Vendor hiring playbook

Hire for the appointment.
Train for the technology.

The best residential water-sales hire is not merely charismatic. They can turn a test result into an ethical recommendation, a recommendation into a confident decision, and a signed agreement into a clean installation handoff.

Submit a hiring brief ↗Browse representative talent profiles
01 / THE SCORECARD

Six outcomes to assess—not six adjectives.

Use the same evidence-based scorecard for every candidate. Define what good looks like before the first interview.

01
Appointment control

Sets an agenda, creates trust quickly, discovers the household’s priorities, and earns permission to test and educate.

02
Technical translation

Explains hardness, taste, odor, contaminants, equipment, maintenance, and tradeoffs without fear-based selling.

03
Recommendation quality

Connects test results and household needs to a correctly scoped softener, filter, reverse-osmosis system, or package.

04
Commercial judgment

Frames price, financing, lifetime cost, installation, service, and timing while protecting margin and customer fit.

05
Closing discipline

Surfaces objections, asks for the business, records the decision, and follows up with a defined next step.

06
Operational handoff

Leaves installation, service, finance, and customer care with clean documentation and realistic commitments.

02 / THE AUDITION

Watch them run a water conversation.

SCENARIO

A homeowner reports hard-water spotting, dislikes chlorine taste, and is worried about price. Give the candidate a simple fictional test result and three system options.

WHAT TO WATCH

Agenda setting, discovery depth, clarity, restraint, recommendation logic, objection handling, close, and installation handoff.

RED FLAGS

Fear tactics, unsupported health claims, immediate product dumping, ignoring budget, discounting too early, or promising installation details they cannot control.

03 / COMPENSATION DESIGN

Make the plan explainable in one page.

A credible offer lets a candidate model the median outcome from real operating inputs.

INPUTDISCLOSE THISWHY IT MATTERS
Guaranteed payBase, draw, ramp guarantee, benefitsDefines downside risk
Lead supplyAppointments per week and show rateDefines opportunity volume
Sales economicsMedian close rate and installed ticketDefines attainable production
CommissionRate, basis, accelerators, payout timingDefines upside and cash flow
ReversalsCancellation, financing, and chargeback rulesDefines earnings durability
Use the WaterMatch compensation benchmark →
04 / INTERVIEW LOOP

Four conversations. One decision record.

  1. 01
    Motivation and territory

    Why this product, this buyer, this schedule, and this geography?

  2. 02
    Evidence interview

    Walk through pipeline creation, appointment control, close rate, ticket size, CRM habits, and a lost sale.

  3. 03
    Structured audition

    Score the same homeowner scenario against the six outcomes above.

  4. 04
    Operating reference

    Verify coachability, forecast accuracy, customer ethics, follow-through, and cross-functional handoff.

05 / 30-60-90

Ramp knowledge and judgment before quota.

DAY 30Learn and shadow

Water fundamentals, product architecture, testing, pricing, financing, CRM, installation reality, service standards, and observed appointments.

DAY 60Run with coaching

Candidate leads discovery and education, writes recommendations, practices objections, and owns follow-up under manager review.

DAY 90Own the full motion

Rep runs qualified appointments independently, forecasts accurately, protects margin, documents handoffs, and builds referral habits.

BUILD THE SCORECARD INTO THE SEARCH

Tell WaterMatch what the rep must actually accomplish.

Share the territory, lead model, compensation, product mix, experience bar, and the selling motion. The hiring brief becomes the basis for a focused match.

Submit your hiring brief ↗