Another year, and another successful Accelerate in the books! There was one goal in mind this year: to help attendees drive resilient growth.
Hundreds of sales leaders, compensation professionals, data enthusiasts, and revenue leaders gathered in Boston to learn new ways to optimize go-to-market strategies, navigate changing markets, and innovate their sales performance management processes.
Through the insightful sessions, customer stories, innovation hubs, and latest research, attendees left empowered with the tools they need to support achieving their goals.
While there are so many highlights to share, here are my 5 favorite moments from the Accelerate 2024 conference.
1. Revenue Performance Engine: Breaking Down Silos for Operational Efficiency
One of the standout moments of Accelerate 2024 was the introduction of the Revenue Performance Engine. Traditional go-to-market processes often suffer from fragmentation, leading to ineffective collaboration and misalignment across sales teams. Our CEO, Marc Altshuller, asked:
“What if sales comp, ops, finance, and sales teams were able to collaborate more effectively? What if more connectivity and agility existed not just within incentives, but between and across the entire go-to-market system?”
The Revenue Performance Engine offers a unified approach to sales performance management, breaking down barriers and linking crucial business processes. This fundamental shift promises to propel business growth by fostering connectivity and agility across organizations, improving operational efficiency and enhancing sales planning.
As we learned at Accelerate, life doesn’t happen in silos. Your go-to-market shouldn’t either.
2. New Ways AI Will Elevate Sales Performance
AI continues to revolutionize business units of all kinds, including sales performance management. This year's keynote explored into the transformative impact of AI on sales strategies. Executives from Microsoft and Boston Consulting Group shared real-world applications of AI tools, highlighting the possibilities and hurdles for AI in sales. Attendees gained insights into emerging trends and their impact on revenue resilience and improved decision making.
As Microsoft’s General Manager and VP of Customer Success, Manufacturing Sector Iain Gray said, “today’s AI is the worst you’ll ever use.” Throughout the week, our speakers explored the technological revolution we are witnessing today. We're at the epicenter of the most significant and most rapid technology driven transformation our world has ever seen driven by Generative AI.
Embracing innovation benefits the sales team too. There is a positive impact on seller performance. The number of sellers hitting their numbers goes up, while attrition goes down.
3. Hearing Customer Stories: Lessons in Innovation Across Various Industries
One of the most important aspects of Accelerate is hearing from our customers. Attendees had the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and fellow customers like PepsiCo, Citizens Bank, AT&T, Verizon, and Shaw Industries, who shared their journeys to improve sales plans and enhance revenue performance. Through bold and creative approaches, these companies tackled challenges such as misaligned strategy, blown compensation budgets, and underperforming sales teams. Their stories served as inspiration for attendees facing similar obstacles in territory management and quota management across various industries.
Between main stage presentations and our breakout sessions, customers from varying industries took the stage to share their stories, how they’ve improved their processes and how they are leveraging Varicent to achieve their goals.
4. Immersive Learning
The return of Accelerate meant the return of our ever-popular, Hands-On Labs. Our Hands-On Lab Sessions are the perfect opportunity to sharpen your skills. Become an expert using the Varicent solution of your choice, including Incentives, Sales Planning, ELT and AI. Led by the creators themselves, these immersive sessions are your direct route to expert-level skills.
New this year, was the launch of Self-Service Labs. Throughout the week, these provided attendees with practical learning experiences, allowing them to gain valuable insights and skills at their own pace. The introduction of self-service modules expanded learning opportunities, accommodating all levels of expertise and providing a flexible alternative to instructor-led labs.
5. Networking with SPM Professionals
From the moment we started our engines, Accelerate took off as a place for networking. Our Welcome Reception allowed people to test their racing skills, meet with partners, and explore new connections. Attendees unwound at the Best of Boston reception, mingling with industry professionals and enjoying locally themed food and drinks. From oyster shuckers to AI photography, the reception provided the perfect opportunity to network and discover the charm of Boston neighborhoods, strengthening connections within the sales enablement community.
It was wonderful to reunite with our incredible customers and community at Accelerate. We're already looking forward to hosting the next one. Want to be among the first to know the Accelerate 2025 details? Visit our website and sign up to save the date!
