Compensation Consulting Services
Design fair, ROI‑positive incentive plans—fast. Bentega’s compensation consulting services help you fix commissions, bonuses, SPIFs (SPIFFs), on‑target earnings (OTE), and KPI‑based pay, with clean documentation and ICM‑ready handoffs. From audit to rollout, we align incentives to outcomes your board cares about: growth, margin, and retention.
Looking for fundamentals? Read our primer on incentive compensation.
Why Work With Bentega
You need a plan that’s simple, fair, and scalable. We redesign incentive compensation with clear rules, clean statements, and governance your CFO can sign. Typical engagements run 2–8 weeks depending on team size and scope, with enablement and change‑management included. We model scenarios, quantify ROI, and set up a smooth audit‑to‑ICM handoff so you can operationalize quickly.
Outcomes:
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Fairness & adoption: clear eligibility, transparent crediting, and dispute‑lite processes.
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ROI: model cost of sales, margin impact, and quota coverage before rollout.
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Speed: focused sprints with ready‑to‑ship docs and templates.
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Enablement: manager training, FAQs, and statement previews that build trust.
Incentive Plan Design & Audit
Compensation Audit
Scope covers historical attainment, quota and territory design, crediting logic, and payout accuracy. We consolidate data sources, run error/variance analysis, and benchmark plan mechanics against role expectations. Findings are packaged with remediation recommendations and an ICM readiness score.
Plan Redesign
We rebuild on principles of simplicity, line‑of‑sight KPIs, and governance you can maintain. Expect a documented payout calendar, standardized compensation statements, and policy language that reduces ambiguity. KPI‑based pay is right‑sized by role so teams can control their outcomes without gaming.
Sales Commission Consulting
OTE & Pay Mix
We calibrate OTE and pay mix by role (AE, SDR, CSM), market motion, and win‑rate math. Targets are validated against pipeline coverage and attainment distributions so your plan motivates without blowing CAC or gross margin.
Mechanics
We design accelerators/decelerators, caps, draws, clawbacks, and spiff interactions that reward over‑performance while controlling cost of sales. Rules are codified in plain language and mirrored in policy.
Quota & Territories
We align quota setting to capacity, territory potential, and mid‑year change protocols. Fairness guardrails and crediting rules reduce disputes and shadow accounting.
Examples to choose from:
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Accelerator shapes (step, curve, retro, non‑retro) with sample payout curves.
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New logo vs. expansion weighting with eligibility rules.
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Dispute intake → triage → resolution SLAs.
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Clawback policy for churn, returns, or fraud.
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SPIFF interaction rules during promo windows.
Explore related patterns in our sales commission structure guide.
Transform Your Compensation Strategy
Compensation should inspire, not confuse.
Let Bentega’s experts design an incentive plan that drives results — and scales with your business.
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Align incentives with growth goals.
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Simplify complex OTE structures.
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Build a foundation for compensation automation.
SPIF & Short‑Term Incentives (SPIFFs)
Use SPIFs to launch new products, create quarter‑end urgency, or re‑energize pipeline. We define eligibility, budget as a % of target pay, approval flow, and payout timing. Guardrails prevent overspend and gaming; live statement tie‑ins keep motivation high without confusion. See our SPIF guide for examples and best practices.
Bonus Plans
For company‑wide and department bonuses (MBO/OKR, profit share), we design formulas employees understand and finance can forecast. We align weights to KPI‑based pay and build payout calendars that support cash flow while maintaining motivation. Learn more in our bonus hub.
Our Process
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Discovery & audit — scope roles, data, pain points.
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Modeling & scenario testing — cost, attainment, ROI sensitivity.
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Plan design & policy — mechanics, governance, statements, calendar.
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Enablement & rollout — training, FAQs, dispute process, change‑log.
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Measurement & optimization — KPIs, feedback loops, quarterly tune‑ups.
What You Get
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Plan document & policy language
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Modeling workbook & assumptions
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Payout calendar & governance checklist
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Enablement deck & FAQs
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Compensation statement templates
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ICM configuration guidance
Industries We Serve
Our consultants have experience designing compensation plans for:
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SaaS and Tech Startups
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Professional Services
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Manufacturing and Distribution
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Financial Services
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Customer Success & Support Organizations
Whether you’re scaling your first sales team or harmonizing global pay structures, we adapt to your stage and strategy.
Implementation Checklist
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Data readiness
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Quota sign‑off
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Territory map
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Policy approval
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Payroll mapping
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Dispute process
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Statement preview
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Go‑live date
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included in a compensation audit?
A typical audit reviews attainment and quota design, territory coverage, crediting rules, and payout accuracy. We validate data sources, replicate historical payouts, and run error/variance analysis to surface leakage or misalignment. You receive findings with remediation steps, a governance scorecard, and an ICM readiness checklist so you can implement confidently.
SPIF vs. bonus—when to use each?
Use SPIFs for short‑term, tactical outcomes (e.g., launch boosts, quarter‑end pulls) with immediate rewards and narrow windows. Use bonuses for broader, periodic goals (monthly/quarterly/annual), often tied to company or team KPIs. Many clients run both: SPIFs to create sprints; bonuses to reinforce strategic execution.
How should OTE differ for AEs, SDRs, and CSMs?
Roles with direct revenue control (AEs) typically skew toward higher variable pay than SDRs (pipeline) or CSMs (retention/expansion). We set pay mix and target OTE based on motion, control, and expected impact, then validate against attainment and market benchmarks to ensure motivation and affordability.
What’s a good accelerator curve for SaaS commissions?
Good curves reward sustained over‑performance without spiking cost of sales. We commonly use step or gentle S‑curves that kick in above quota and can be retro or non‑retro depending on behavior you want to drive. Curves are scenario‑tested against historical cohorts to balance motivation and margin.
How do we prevent KPI gaming?
Keep KPIs within role control, define clean crediting, and add light governance: eligibility rules, time windows, approval flows, and audit trails. Pair leading and lagging indicators, and preview statements before go‑live to catch edge cases. Transparency reduces gaming because expectations are shared and verified.
How long does a redesign take (team size tiers)?
Most projects take 2–8 weeks depending on roles, geographies, and data readiness. Smaller teams (≤30 sellers) can compress to 2–4 weeks; larger, multi‑role orgs typically run 6–8 weeks with phased rollout and enablement.
How do you price projects and retainers?
We price by scope and complexity. Fixed‑fee packages cover audit + redesign; retainers add quarterly optimization and enablement. You’ll see a detailed SOW, deliverables, and timeline before kickoff. Get a tailored estimate during your free consultation.
Key Takeaways
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Simple, fair plans outperform complex ones.
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Calibrate OTE, quotas, and mechanics to real control and outcomes.
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Use SPIFs for sprints; bonuses for strategic cadence.
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Govern with clear policy, statements, and dispute processes.
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Make it ICM‑ready from day one.
Keep exploring
Ready to Build a Compensation Plan That Works?
Get expert advice, clarity, and confidence — all tailored to your business.
Start with a free consultation and see how Bentega can help your team perform better.
Bentega’s compensation consultants help companies design strategic incentive plans that drive performance. Whether you need a sales compensation consultant, incentive and benefits consultant, or incentive compensation consultant, our experts deliver data-driven solutions. Contact us to optimize your compensation strategy.
We Deliver Compensation ROI | Bentega