The hunt for a good commission calculation software system begins with a question: “Is there a better way to do this?” Google searches will surface online reviews, ads, and a ton of promises. Now you’re asking, “Which one do we choose?”
With any purchase, you need to know what you’re getting for your money before you hand over your credit card information. When it comes to commission software, the same is true. The evaluation process is key to ensuring you’re getting the most bang for your buck. So before you take anyone at their word, make sure you get a chance to ask them some very important questions.
We’ll tell you this as a software provider: make us prove to you that we can do everything we say we can do.
We’ve been doing this commission software thing for a while here at Core Commissions. When potential customers come to us, they ask some really good questions. Over the years, we’ve narrowed down the most important things you need to know about commission software before you pull the trigger.
Ask These 8 Questions Before You Buy Commission Software:
- How many years of experience and in how many industries? When you’re looking for a surgeon, you want to know that not only do they have many years of experience under their belt but that they also perform the prescribed surgery frequently. Much in the same way, a company that provides commissions software needs extensive experience building commission plans but they also should be able to show that they do it often and for many different industries. The ability to not only understand complex commission rules but also apply that to a variety of organizations is key. That shows that they’re more likely to understand the complexities and challenges of your organization. At Core, we’ve been building commission rules for a variety of industries for 15 years and our founder Kirt Phillips has been doing this for 20 years.
- Can the tools navigate specific challenges? Any time a company performs a demo, it’s important to get as much information from that demo as possible. Make sure that you ask the representative administering the demo to walk you through a specific scenario unique to your organization or at least pertinent to your team. If they can’t show you the details of how to handle that challenge during the course of the demo, it’s possible their software is incapable of doing it without some serious and possibly costly upgrades. During any demo with Core, we will always offer to do this for you. Schedule a demo with us today.
- How much does it cost and what does that get me? The pricing a company publicly puts forward may include only the very basics. If your organization needs additional functionality, like sales performance reports, start up support, or frequent changes to commission rules, you may find that those require added fees. On the flip side, other companies may price their product much higher than their competitors as a marketing tactic. Theoretically it will make them appear more popular and therefore more effective. So make sure you get a clear picture of what you’re paying for and why it’s priced the way it is. At Core, the pricing we have published is as transparent as possible but we’re happy to provide any additional details if you’d like to talk. We also offer volume discounts and are happy to detail that out for you.
- Do you provide customer support and is there an added cost to that? While commission software is meant to put commission processing in your hands, you may still run into challenges that you need help with. At Core, we include personalized customer support as part of our Enterprise, and Managed Services programs at no additional cost. If you ever need a hand walking through a process or fixing a bug, we’re there to help and it doesn’t cost you extra. We only charge you when you specifically need us to build you something new that doesn’t already exist as a feature. That’s not always the case with other companies. Get a clear answer about how customer support is included or if there’s an additional charge.
- How do you distribute reports once you’ve run a commission cycle? When it comes to commissions, the job isn’t done after the cycle runs and the reports are built. That’s when an administrator has to distribute individualized reports to each individual payee without making a mistake. If you’re exploring commission systems, ask how the software can solve this. With Core, that can be done with a click of a button. The administrator can send emails in bulk to each individual payee and it will ensure that each payee gets their specific individualized report. In addition, each payee can access a sales reporting portal where they can view their own individualized information.
- What level of automation does the software offer? Automation can mean different things to different people. Some companies have a very minimal level of automation that still requires extra steps. For instance, a user may be required to export data, modify it, then import it back into the tool to ensure that certain commission rules and percentages are represented correctly. None of that is required with Core. In fact, the software meets whatever level of automation that works for your organization.
- How do you make changes to commission plans? If your software provider needs to make changes to established commission rules and plans for you within the tool, make sure you know that up front and ask if there will be costs associated with that. Here at Core, we put commission adjustments and changes squarely in your hands. The administrator will have all the tools they need to make those changes and we’re happy to guide you through that process. If you don’t have the time to go in and make those changes, we can provide those services and we’ll clearly outline the fees involved with that before we move forward.
- Can I explore and use the software before I commit to a subscription? We’ll tell you this as a software provider: make us prove to you that we can do everything we say we can do. Some services may offer a brief free trial but you likely won’t get access to the tool for long enough to really explore all the features that way. At Core, we offer a no-commitment Quick Start program for a low price. The Quick Start program includes 30 days to use the software along with 10 hours of setup, report building, analytics configuration, and training from our implementers. You can test your own data and apply your actual rules within the tool before you decide to subscribe.
Always remember that no matter how many five-star reviews you see for a product or how many fancy videos they’ve produced, that doesn’t prove they can provide the tools you need to make the commissions process run more smoothly for your organization. If the commission software can’t do the things you need it to do, it’s not worth your money or your time. Ask the hard questions and hold the representatives accountable to get you the answers you deserve before you make a decision.
If you have questions for us, feel free to contact us and we’ll get you the answers you need.