How Columbia Bank Redefined Compensation to Support Growth

Eliminating a Rigid System That Was Costly, Slow, and Losing Trust

Columbia Bank, a leading U.S. financial institution, was managing a complex incentive compensation program with limited flexibility. It was heavily reliant on third-party support using a system that was rigid to adapt and expensive to maintain. Their legacy system created barriers to data access and responsiveness, especially when it came to reporting, forecasting, and adapting to the needs of a growing bank.

The team knew change was needed to regain control, improve efficiency, and better align incentives with business priorities like profitability and revenue growth.

Shifting to a Modern Platform That Empowers Internal Teams

Columbia partnered with Varicent to restructure its incentive compensation approach by bringing development in-house, improving data transparency, and reducing manual processes.

Finance was able to have a more direct role in shaping compensation through easier reporting and access to real-time performance data.

“We could tie into the annual budgeting process. We can make sure that the goals we’re setting for production personnel are in sync with our budget targets for the bank.” – Eric Schuler, Financial Planning & Reporting Director, Columbia Bank.

With Varicent, Columbia rebuilt its incentive processes from the ground up, starting with how results were calculated, how data was accessed, and how the team responded to frontline questions.

Measurable Gains in Efficiency, Cost Savings, and Trust

Columbia didn’t just replace its old system. It redefined how compensation supports growth. 

Columbia now operates with a high-functioning, self-sufficient team that owns development, adjusts plans internally, and has real-time insight into performance and costs. 

With Varicent, they’ve gone from reactive to proactive. The team now builds faster, adapts quicker, and plans better, all without relying on outside help. 

The gains are measurable:

But the biggest shift? Trust. 

“People have a sense that we've got this. Even if we need to get through a glitch, they trust that we’ll work it out.” – Kimberly Hauze 

Where sales teams once second-guessed results, they now rely on them. Inquiry volume is manageable, documentation is airtight, and leaders can spend more time selling, not shadow accounting. Managers can now see what their bankers are inquiring about and educate about what is eligible for credit.  

The process is now streamlined, repeatable, and audit ready. 

With the right partner, incentive compensation can do more than process payments. It can drive performance, build trust, and power revenue at scale.