5. Incentives Must Take Latest Products and Coverage Models into Account

An increased desire to generate more revenue and a more technical sales process stemming from advances in computing power have led to compensation models increasingly becoming outdated.

In the past 18 to 24 months, DiMisa said businesses have shifted their focus from cutting costs to expanding revenue, primarily in the form of new product offerings.

“We’re seeing a lot more products and services coming into the marketplace than we’ve ever seen,” he said.

But to sell many of these new offerings, DiMisa said sales organizations need more time, resources, technical skills and specific expertise, all of which must be taken into account when determining appropriate compensation metrics.