Sales performance management (SPM) and incentive compensation management (ICM) provider Callidus Software has acquired sales enablement portal provider iCentera.

Sales performance management (SPM) and incentive compensation management (ICM) provider Callidus Software has acquired sales enablement portal provider iCentera. This deal follows recent acquisitions by Callidus of Litmos (a learning management system designed to help manage the training needs of a field force) and Salesforce Assessments (a software-as-a-service based sales assessment tool) – positioning Callidus as a one-stop shop for SPM. Originally focused on helping sales organizations manage their quota/comp/incentive plans, Callidus has broadened the scope of its offerings to include territory alignment, coaching and channel management.

Based on discussions SiriusDecisions facilitated at our recent client forums on sales enablement, Callidus may find a ready market for its ever-increasing suite of offerings. Many clients shared that they were experiencing what might be called an “enablement maturity model,” where sales enablement moves from pure content/program creation and distribution to include a focus on sales talent optimization. Clients have found that providing salespeople with compelling messaging and content will fall short of expected returns without also addressing the knowledge, skills and processes required of reps to maximize the impact of enablement assets with buyers. This is especially true for marketing/sales organizations currently undergoing a shift from being product focused to solutions and realizing that making this shift requires more than just a change in offerings and messaging; it must also include changes to sales compensation, investments in sales training, ongoing coaching and sales enablement support.