Post-Merger Sales Integration: From 27% to 73% Quota Attainment
A global technology leader, mid-merger and mid-transformation from a legacy hardware provider to a solutions provider, worked with SalesGlobe to redesign roles, the quota process, and harmonize pay across three global regions. Quota attainment moved from 27% to 73%, and the cloud division outpaced the market by three points.
This case study covers a SalesGlobe engagement with a global technology leader navigating a post-merger sales transformation. The work focused on incentive plan design, role redesign, the quota process, and harmonizing pay across APAC, EMEA, and the Americas. The summary that follows reflects what is documented in SalesGlobe’s case study materials for this engagement.
Quick Facts
Industry: Global technology (hardware, SaaS, services)
Situation: Post-merger; transformation from legacy hardware provider to solutions provider
Regions: APAC, EMEA, Americas
Engagement Scope: Sales incentive plan, role and revenue responsibility redesign, quota process, competitive pay benchmarking, pay harmonization
Background
A global technology leader had acquired another company that offered similar products and services to a different market segment. The merger created an opportunity to cross-sell legacy on-prem products alongside SaaS products and to enter new markets.
However, several conditions following the acquisition were working against the deal thesis:
- Pay levels across the two companies were vastly different for similar roles.
- Pay plans and pay philosophies were different across both companies.
- Since the merger, even high-performing reps were not hitting target.
- Cross-selling between the legacy and acquired product lines was not occurring.
- Attrition of the best reps was on the rise.
SalesGlobe’s Approach
SalesGlobe’s work on this engagement covered four areas:
● Sales Incentive Plan Design
Design a sales incentive plan that is easy to understand, can be measured, and will drive the right behaviors and outcomes to support a sales transformation from a legacy hardware provider to a solutions provider offering hardware, SaaS, and services.
● Role and Revenue Responsibility Redesign
Redesign roles and revenue responsibilities, and align products, services, and customer segments to the roles. The intent was to add focus and clarity through a simplified sales process.
● Quota Process
Design and implement a quota process aligned with market opportunity and the client’s buying and decision-making process.
● Competitive Pay Benchmarking and Global Harmonization
Conduct competitive pay benchmarking and harmonize pay philosophy, pay plans, and pay levels across three global regions: APAC, EMEA, and the Americas.
Results
Adoption of the new incentive plans, combined with redefining the sales organization structure, roles, and responsibilities, led to the financial outcomes the client was working toward and a decrease in voluntary attrition.
| Quota attainment | 73% of the sales organization met or exceeded quota, compared to 27% the prior year. |
| Pay alignment | Market-competitive pay-for-performance plans aligned with desired cost-of-sales targets. |
| Cloud division growth | The cloud division grew 13.8%, three points higher than market average. |
| Voluntary attrition | Decreased following adoption of the redesigned organization and incentive plans. |
Why this matters
Sales challenges that surface after a merger often look like compensation problems. In this engagement, the work spanned roles, quotas, pay philosophy, and pay levels across three regions. The incentive plan was one piece of a broader redesign, not the only piece.
About SalesGlobe’s Approach to Engagements Like This
SalesGlobe works across the full Revenue Roadmap: Insight, Sales Strategy, Customer Coverage, and Enablement. Sales compensation sits in the Enablement layer, downstream of strategy and coverage. When sales performance challenges surface in a post-merger or transformation context, the most effective work usually addresses multiple layers, not the compensation plan alone.
Related SalesGlobe Services
- Sales Compensation & Quotas — Incentive plan design, quota processes, and pay harmonization
- Sales Organization & Talent — Role redesign and revenue-responsibility alignment
- Competitive Benchmarking — Pay competitiveness analysis across markets and regions
- Sales Strategy — Strategic alignment for transformations and post-merger integration
- Sales Capacity Improvement — Quota and capacity planning aligned to real market opportunity
- Revenue Roadmap Assessment — A four-layer diagnostic across Insight, Strategy, Coverage, and Enablement
Facing a Similar Challenge?
Talk with a senior SalesGlobe consultant about post-merger sales integration, role redesign, the quota process, or global pay harmonization.
Source: This case study is summarized from SalesGlobe’s case study materials for this engagement. Client identity is withheld. Statistics, scope items, and approach descriptions reflect what is documented in those materials.
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