# The Paradox of Sales Performance: Why Some Reps Fail Exploring the systemic issues behind sales team failures. - **Source:** [SaaStr](https://www.saastr.com) - **Published:** 2026-08-16 - **Topic:** [Sales & BD](https://brifing.si/c/sales) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/3a28e352-2133-4944-a007-89bba02f60da ## The Paradox of Sales Performance In some companies, average sales reps achieve 50%-90% of their quota, while in others, they hit 0%. This discrepancy stems from gaps in product-market fit, tight processes, and support systems. Jason Lemkin notes observing this pattern in hundreds of startups, often surprising founders when they realize it. ## Failure of Experienced Reps Experienced sales executives from large B2B companies often close zero deals when joining startups. This is attributed to missing product-market fit, processes, and support systems. According to SaaStr AI surveys, only 18% of early-stage teams have over 70% of reps meeting quotas. ## Failure as a System Output Underperforming sales reps should be seen as a system output. In companies with product-market fit, reps merely manage the process and close deals. Without these elements, reps must reinvent the process, leading to failure. This is work for founders and VPs of Sales, not average reps. ## The Three Key Ingredients Product-market fit, tight processes, and support systems are the foundation of sales success. Product-market fit is measured by customers knowing what they want. Tight processes require standard demos and pricing frameworks. Support systems provide resources for technical calls and security reviews. ## Top Reps Mask the Problem Companies often have one or two top reps whose success masks systemic issues. These reps succeed despite the system by creating their own processes and solutions. Such reps are rare and cannot be replicated, highlighting the underlying organizational flaws. ## What to Do in a 0% Club If your company has a 0% club, stop hiring new reps. Instead, reverse-engineer the processes of your top performers. This analysis forms your first sales playbook. Addressing support gaps often yields higher ROI than hiring additional reps. ## Assess Product-Market Fit Honestly evaluate your product-market fit. If deals don’t close without special efforts, true fit hasn’t been achieved. Customers knowing what they want and purchasing it indicates genuine product-market fit. ## Building a Sales Organization Two reps hitting quota suggest a repeatable sales organization exists. One rep hitting quota while eight hit 0% indicates a talented individual but a missing sales organization. Strengthening the sales organization should be the priority in such cases. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.saastr.com/the-0-quota-club-and-why-the-same-mediocre-rep-hits-70-at-one-company-and-0-at-yours/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._