How Applause simplified compensation, eliminated manual processes, and empowered their teams to focus on performance.
“ZINKT is a really powerful solution that I think is pretty critical for teams that live in Salesforce.”
Kelly Potvin, Vice President Corporate Strategy
Applause is the global leader in digital quality, helping the world’s top brands deliver exceptional digital experiences. But as their sales organization grew, their compensation management processes became fragmented and inefficient. Manual spreadsheets, inconsistent data, and limited visibility were slowing down operations and frustrating staff.
“ZINKT was going to save us money, about 50% over traditional methods to implement. We were going to get all the functionality we needed and ZINKT was going to collaborate with us to help get things done. They checked all the boxes.” – Kelly Potvin, Vice President Corporate Strategy
About Applause
Mission: Deliver digital excellence through testing, analytics, and expert feedback
Key staff involved: Kelly Potvin, Vice President Corporate Strategy, Kerri McCarthy, Controller, North America
Challenges: Fragmented compensation systems, manual calculations, limited Salesforce integration, lack of transparency, audit complexity
The challenge
Applause had adopted a different platform previously for commission management, but only 40% of their sales team was using it. The rest relied on manual spreadsheets, creating risk, inefficiency, and frustration. With multiple compensation plans and limited visibility, audits were difficult and errors were common.
Kelly Potvin explains:
“There were a lot of places where things could get out of sync really quickly. We wanted to reconcile those plans and handle all the compensation activity in one place: Salesforce.”
The ZINKT solution
ZINKT partnered with Applause to streamline their compensation management by embedding everything directly into Salesforce. The solution delivered:
- Automation: Replaced manual spreadsheets with automated workflows for commissions, bonuses, MBOs, and clawbacks
- Salesforce-native experience: Leveraged familiar tools like process builder, approvals, dashboards, and reporting
- Collaboration-first implementation: ZINKT worked hand-in-hand with Applause to simplify complex plans and ensure data integrity
Kerri McCarthy shares:
“The level of detail the ZINKT team went to during the discovery process was very thorough … And not only was the team effective, but the way they managed the process, the kind of resources and tools that they used to run the project, were really helpful, as well.”
The impact
With ZINKT fully implemented, Applause saw immediate and lasting improvements:
- 50% cost savings compared to traditional implementation methods
- Increased Salesforce adoption across the organization
- Elimination of manual processes and spreadsheet-based errors
- Improved transparency and auditability across all compensation plans
- Enhanced employee experience for both sales and finance teams
Kelly Potvin reflects:
“It was a complex implementation, because our plans are complex. But ZINKT did a really great job of trying to make it as simple as possible for us, for the administrators, and super simple for our end users.”
“I love the new system. I love what we’ve created. I know it’s going be here with us for the long haul. I know we set ourselves up for success.”
Ready to get Salesforce working for you, not against you?
Talk to us and see how ZINKT can streamline your operations and let your team focus on what matters.
Why choose ZINKT?
- Real-world expertise: Our team brings years of hands-on Salesforce experience, ensuring practical solutions tailored to your unique business needs.
- Clicks not code: Easy-to-use solutions built directly in Salesforce, simplifying your workflows without complex integrations
- Transparent collaboration: Clear communication, predictable outcomes, and no surprises – ever.
- Flexible solutions: Our tailored, agile approach ensures your Salesforce environment adapts effortlessly as your business evolves.
- Long-term empowerment: We don’t just implement; we equip your team for lasting success and independence.