For a medical device CEO deciding whether to expand the sales team, the hiring plan is only one part of the commercial decision.
Each new person enters the model the company already has. If experienced representatives rely on individual relationships to find approved clinical information, interpret priorities, or get an answer for a customer, new hires inherit those same conditions—without the experience that has helped the early team navigate them.
More people then produce more versions of the customer conversation. Managers spend time correcting avoidable differences. Clinical and product experts answer the same questions repeatedly. Longer ramp times can look like a hiring or motivation issue when the commercial preparation behind the role has not kept pace with headcount.
Before adding capacity, I would test four parts of commercial readiness:
- The market and customer decision. Do new hires know which opportunities the company is prioritizing and why?
- Approved education. Can they find current product and clinical information, understand what they may use, and recognize when to involve an expert?
- Practice and coaching. What must they demonstrate before independent customer conversations, and what will managers reinforce afterward?
- Field support. Where do questions go, and how do recurring questions lead to better onboarding and field tools?
A dependable foundation leaves room for good judgment across different customers and markets while giving people clear expectations.
Additional sales capacity can accelerate growth when the company can prepare, support, and coach the people it adds. That infrastructure deserves a place in the hiring decision itself.
If your company is expanding its commercial team, email me at kelly@kellyelliottglobaladvisors.com to discuss a Commercial Readiness Strategy Session.