A commission-only rep can feel low-risk: if they don't close, you don't pay them. But a rep who isn't a fit still costs you in other ways. Most of it never shows up on payroll, so it helps to know where to look.
1. The leads they use up
Every booked call costs you something to create: ad spend, content, setter pay or your own time. If a call goes badly, that lead often won't book again.
For example, if each booked call costs you $150 to generate and a rep takes 40 calls in a month without closing many of them, that's $6,000 worth of leads.
2. The sales you miss
The bigger cost is what a stronger closer would have done with the same calls. With simple example numbers:
| Weaker closer | Stronger closer | |
|---|---|---|
| Shown calls per month | 40 | 40 |
| Close rate | 8% | 22% |
| Deals at $4,000 | 3 | 9 |
| Cash collected | $12,000 | $36,000 |
Same leads, same month, and a $24,000 difference. It's easy to miss, because it never shows up as a cost in your books.
3. Your time
Hiring, onboarding, reviewing calls, and then doing it all again if the hire doesn't work out. That can add up to weeks of your attention that could have gone into the offer, the marketing or your next hire.
4. Refunds and your reputation
A pushy or careless rep can close people who aren't a good fit. That can lead to refunds, chargebacks and unhappy customers.
5. Your setters
If you have setters, a closer who struggles wastes the calls they worked to book. Good setters notice, and some of them will look for another offer.
How to lower the risk
- Screen on evidence. A short intro video and a live roleplay tell you more than a résumé. Here's how to vet a rep's Loom.
- Agree on the numbers upfront, so you can tell by week three whether it's working.
- Check the offer too. Sometimes the rep isn't the problem. Here's how to tell if your offer is ready for a closer.
- Have a plan B. Decide in advance what happens if the first hire doesn't work out, so you're not starting from zero.
That last point is why Ardenique charges nothing upfront. You pay once your rep brings in 5x the fee in cash collected or is still with you on day 30, whichever comes first. If they leave before that for a reason on their side, you owe nothing for them and I send another rep at no charge.
Hiring right now?
I aim to get you 2–3 vetted finalists in about 7 days. You pay only after your rep brings in 5x my fee or reaches day 30.