Here it is, the first episode of the 2023 season of What I Wish I Knew. We’re starting off big, with a recap of Varicent Accelerates top moments. If you weren’t at this event – I have you covered (also make sure you come next year). And if you were at the event, thank you for making it a success. Secondly, this blog gives you insight into of the topics people were buzzing about.
Varicent Accelerate, hosted in sunny Orlando, featured four jam-packed days. There were informative breakout sessions, hands-on labs, product announcements, and a lot more. Check out this really great post that breaks down what happened at the event.
Myself and the What I Wish I Knew crew had an opportunity to connect with attendees. We chatted about what's top of mind, including challenges and opportunities, in this uncertain economy.
Top 3 Takeaways from Varicent Accelerate
1. Data is on everyone’s mind.
How do you make data presentable to everyone in the organization?
How can you use data to motivate better sales outcomes?
How can it best inform strategies?
Data was top of mind for almost everyone I talked to at the conference. Accelerate featured multiple labs and breakout sessions for making progress toward the data conundrum. One of the most popular sessions was the ELT [Extract, Load, Transform] Showdown. It gave the opportunity to use the Varicent ELT solution to solve challenges. No matter their technical ability, all participants found the solution simple and intuitive to use.
2. Agility is more important than ever.
Delivering incentive pay, error-free and on time, will always be top priority for sales compensation professionals. Sounds simple, but tough to do in a complex and ever-changing market. I talked to a lot of people who are doing the on-time, error-free pay delivery well. But they want to hit that next level. What's the next level? It's all about making their processes and system simpler, and more agile. This is where technology can play a huge role.
A lot of breaking news went down at Accelerate. Varicent’s Chief Product Officer, Jason Loh surprised the audience with the announcement of many Varicent solution enhancements. For example, Video Embed. This feature is better way to communicate. And it adds life and energy to otherwise static plan documents and reports. People were also excited about Varicent’s Presenter Adaptive reporting tool – another way to present complex incentive plans in a way that is easier to digest.
See the Varicent solution in action. Check out these product tours or book a demo for a more personalized experience.
It’s not just sales compensation that people are looking to simplify and streamline. There was a lot of buzz around sales planning – how to optimize territories, improve quota setting, prioritize sellers. Martin Fleming's latest e-book covers how an innovative approach to sales planning can transform the way you build sustainable revenue. It’s an insightful read.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is making a big impact on how sales plans are being created, and overall seller productivity. I came across this powerful stat from the Salesforce State of Sales Report: 80% of sales leaders and sales ops professionals say that using AI improved the use of reps' time at least moderately.
AI is a game-changer for building go-to-market strategies that drive sustainable revenue growth. To get more insight into AI and how you can make it work from you, check out the What I Wish I Knew episode with Joel Shapiro.
Varicent recognizes the potential of AI. Jason announced a brand-new solution that harnesses the power of AI to boost sales productivity. Hear more about it by watching the episode.
3. Conversations lead to solutions.
It became clear that people value community. Events like Accelerate are an opportunity to share challenges and perspectives, and to group think solutions. Neil Whitney, president of Varicent, spoke to how feedback shapes the Varicent solution into what it is today. Collaboration leads to innovation.
Now that the 2023 season has launched, the What I Wish I Knew crew is looking forward to having more conversations with guests about topics that are important to you. Stay tuned for our next episode and guest – subscribe to the Varicent YouTube channel so you don’t miss it.
