The Challenge: Spreadsheets & Version Control
Before QuotaPath, Birdie managed commissions through a combination of SQL queries and spreadsheets, a system that quickly became difficult to scale.
“We were using spreadsheets… a bunch of very difficult-to-maintain spreadsheets calculating commissions,” Luke said.
Even when the process was working, it required significant time to maintain. Running commissions meant dedicating at least a full day each month, and up to several days for quarterly plans.
As the team grew to 40+ reps across multiple plan types, complexity compounded. Version control became a major blocker, making even small changes risky and time-consuming.
“We were so reluctant to make any changes to comp plans… it made transitioning between variations really, really challenging,” Luke said.
That rigidity affected the sales team’s experience as well.
“I think sentiment for the sales team was becoming worse over time… towards their incentive structures,” Luke said.
Plus, Birdie’s commission model added another layer of difficulty: payouts were based on invoice paid rather than deal closed.
Managing that level of nuance across CRM, billing, and data systems made the spreadsheet approach increasingly fragile…and ultimately unsustainable.
Build vs. Buy: Why Birdie Didn’t Build It Themselves
Like many modern RevOps teams, Birdie explored whether they could build a commissions solution internally.
But after digging into the complexity, that idea quickly fell apart.
“I would not consider doing that for commission… you’d grossly underestimate the database structures you’d need,” Luke said.
What might seem manageable at first would quickly become a long-term burden.
“It would actually be way more complex than people think… you’d spend more time figuring that stuff out than building it,” Luke said.
Beyond the technical challenge, there was another key factor: expertise. Building in-house would mean losing the guidance and strategic input that comes from working with a dedicated partner.
“If you try to build something yourself, you completely lose that thought leadership and partnership,” Luke said.
Why Birdie Chose QuotaPath
When evaluating vendors, Birdie considered alternatives like Everstage, but one factor stood out above all: service and partnership.
“By far and away, QuotaPath has set a real bar for what we expect in terms of service from our vendors,” said Luke.
From the earliest stages, QuotaPath took a hands-on approach.
“You guys asked us to share our comp plans… and gave productive feedback… we used that to drive better internal decisions,” Luke said.
That level of engagement wasn’t matched elsewhere.
And on product usability, the difference was clear.
“The UI stood out… you could jump in and start making changes live on the call,” said Luke. “With Everstage, it was like, ‘we’ll take it away and come back to you.’”
QuotaPath demonstrated functionality while also showing Birdie leadership how to improve their compensation strategy along the way.
Implementation & Partnership: Fast, Supported, and Ahead of Schedule
Despite complex requirements, such as invoice-based eligibility, multiple comp plans, and Snowflake integration, Birdie moved quickly through implementation.
“We had really aggressive timelines… but we met every single one,” Luke said.
That speed was largely driven by hands-on support from the QuotaPath team.
“There’s no way I would have been able to do it without someone like Sam… most of the credit has to go to him,” Luke said.
Even when challenges came up, they were resolved quickly, keeping momentum high throughout onboarding.
“It didn’t even take as long as I thought it would… the onboarding steps were pretty seamless,” Luke said.
The result was a smooth rollout with minimal disruption, and a system fully equipped to handle Birdie’s scale.
Payout Transformation: From Delays to Monthly Accuracy
What’s also worth noting is the shift in when and how frequently Birdie began to pay commissions out for the their team. For instance, before QuotaPath, Birdie’s invoice-based model meant reps often had to wait months to receive their commissions.
“Historically… they would have had to wait until the end of Q2 or Q3,” Luke said regarding first quarter deals.
With QuotaPath, that changed entirely. By aligning payouts to invoice activity, Birdie was able to move to a consistent monthly cadence.
“With QuotaPath… now everyone’s getting paid out monthly based on invoices being paid,” Luke said.
That shift was a major unlock for both operations and the sales team.
“It’s amazing… it’s been great,” Luke said.
Just as importantly, it created confidence in the process and enabled a clean handoff to Finance.
Rep Experience: More Visibility, More Engagement
For Birdie’s sales team, improvements to their commission process exetended to their reps’ visibility into their earnings.
“The sales team really appreciates the visibility into their payroll,” Luke said.
they didn’t have that before.”
That visibility quickly changed how reps engaged with their commissions.
“I’m getting a lot more questions… which is a good thing as it it tells me they’re engaged,” Luke said.
Now, reps actively track and understand their earnings, creating a more informed, engaged, and motivated sales team.
The Bottom Line
Before QuotaPath, commissions at Birdie were:
- Time-consuming and manual
- Difficult to maintain and update
- Limited in visibility and trust
- Constrained by quarterly payout cycles
Today, they are:
- Automated and scalable
- Flexible to evolving comp plans
- Fully visible to reps and leadership
- Aligned to real-time invoice activity
And backed by a true partnership.
“I couldn’t recommend you guys more highly,” said Luke.
Meet the Champion
