Correspondence: Roger Turner, PBB UK Ltd, 87 Cambridge St, London, SW1V 4PY, UK. Tel: +44 (0) 207 821 5299; Fax: +44 (0) 845 280 3406; e-mail: roger.turner@pbb-uk.com

¹is the Managing Partner of PBB UK, a leading variable compensation consultancy and software practice. He has led many assignments across Europe in the pharmaceutical industry and has 20 years' experience of working internationally in senior commercial and general managerial positions in multinational corporations. He is a graduate of Oxford University and INSEAD business school.

²is a partner of PBB France and over the past eight years has designed and implemented highly motivational bonus schemes in pharmaceutical field sales forces across Europe. Prior to joining PBB, he was Remuneration Director of Sanofi-Aventis and has held several senior finance positions.

³is the founding partner of PBB France and has worked with the pharmaceutical industry for over 15 years. He has led the mathematical development of many of PBB's processes including the Commitment Process™ that is now used in the bonus compensation of well over 100,000 sales people and managers within Europe.

Abstract

Field sales force bonuses can help to drive exceptional sales performance through enhanced motivation and in so doing create competitive advantages for businesses. There are, however, several pitfalls that must be avoided if a bonus scheme is to become wholly successful and have the desired motivational impact. Innovative new processes and software tools can help pharmaceutical businesses overcome typical bonus scheme design weaknesses and provide business managers with a toolset for driving results-enhancing behaviours. One such process is the Commitment Process™ that aligns the interests of the individual and company harmoniously and incentivises sales people to stretch their performance and maximise sales results.