When a sales organization chooses to implement a new commission solution, the onboarding process is critical. It requires auditing, identifying data sources, mapping out commission structures, and so much more. To ensure a smooth transition for both administrators and employers, these steps are critical.
A properly conducted transition prevents errors and continues commission calculations without interruption. In order to make that happen, administrators need to be ready to dig in.
When onboarding a new commission solution, administrators should carefully build out every element to prevent errors or interruptions.
Even a small mistake in onboarding results in commission miscalculations that ultimately impact salespeople. Just one error in compensation sparks frustration and disputes among your employees that could grow into a morale problem. That’s why it’s important to get this right.
At Core Commissions, we know the process well. Over the years, we’ve learned how to facilitate a transition from one commission method to another. Based on our experience, here’s the best plan for onboarding a new commission solution.
Implement Commission Structure
The framework for how commissions are paid out differs from company to company, but this structure acts as the very foundation for how your employees get paid. Mapping this out from a high level and defining every rule and condition is a necessary step before moving calculations from one platform to another.
When we work with new clients, we want to set up their commission structure in the Core application. This requires a lot of input from the organization. The way this is built out will determine how commissions are calculated every commission cycle. It needs to be as accurate as possible from the get-go to ensure a consistent process from the beginning.
Configure Your Reports
By adopting a commission solution that automates the process, organizations will immediately start saving time thanks to automated reports. This feature means that administrators no longer have to spend hours building out individual reports for payees. Instead, with the data input into the solution, reports can be generated automatically. However, administrators need to be prepared to configure those reports.
The first step is understanding what information needs to be incorporated into every report they regularly create. It’s important to remember who the reports are going to and what they need to know. It should also be designed in a way that is easy to understand. If these reports — the ones created every cycle — are configured well from the beginning, administrators will cut their workload immediately. Of course changes to reports can always be made later but a basic configuration is needed.
Identify All Data Sources
When firing up a new commission solution, organizations need to clearly understand where the data they need comes from. This could be revenue or profit numbers as well as sales or other activities. Generally, these numbers get stored somewhere and they need to be input into the new solution.
For Core clients, those data sources can be integrated directly into the application. This not only saves time but also prevents errors. If the metrics are pulled directly from the source, it eliminates the need for manual labor and the chance of human error.
Set Aside Time for Training
As an organization gets started with any new tool, it needs to be prepared for a learning curve. Managers and administrators need to become familiar with how the software or application works so they can manage it themselves. This may require several hours over a month or more.
Core offers an alternative for organizations hoping to take more of a hands-off approach to commission management. Our Managed Services option can complement an existing team or take over commission calculations entirely. It depends on the needs of each individual organization of course.
No matter how an organization hopes to utilize a new commission solution, that onboarding process is key. We’ve designed a program that makes it that much easier to process. Our Quick Start is the first step for any new client at Core Commissions. We’d be happy to show you how it works and tell you more. Simply contact us for more information or schedule a free demo today.