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Questions a publisher needs to ask when shopping for publishing software – Part 6

Written by Tom Bellen

Published: 05/09/2014

This post is the sixth in a series of questions you as a publisher should ask when interviewing software service providers. (View the fifth question here.) The questions will help you find out if a product is the right fit for you business and if it is really going to do what it claims: help you save time and sell more advertisements.

 

How does the system handle commissions?

You already created a commission structure to incentivize and reward your sales team. Whether your plan is a flat rate for every product and service, higher rates for print sales, or adjusting a rep’s commission rates as they reach certain milestones, how can new publishing software administer what works best for your business? You need to see how/when commissions are paid out and how commission rates can be changed for individual reps or products. You want a system that has the ability to adjust commission rates by categories of advertisement, publications, job roles, and rep performance. If certain items sell themselves but other items need more of a push, you want a system that can modify rates to reflect the supply and demand of your product lineup. Maybe you give new reps a starting plan with a draw to help build their book of business, but you need to change their commission structure after they become established. You need a system with the capability to configure to your employees as they develop. You might not need all of these features for your current commission plan, but better to have the opportunity to change than be stuck.

 

Once commission plans are established for your team, check to see if you have any control to split or adjust commissions throughout the sales process. Will reps have the ability to review their commissions and address any issues that come up? These flexibilities will ensure any problems can be fixed downstream to avoid major headaches.

 

Next Week:  What reports does your system have to analyze sales and production? 

 

POSTED BY Tom Bellen, to contact click here.

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