Major sales teams have provided us an update on key sales compensation topics in the 2019 Sales Compensation Hot Topics Survey. Key findings indicate staffing growth may have peaked at the end of 2018; yet, approximately 50% of the companies plan to add headcount in 2019. Despite the additional headcount, survey responses suggest companies are expecting a slowing economy for the rest of 2019, continuing into 2020.
The Alexander Group conducts the “Sales Compensation Hot Topics Survey” each summer on topics of interest to our clients and our consultants. More than 85 companies participated in the annual survey. We gathered data from June to August 2019 and published in September 2019.
Noteworthy Highlights
- Digital Sales Jobs: Jobs with more customer “influence/persuasion” are more likely to have more dollars of target compensation devoted to incentive compensation. Chat-based sales reps and digital pre-sales tech specialists demonstrate this trend.
- Multi-Country Practices: Global sales compensation consistency continues to expand. Global sales compensation teams are bringing closer alignment of sales compensation pay practices.
- Family Leave: Practices are diverse, but most companies provide some incentive compensation earnings replacement during the first 12 weeks of leave, less so after 12 weeks.
- Leadership Involvement in Sales Compensation Redesign: Most CEOs and SVPs of Sales want to affect sales compensation design through either active participation or final program design approval.
- Credit for Web Sales: For companies where customers have alternate purchasing options via the web, half of the companies provide sellers with full sales credit.
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About the Author
David Cichelli contributes his revenue growth knowledge and experience to a wide array of sales organizations. His clients include leading companies in technology, telecommunications, wholesale/distribution, financial services and healthcare. David helps clients redefine and deploy go-to-customer solutions to ensure optimal revenue performance. By applying the Alexander Group’s Revenue Growth Model™, he helps companies achieve their revenue objectives through the coordination of marketing, sales and service resources. These efforts include revenue planning, customer engagement design, sales force configuration, and program design and management. He is the Alexander Group’s sales compensation practice leader.
