Good news for radio sales leaders: nearly eight in ten sellers say they trust their manager, and that trust is leading to increasing retention, per a new study. Younger sellers, however, are signaling a different set of expectations that extends beyond commission alone.
The 2025 Voice of the Sales Rep survey, conducted by SalesFuel, gathered responses from over 800 professionals across the sales industry, including media and radio sales. The report reveals that a positive manager-rep relationship continues to correlate closely with performance and retention. A total of 45% gave their manager a perfect five-star rating, while only 8% rated their manager one or two stars. CEOs also received high marks, with 76% of respondents awarding them four or five stars.
SalesFuel CEO C. Lee Smith noted the importance of belief-driven leadership, especially with younger sellers, citing the Pygmalion effect: when a manager’s belief in a rep fosters higher performance. However, the survey also found disconnects in how companies train their teams and adopt new technologies.
More than one in five reps gave their company a low rating on artificial intelligence prioritization, and only 24% believe human validation of AI output is important, even with growing buyer skepticism. Sales reps also gave mixed marks to training programs, with 67% rating sales training four or five stars, while 14% gave low ratings of one or two stars.
Reps continue to rank “handling objections,” “budget gatekeeper access,” “referrals,” and “pre-call intelligence” as top personal weaknesses, but the survey suggests these gaps are not being adequately addressed in company-led training. Emotional support and empathetic coaching also emerged as key expectations of managers. In open responses, reps highlighted managers who set clear expectations, recognized effort, and understood business pressures as the most effective.
Generational differences shape motivation as well. Gen Z respondents were significantly more likely to want coaching, creative outlets, and clarity from management. Across all age groups, reps expressed shifting incentive preferences away from commission alone and toward flexible schedules, paid time off, and career development support.
Despite the technological tools now available, the study found that many teams still lack defined internal protocols for AI use, contributing to trust and transparency issues with clients. Only 16% of reps said their company has clear AI goals, while four in ten said they didn’t fully understand their organization’s Responsible AI policy.
The report recommends a balance between technology adoption and human connection, calling on sales managers to invest in clarity, continuous learning, and thoughtful motivation strategies. Recognition, autonomy, and proactive well-being checks also ranked high among reasons top performers stay or leave.
Sales managers who focus on personalizing incentives, developing AI literacy with ethical oversight, and maintaining strong interpersonal leadership are more likely to keep their best talent while driving results.
