At first glance, building an in-house sales team seems like a no-brainer. After all, having your own dedicated squad focused on closing deals sounds like the best way to control quality, scale confidently, and bring your product or service to market with full ownership. But here’s the plot twist: the true cost of an in-house sales team isn’t just salaries—and it can seriously eat into your profits if you’re not strategic.
For companies trying to scale lean, smart, and fast, it’s time to take a closer look at the numbers, the hidden burdens, and why outsourced sales might actually be the high-performance hack you’ve been overlooking.
1. The Visible and Invisible Costs of an In-House Sales Team
Yes, salaries are the obvious part. But hiring a sales team isn’t as simple as onboarding someone and handing them a script. From recruitment to infrastructure, training to turnover, the costs stack up faster than you think.
a. Recruitment & Onboarding
Hiring experienced, capable sales reps is no small task. You’ll spend time and money advertising roles, sifting through applicants, interviewing, and training. And when salespeople don’t work out (which, let’s face it, happens often), the cost of starting over adds up.
b. Salaries, Bonuses & Benefits
Sales reps don’t work on smiles and commissions alone. A competitive base salary, plus performance bonuses, medical aid, pension contributions, leave days, and compliance costs all become part of your financial commitment. For a mid-level rep, this can run into thousands of pounds per year—per employee.
c. Tools & Tech Stack
Modern sales requires a lot more than a phone and a spreadsheet. You’ll need:
- CRM platforms (like HubSpot, Salesforce)
- Call tracking and dialers
- Email automation tools
- Data enrichment software
- Reporting and analytics dashboards
Multiply licensing fees by team size, and suddenly your “simple” team starts looking like an expensive department.
d. Management & Oversight
You can’t just drop a sales team into your company and expect magic. You’ll need a sales manager or director, regular performance reviews, training sessions, goal tracking, and KPIs. That means more payroll, more meetings, more bandwidth required from you or your leadership team.
2. The Risk of Turnover (and Burnout)
Here’s a dirty little secret: sales turnover is notoriously high. Globally, average annual turnover for salespeople is around 35%, and South Africa is no exception. That means:
- Lost knowledge
- Disrupted pipelines
- More hiring
- More training
- More sunk cost
Sales is a high-pressure role. And when people leave—whether for better commission elsewhere or burnout—you’re left scrambling. Outsourcing? It builds that continuity in, with built-in replacements and bench strength.
3. Opportunity Cost: What Else Could You Be Doing?
While you’re managing the admin of hiring, onboarding, motivating, and retaining your in-house team, what aren’t you doing?
You’re not:
- Refining your product
- Building partnerships
- Creating marketing campaigns
- Streamlining operations
- Innovating your services
Your time as a founder or executive is better spent on strategy and growth—not running a sales machine.
Outsourced sales gives you the freedom to focus on CEO-level activities, knowing your pipeline is in expert hands.
4. The Benefits of Sales Outsourcing
Now let’s flip the lens. Outsourced sales is no longer a novelty—it’s a strategic move that’s driving real ROI for high-growth businesses worldwide.
Here’s why more companies are opting for outsourced sales models:
a. Lower Fixed Costs
No need to budget for salaries, bonuses, benefits, tech stacks, or hiring costs. You only pay for the service you need—whether that’s a full sales team or a few expert closers.
b. Instant Access to Talent
No recruitment delays. No trial-and-error. Just seasoned sales pros who are trained to hit the ground running. The Sales Centre Co, for instance, provides highly skilled SDRs, closers, and sales support who already understand buyer psychology, sales tools, and best practice frameworks.
c. Scalable & Flexible
Need to ramp up for a product launch? Or downshift during a quiet season? With outsourcing, you scale as needed without the headache of hiring or retrenchment processes.
d. Built-in Accountability & Results
Outsourced teams are performance-driven. If they don’t deliver, they don’t get renewed. That means you’re more likely to get measurable results, faster—and without the HR drama.
5. When Does Outsourcing Make the Most Sense?
Outsourcing might not be the right fit for every business at every stage—but for most SMEs, startups, and even corporations launching new verticals, it offers a huge strategic advantage.
It’s ideal if:
- You want to test a new product or market quickly
- You don’t want the long-term commitment of full-time hires
- Your current sales efforts aren’t delivering ROI
- You want expert sales talent without the learning curve
- You value flexibility and speed
If you’re spending time managing salespeople when you should be scaling your business, that’s a red flag.
6. How to Transition Smartly
If you’re considering outsourcing, here’s how to make the move without losing momentum:
- Audit Your Sales Process – What’s working? What’s not?
- Define Clear Goals – Are you looking for leads, booked meetings, or closed deals?
- Choose a Partner, Not Just a Vendor – Look for an outsourced sales provider that aligns with your values, understands your market, and offers a transparent, results-based approach.
- Start Small & Scale – Test the model, measure ROI, and expand with confidence.
Outsource for Efficiency, Not Just Cost
Outsourcing your sales team isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about smarter growth.
If you want to sell more, faster, with fewer headaches—without hiring a small army—outsourcing could be your most powerful business decision this year. It’s not about doing less. It’s about doing what matters.