-call closers", underwent personalized training programs to hone their existing skills and adapt them to the local market.

The Illustrative Outcome

Within months, Oasis Outdoors saw immediate results. Newly hired sales reps thrived, quickly becoming top performers and noticeably increasing the company’s closing rates. They shared their illustrative results with us for teaching purposes: a morale boost across the department, enhanced team camaraderie, and most importantly, a shot in the arm for their bottom line. By hiring several strong closers fast, they rebounded from their staffing woes.

Their decision to embed behavioral assessments into their hiring strategy served not just the company, but the demand of St. Louis homeowners yearning for outdoor luxury, growing their business and reputation in tandem.

Repeatable Takeaway

For teams facing similar hiring headaches, the takeaway is clear: Behavioral insights can be your differentiator. Assess candidate traits before they join your ranks by using a sales aptitude tool available for free, like the C.O.R.E. assessment, to ensure each hiring choice aligns with your company’s specific goals.

This lesson from Oasis Outdoors is one you can implement tonight: Review your current hiring practices, consider what makes a successful salesperson in your industry, and utilize behavioral assessments to find reps who fit that mold.

Illustrative example: a composite scenario written to teach, not an account of a specific customer.

Hiring in this space? Explore Pool & Spa sales rep hiring in St. Louis, MO, or start free with the C.O.R.E. sales assessment.

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