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Economic downturn
Why should I pay incentives to my employees when the company has not hit its overall goal?
This is a common question, especially for smaller companies, whose resources are limited. It’s certainly understandable for a manager to want to develop an incentive plan that only pays out of the company profits (if there are any).
Keys to Success: Six Areas to Address in Your Next Sales Compensation Plan
Workspan, August 27, 2010 — It’s fall again, the economy appears to have shifted toward the positive in many sectors, and companies are thinking about redesigning their sales compensation plans for 2011. In order to ensure the redesign process and resulting plans will provide a good return, businesses should address six key areas.
Why would I pay incentives to sales reps when the overall company is not hitting its goals?
Making Your Numbers…Better Newsletter, September 2010 – Should you pay incentives to sales people if your company is not hitting its overall goals? Yes, if that incentive pay makes up more than just a token year-end bonus.
Looking Ahead: Should We Make a Change?
Sales Compensation Focus, July 2010 – The economy appears to have taken a positive turn and many companies are starting to think about growth: hiring more sales reps, launching a new product, or breaking into a new market segment. One of the first questions that is raised when a company returns to growth mode, especially if there has been significant retrenching, is, “What should we do with our sales compensation plans?”
How is the economic uncertainty affecting pay mix?
Start by thinking about sales prominence. Has it changed? Do the sales people have more control over their own success, or less?
Are companies adjusting sales comp plans due to the slow economy?
From our experience, I would say that most companies are making some kind of adjustment due to the economy. If your expected total sales are down, you have several options that we’ve seen recently…
Are sales organizations utilizing more attainment thresholds in their sales compensation plan designs as the result of the current recession?
The logic for raising thresholds in this economy would be to protect profit. The logic for lowering them is that we are not nearly as confident in our quota setting accuracy in this economy…