By the numbers
Sales training and sales process, by the numbers
Last updated: November 2026Published by Tim Kilroy
Published research says most sales training fades within weeks unless it is reinforced, practiced, and coached.
US companies spent $102.8 billion on training in 2024 to 2025, according to Training magazine as summarized by SoloFire. For agency owners, the takeaway in Tim Kilroy's guide is that a consistent sales process plus ongoing review matters more than a one-time course.
On this page
Does sales training actually work?
It works when it is reinforced. SoloFire's 2026 summary states that companies spend more than $100 billion a year on training and that most of it fades within weeks unless it is reinforced, practiced, and coached.
Sales training spend and coaching
- spent on training by US companies in 2024 to 2025, up nearly 5% year over year, per Training magazine's 2025 Training Industry Report
- $102.8B
- spent on training by US companies in 2024 to 2025, up nearly 5% year over year, per Training magazine's 2025 Training Industry Report
- Source: SoloFire, Sales Training and Coaching Statistics 2026
- the headline number in SoloFire’s sales training and coaching research
- 32%
- the headline number in SoloFire’s sales training and coaching research
- Source: SoloFire, 2026
- higher quota attainment, attributed to Korn Ferry, 2023
- 28%
- higher quota attainment, attributed to Korn Ferry, 2023
- Source: SoloFire, 2026
Read the SoloFire page for the full context and conditions behind each figure.
Sales process statistics
From The Sales Collective, Sales Process Statistics: USA 2026
- agree a consistent sales process enhances training
- 88%
- agree a consistent sales process enhances training
- Source: The Sales Collective
- of sales leaders rely on team collaboration to keep sales processes fresh
- 92%
- of sales leaders rely on team collaboration to keep sales processes fresh
- Source: The Sales Collective
- of high performing teams measure sales process efficiency by conversion rates
- 50%
- of high performing teams measure sales process efficiency by conversion rates
- Source: The Sales Collective
- of sales leaders use customer segmentation AI to boost efficiency
- 60%
- of sales leaders use customer segmentation AI to boost efficiency
- Source: The Sales Collective
AI in sales statistics
From Salesforce, 40 Sales Statistics to Watch for in 2026
- of sales leaders with agents say they are essential for meeting business demands
- 94%
- of sales leaders with agents say they are essential for meeting business demands
- Source: Salesforce
- of reps with agents say the technology increases their odds of hitting sales targets
- 88%
- of reps with agents say the technology increases their odds of hitting sales targets
- Source: Salesforce
- of data and analytics leaders agree AI's outputs are only as good as its data inputs
- 84%
- of data and analytics leaders agree AI's outputs are only as good as its data inputs
- Source: Salesforce
- of data and analytics leaders believe the most valuable insights are trapped in unstructured data
- 70%
- of data and analytics leaders believe the most valuable insights are trapped in unstructured data
- Source: Salesforce
Sales training components
| Component | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Basic training curriculum | 51% |
| Sales content and sales plays | 48% |
| Training tool (LMS) | 45% |
| Hands-on practice | 34% |
What these numbers mean for an agency
Hands-on practice ranks lowest among the listed components, which is the gap AI call review and live coaching aim to fill. Build a consistent agency sales process, review real calls with AI sales-call review, and return to the sales training guide for agency owners. All statistics on this page are third-party figures, not Tim Kilroy's own data.
Common questions
- Can AI call review replace a sales coach?
- It works best as reinforcement, not a replacement. AI review gives feedback on every call, which a human coach cannot do. Coaching decides what to fix and in what order. Published research summarized by SoloFire notes that most training fades within weeks unless it is reinforced, practiced, and coached. See it in the full FAQ
- Is Tim Kilroy a sales training agency?
- Not in the classroom sense. Tim Kilroy coaches agency owners and their teams to build a repeatable sales process: discovery calls, qualifying, proposals, and follow-up. Instead of a one-time course, the work happens in coaching sessions and custom builds such as SalesOS, plus AI tools that review real sales calls so the training is reinforced. See it in the full FAQ
- What is a standard sales process?
- A standard sales process is a documented sequence everyone on the team follows, so results do not depend on one person. In agencies that person is usually the founder. Tim Kilroy calls this founder magic and coaches owners to turn what they know into infrastructure: stage definitions, discovery questions, proposal rules, and follow-up steps. See it in the full FAQ
- Where should I start fixing my agency sales process?
- Measure first. Pull the last 90 days, count how many prospects entered each of the five stages, and calculate the conversion from each stage to the next. Tim Kilroy calls this the leak test and recommends fixing only the single stage that loses the most people this quarter. See it in the full FAQ