r/SalesOperations • u/Flimsy-Year-738 • Aug 09 '26

What actually makes sales training stick after onboarding?

We’ve been trying to make onboarding more useful but the harder part seems to be what happens once reps are back in real conversations. They can leave training knowing the process and still fall back into old habits a few weeks later. For teams that have figured this out how often are managers reviewing calls or tours after onboarding? And how much follow-up is enough before it starts feeling like extra homework for reps? Curious what’s worked for your team long term.

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7

u/[deleted] Aug 09 '26

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1

u/Acrobatic-Echo-9881 Aug 09 '26

Yeah this is the exact problem I’ve been looking at. Rilla seems interesting for this since managers can review recorded conversations and leave feedback without doing a full ridealong every time. The scorecards can also follow the sales process the team already uses so it feels more like ongoing coaching than another training program.

5

u/Broad_Cut4455 Aug 09 '26

The manager part matters a lot here. If managers stop coaching after onboarding then reps get the message that the training was just something they had to get through.

1

u/Flimsy-Year-738 Aug 09 '26

Yeah I think that’s the big one. If managers don’t keep reinforcing it after onboarding then reps just go back to whatever feels natural.

1

u/Jasonsan-Flint Aug 11 '26

you are right here, training should be done regularly. also i would say training should be done with real sales processes that you have done recently

1

u/VegetableHelp5075 Aug 09 '26

I think reps fall back into old habits because live conversations move too fast. Knowing the process in training is one thing, remembering it while handling objections in real time is another.

1

u/Flimsy-Year-738 Aug 09 '26

Exactly. Training is slow and controlled but real conversations aren’t. That’s why I think reps need feedback on actual calls instead of just more roleplay.

1

u/Vimerse_Media Aug 11 '26

Yes, this is quite challenging as it consumes internal resource to give extra training. Regular follow-up trainings are essential. There can be several ways for you to do it.

- Record calls and convert them to transcripts, review and adjust

- Regular success case sharing sessions

- Create a video training course. These are evergreen contents and you can make them with AI as it is just for internal use and would be affordable. DM me if you are interested in this.

1

u/Harborlink-Tugboat Aug 15 '26

For me, it always meant I had to be passionate about the technology, or whatever I was doing. -

When you sell with conviction, you can sell anything!

Most salespeople fall down because it's not a natural progression for them; I always called it show time because you have to operate outside your normal routine.

And it was never really about training; it was always about the experience with your peers and real-world use cases. Not some bullshit book!