In a recent article published in Destination CRM, Bob Conlin, CMO at Centive, talks about a critical component typically missing from sales incentive management practices. While most organizations record and track sales transactions as they occur, very few are able to adequately measure and analyze sales performance as it unfolds. As Conlin observes, “For most sales managers, real-time measurement and analysis is simply a dream.”

The author asserts that providing performance analytics in near-real time is essential as it enables decision-making based on actionable information in time to make a difference. Conlin discusses in detail 4 types of analysis proven to be useful to both sales and finance management.

1. Forecast Analysis: Executives and managers should model various forecast assumptions then analyze the results to evaluate impacts to revenue and commission costs.
2. Attainment Analysis: Monthly attainment analysis is required to ensure that attainment results meet expectations.
3. Trend Analysis: Companies need to identify and capture data for those key measures that will be relevant over time.
4. Top and Bottom Analysis: Analysis of top and bottom performance can uncover productive sales practices that can be replicated or a variety of issues that need to be addressed.

As the leading on-demand sales performance and sales compensation management solution, Compel offers real-time performance visibility and graphical sales analytics. Compel provides strategic value by enabling customers to run in-depth analysis, model and forecast sales incentive expense, optimize plan effectiveness, and drive sales performance and top-line revenue growth.

To learn more about sales analytics and Compel, follow the links below.

Ever since the launch of its flagship on-demand sales performance management solution 2 years ago, Centive continuously reports success in acquiring and deploying new customers. Through the end of Q3 2007, Centive has experienced:

• 63% increase in new customers
• 39% increase in total subscribers
• 208% surge in the total number of live customers.

Some of the new customers include Forrester Research, Adobe Systems, Unica, Wolters Kluwer Financial Services, The Computer Merchant and others. Customers deployed in Q3 include McKesson, CSC, Trend Micro, C-Cor, LowerMyBills, and many others.

Customer feedback demonstrates the growing market trust in Centive Compel. Adobe selected Compel to automate sales commissions and maximize enterprise sales performance in its rapidly growing worldwide sales organization. Adobe's executives were impressed with Compel's advanced plan modeling and forecasting capabilities, enabling them to better manage quota attainment.

“After an exhaustive evaluation of sales compensation solutions, Compel emerged as the clear leader in terms of both product maturity and customer focus. Centive was the only vendor that could offer us the robust functionality of an on-premise solution in a flexible and cost-effective on-demand platform.”
     - Robert Moon, Senior Manager, Go-To-Market Systems, Adobe Systems Incorporated

To learn how Compel can help your organization automate sales commission management and maximize sales performance, follow the links below.

In his article published in CRM Buyer Andrew Boyd, SVP for the Aberdeen Group, writes about the multiple challenges facing sales management amidst a hostile selling environment. Says Boyd, “Deals stuck in the pipeline, frequently missed sales ‘commits’, sales people not hitting quota, and high sales employee turnover are just a few of the issues that the beleaguered sales managers must tackle day in and day out.”

Aberdeen research studies indicate that companies with best-in-class sales performance invest in improving sales knowledge of products and customers, as well as in deploying formal well-documented sales processes.

Progressive organizations have or are planning to deploy sales compensation management systems as a key enabler of sales effectiveness. According to Boyd, “forward-looking organizations have or are already planning investments in sales incentive and compensation management systems (74 percent).”

The author concludes by urging readers to follow the example set by best-in-class companies and discontinue the use of spreadsheets and shadow accounting, integrate sales processes into the back office and invest in formal methodologies.

As the leading on-demand sales performance management solution, Compel automates and streamlines sales compensation management enforcing process controls and eliminating manual, error-prone procedures typical of spreadsheet-based systems.

To learn more about how Compel can help you achieve best-in-class sales performance, follow the links below.