Sales Compensation and COVID-19

WorldatWork sponored Expert Insights session

With little understanding of the extent and duration of the unfolding situation, how should sales compensation plans be adjusted, and when? We discuss best practice processes for determining plan adjustments, as well as specific options for a few of the most commonly-faced business challenges today

Plan assessment | Plan design | Plan communication

Focus your sales people on the right sales, at the right cost to your business.

Services Overview

Sales comp challenges?

We’ve got answers.

Over 150 sales compensation design answers in our searchable library

Sales Comp Answers

Sales compensation and COVID-19

WorldatWork sponsored Expert Insights session

How sales comp plans should be adjusted, and when

Sales Compensation Consulting Services

Focus your sales people on the right sales, at the right cost to your business.

Services Overview

Sales comp challenges?

We’ve got answers.

Over 150 sales compensation design answers in our searchable library

Sales Comp Answers

Seven signs your sales comp plans could be doing more for your business

1. Do your sales people appear to be “coasting”?

Are they too comfortable with a level of performance that’s not acceptable to the business?

2. Are your sales people acting like teenagers?

Are they unpredictable independent operators more focused on their own self-interest than what’s good for customers and the business?

3. Are your sales people selling – but not the right stuff?

Are they pricing too low, or selling the old offerings they’re comfortable with and ignoring important new company offerings?

4. Are your sales people confused about their sales comp plans?

Do they have trouble understanding how their payouts relate to their results? Are there too many questions or disputes about the sales commission payout each pay cycle?

5. Are your “keepers” leaving?

Are they citing comp as one of the main reasons?

6. Are you having trouble hiring top talent?

Do the people you want to hire express concerns about their ability to earn what they know they could earn elsewhere?

7. Are your sales comp costs going up?

And are they going up faster than your profits? Is there concern over the cost of comp as it relates to value created?

We can help

See how

Clients Say…

Kyle Matthews

“We couldn’t have gotten our new plans together for the merged sales organization without The Cygnal Group’s support. The HR leadership team didn’t believe me when I told them the Cygnal Group could make this happen . . . they’re believers now.”

— Kyle Matthews, VP Human Resources, FMC Agricultural Solutions

Gary Lawrence

The Cygnal Group consultants have excellent project management and client management skills. They are professional and task oriented but with a great sense of perspective and the ability to quickly make realistic assessments of client issues. They are very effective communicators, and great listeners.

– Gary Lawrence, Director of Sales Operations, Waste Management

David Moff

“The Cygnal Group consultants are among the best Compensation professionals I have ever worked with. They love their work and always have the client’s best interest at heart. SALES COMP is their thing and they know it inside-out.”

— David Moff, SPHR, CEO of The HR Group

John Gwynn

Everyone on the Design Team said we had hit a home run. They could not have been more impressed, nor could the project have been more successful. In fact, the team wants me to talk with you about spending a day with our CEO and President once we have our thinking a little further along. I cannot thank you enough for your work on our behalf. It’s clear how much you love what you do!

– John Gwynn, Director, Human Resources, Viewpointe Archive Services

Brenda Hodge

“Compensation plans are all about driving behavior and The Cygnal Group understood our business thoroughly in order to drive maximum value from our plans. I would never use anyone else for compensation design.”

— Brenda Hodge, Vice President, Sales Operations, Allscripts

Gayle Kirkeby

Spend 10 minutes with a Cygnal Group consultant, and you will see that they are outstanding compensation specialists. I am glad to recommend them without hesitation. They have been on retainer for almost two years (so far) and during this time, they have provided timely support when needed, and helped us through two major incentive compensation changes. They are professional, nice people, fun and experts in their field.

– Gayle Kirkeby, VP Sales, Prometric

Robert Fodge

“Thanks to the analysis and best practice recommendations of The Cygnal Group, we got agreement from all three divisions to make the changes needed to really improve the motivational value of our plans. I can’t thank the Cygnal Group consultants enough for all of their help. They worked really well, together with our internal team, and did some pretty magical things.”

— VP Human Resources, major telecommunications provider

Latest posts in our library of

Sales Comp Answers

Sales comp & the COVID-19 outbreak

With little understanding of the extent and duration of the unfolding situation, how should sales compensation plans be adjusted, and when?

What is the Difference Between a Commission and a Bonus?

The difference is that the “commission” is communicated as a “piece of the action,” whereas a “bonus” is a fixed incentive amount offered for achieving a specific objective. Commissions and bonuses both have their place in sales compensation plans – but knowing when to use which one can be a bit tricky.

How much of our sales team should we include in our President’s Club?

The best way to make sure you include the right people is to start with your goals. Why do you have a President’s Club?

Webinar: Predicting the cost of your sales compensation plans

(52 mins) Predict the cost of your proposed new plans using the right aggregate cost modeling technique. View this webinar to understand three good bases for modeling the cost of the new plans based on either a synthetic distribution, your historical performance distribution, or a simulation. Example of all three are provided in a downloadable Excel file.

Sales VP Compensation – Sales Plan or Executive Plan?

Should the VP of Sales be on a sales compensation plan, or an executive compensation plan? Use the right plan design to focus your head of sales.

Certified Sales Compensation Professional: Is the CSCP Designation Worth It?

WorldatWork’s CSCP designation matters for those serious about a career in sales compensation management. Several people have asked recently why it matters, whether or not they should consider it, and how best to prepare.