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The right onboarding is the difference between a seller performing after 2 weeks and one who never reaches their potential. This is how we do it at Devi Academy.
The first 14 days at a new job decide more than most people think. Our experience is clear: employees who get a structured onboarding stay longer, perform better and are happier. In sales, where staff turnover is historically high, onboarding is not just important – it is business critical.
At Devi Academy we've built an onboarding programme that doesn't just teach products and call templates. We build salespeople who understand why they do what they do, who can adapt to the customer's needs and who have the tools to grow.
The traditional problem
In many organisations onboarding looks like this: one day of HR paperwork, a couple of days of product training and then straight onto the floor. The result? New salespeople who lack confidence, make avoidable mistakes and in the worst case quit before they even become productive.
The cost of a failed sales hire is estimated at between 6 and 9 months' salary. Multiply that by the industry's average turnover and it becomes quickly clear: poor onboarding is one of the most expensive mistakes a sales organisation can make.
Devi Academy-modellen
Our onboarding program spans at least two weeks and is divided into four phases. The first phase is about culture and mindset – why Devi exists, what we believe in and how we work. It may sound soft, but the research is clear: cultural grounding is the strongest predictor of long-term performance.
The second phase focuses on methodology. Here salespeople learn our proven call structure, how to use our data-driven tools and how to navigate common objections. Everything is practiced in simulated environments before they take a single real call.
The third phase is mentor-led practice. Every new salesperson is paired with an experienced mentor who sits beside them, listens and gives direct feedback. This creates psychological safety and dramatically accelerates the learning curve.
The fourth phase is gradual ramp-up with daily coaching during the first weeks. We don't just measure results — we measure development, confidence and customer satisfaction.
The results speak for themselves
Since we implemented the current Academy model we've seen a clear change. Time-to-productivity has halved. Turnover among new salespeople has decreased. And customer satisfaction has gone up, because our salespeople are better prepared to deliver value from day one.
Onboarding isn't a cost — it's the highest-returning investment a sales organisation can make. Want to know more about how Devi Academy works, or how we can help your organisation with recruitment and onboarding? Get in touch — we're happy to share.
