Ramp Time (Sales)
New sales reps cost money from day one but don't hit quota for 4-9 months. Every month of ramp is lost productivity and cash burn.
💡TL;DR
Ramp Time = months until new rep hits 100% quota. Benchmarks: SMB SaaS 3-4 months, Mid-Market 4-6 months, Enterprise 6-9 months. Calculate: average months to first quota attainment for reps hired in past 12 months. Reduce ramp by: structured onboarding (30-60-90 plans), ride-alongs with top performers, providing qualified pipeline, and certifications before customer-facing.
Definition
The time it takes for a new sales rep to reach full productivity (typically measured as hitting 100% of quota). Ramp time includes onboarding, training, territory assignment, and building pipeline. Shorter ramp = faster ROI on sales hiring.
🏢What This Means for SMB Teams
SMB SaaS should target 3-4 month ramp. If longer, your sales motion may be too complex or onboarding is insufficient. Consider product-led or inside sales models that have naturally shorter ramps.
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📋Practical Example
A 50-person security SaaS had 7-month average ramp time—costing $45k per rep before productivity. They implemented: (1) 30-60-90 day structured onboarding with certifications, (2) "starter pipeline" of 20 qualified leads for each new rep, (3) weekly 1:1 coaching with manager for first 90 days. After 6 months, average ramp dropped to 4.5 months, saving $90k per rep hired and accelerating revenue by $180k per rep annually.
🔧Implementation Steps
- 1
Define "ramped" clearly: 100% quota? 80%? First closed deal? Be consistent.
- 2
Measure current ramp time by cohort (hire date) for all reps.
- 3
Create structured 30-60-90 day onboarding plan with milestones.
- 4
Provide new reps with "starter pipeline" so they're not building from zero.
- 5
Track ramp time trend and correlate with onboarding program changes.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
How do I reduce ramp time?
Three levers: (1) Better hiring (hire reps who've sold similar products), (2) Structured onboarding (certifications, ride-alongs, roleplay), (3) Pipeline assist (give new reps qualified leads). Focus on #2 and #3 for fastest impact.
Should ramp quota be reduced?
Yes, most companies use ramped quotas: 25% in month 1-2, 50% in month 3-4, 75% in month 5-6, 100% after. This sets realistic expectations and reduces early turnover from impossible targets.
⚡How Optifai Uses This
Optifai tracks new rep performance against ramp milestones, identifying which onboarding elements correlate with faster productivity. The system can route "starter pipeline" leads to new reps automatically.
📚References
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Related Terms
Quota Attainment
Percentage of reps hitting or exceeding their sales quota in a given period. Often split by role, tenure, or territory to see where enablement or pipeline is lacking.
Sales Capacity Planning
The process of forecasting required sales headcount and quota distribution based on revenue targets, rep productivity benchmarks, ramp times, and expected attrition. Effective capacity planning prevents both understaffing (missed targets) and overstaffing (burned cash).
Revenue Per Rep
Total revenue (or ARR) generated divided by number of sales reps over a period. It captures productivity and reveals whether to hire, coach, or re-segment territories.
SDR to AE Handoff SLA
Service level agreements governing the speed and quality of lead handoffs from Sales Development Representatives (SDRs) to Account Executives (AEs). Includes time-to-first-contact, required information, and acceptance criteria.