Sales Talent Wars Still Raging
Results of the survey showed that just under half of the sample revised their sales goals or quotas at mid-year – 75% of them revising them down. In light of the spluttering economy, according to the survey:
- 39% of companies with increased performance reduced their quotas
- 88% of firms with decreased performance reduced their quotas
- 76% of firms with level performance cut their quotas.
Further, half of the companies surveyed reported that their sales forces’ performance relative to plan decreased last year, while 25% said that performance relative to plan increased.
Pay Plan
The survey also found that the use of variable performance-based pay among sales forces continues to increase, with 90% of companies offering some form of incentive pay to sales positions.
Furthermore, despite ongoing volatility in the equity market, 87% of respondents reported either no change or an increase in the importance of offering stock-based compensation to sales forces.
The sample comprised 255 employers.