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Designing sales compensation for impact: A conversation with Chad Albrecht of ZS associates

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  • Michael Ahearne

    (University of Houston)

  • Molly Ahearne

    (San Diego State University)

Abstract

This article presents an in-depth interview with Chad Albrecht, Principal Emeritus and longtime sales compensation lead at ZS, focusing on best practices and evolving strategies in sales force incentive compensation. Drawing from decades of consulting experience and insights from academic literature, Albrecht outlines practical frameworks for optimizing pay mix, metric selection, payout curves, and compensation frequency. The discussion highlights the challenges and trade-offs faced by firms in designing incentive systems that are strategically aligned, motivational, and fiscally responsible. In addition to offering tactical advice for practitioners, the article identifies several underexplored areas for future academic research, including ROI measurement, performance distribution modeling, and behavioral responses to compensation design. The conversation underscores the need for closer collaboration between industry and academia to build more effective and evidence-based incentive systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Ahearne & Molly Ahearne, 2025. "Designing sales compensation for impact: A conversation with Chad Albrecht of ZS associates," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 15(1), pages 302-306, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:amsrev:v:15:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s13162-025-00310-3
    DOI: 10.1007/s13162-025-00310-3
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