Building High-Performance Remote SDR Teams in Latin America: The Operations Playbook
Neptuno Team
August 18, 2025
Building remote SDR teams in LATAM isn't just about hiring cheaper talent—it's about building a machine that generates consistent pipeline across time zones. Here's the operational blueprint that actually works.
Phase 1: Foundation (Month 1-2)
Team Structure: Start with 1 senior lead + 2-3 junior SDRs. The lead should have US experience and become your cultural translator. Don't scale until this core unit hits quota consistently.
Technology Stack:
- CRM: HubSpot or Salesforce (non-negotiable)
- Outreach: Outreach.io or SalesLoft
- Data: Apollo + ZoomInfo
- Communication: Slack + Zoom + Loom
Phase 2: Process Design (Month 2-3)
Daily Rhythm:
7 AM EST: Team standup (covers previous day results)
8-11 AM EST: Prime calling hours (US prospects fresh)
11 AM-2 PM EST: Research and email sequences
2-5 PM EST: Follow-up calls and social selling
Weekly Metrics That Matter:
- Dial-to-connect ratio (target: 8-12%)
- Email response rates (target: 3-5%)
- Meeting set-to-show ratio (target: 75%+)
- SQL conversion rate (target: 25-35%)
Phase 3: Cultural Integration
Avoid the "Remote Island" Trap: Your LATAM team needs regular interaction with US sales reps. Weekly pipeline reviews, monthly all-hands, quarterly in-person meetups. Isolation kills performance.
Language Nuance Training: It's not about perfect English—it's about context. Train on industry jargon, cultural references, and communication styles by prospect persona.
Phase 4: Performance Optimization
Compensation Structure:
Base: 60-70% of total comp
Commission: 30-40% with accelerators
Team bonuses: Quarterly for hitting department goals
Career Progression: Clear path from SDR → Senior SDR → Team Lead → AE. Top LATAM talent wants growth, not just paychecks.
Scaling Red Flags
- Quality drops as quantity increases
- Team starts speaking Spanish in Slack (cultural isolation)
- Meeting no-show rates spike above 30%
- US sales team complaints about lead quality
Pro tip: Scale in pods of 3-4 reps max. Each pod needs a senior leader who maintains quality standards. Scaling too fast kills culture and performance.