How Companies Can Benefit from IBM ICM Managed Services

In the past we have blogged about how IBM ICM / Varicent is an effective, integrated tool for successfully driving an organization’s sales performance.

And it is.

But no matter how robust the solution, the implementation process can often bring to light the need for customization and revision to meet an organization’s unique needs and business goals.

Sometimes, it requires the expertise and insight of a third party to help business owners:

• Develop new compensation plans
• Revise existing plans
• Develop new reports
• Consult on system design
• Optimize systems

We want to help organizations take advantage of IBM ICM, so we are sharing some of the key lessons our team has learned from nearly a decade of experience helping to implement incentive compensation management and sales performance management solutions.

Depend on Expertise for IT Capacity

Unless a company has significant ICM administration muscle, they should consider outsourcing the day-to-day management of their ICM system.

You want to rely on consultants who understand Cognos ICM with a greater sense of sophistication and insight. It often helps to work with a company that has a particular expertise in reverse engineering existing models, so they can help troubleshoot and tackle any issues without delay.

It’s a smart way to increase your capabilities and make sure the solution operates on a robust, well-managed platform.

Expect the Unexpected – Troubleshooting 

What do they say about the best-laid plans?

Even with great technology, it’s prudent to expect the unexpected.

In fact, an experienced team knows to plan for it and can help guide you through more complicated scenarios, including:

• Best practices for changing and migrating plans
• Issue management and change management
• Managing multiple systems or environments

Most importantly, by engaging a third party for managed services, you can focus on your core business and not worry whatsoever about troubleshooting.

Prepare to Grow – Cognos ICM Provides Scalability 

You probably want your organization to grow.

However, a growing company means the ICM process is constantly changing with:

• Territory realignments
• New customer accounts
• Revised sales team rosters
• Changes to the incentive plan

Relying on a managed services team will ensure your system will be scaled to your company’s growth, and that those changes can be implemented seamlessly and efficiently.

Intangent Managed Services

The Intangent Managed Services team offers deep technical expertise balanced with dependable customer service. Our team is available “on demand” and can react quickly to the immediate needs of any business.

With many successful projects under our belt, Intangent’s Managed Services team is an excellent choice for customers seeking to augment their existing Cognos ICM capabilities and processes.

Learn more about how Intangent can support and manage Cognos ICM for your company.