AEG Case Study

  • Need to handle different compensation cycles across multiple business units
  • Ability to easily upload, export, and modify compensation data without complex workarounds or custom reporting
  • A system that could manage independent approval workflows for different business units while maintaining visibility and control

About

Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc., also known as AEG, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world’s largest sports and entertainment company.

In this interview, Larry Nichols, Vice President of Compensation & Classification, shares insights on the challenges AEG faced with their compensation processes, their evaluation process to select a solution, and the impact that Decusoft’s Compose platform has had on their process.

The Challenge

Can you describe the primary challenges AEG faced in its compensation planning process?

We encountered several challenges in our compensation planning process, largely stemming from the limitations of our previous system. While it served us for a time, the platform eventually fell short in delivering the functionality we needed and didn’t keep pace with our evolving requirements. As a result, many tasks remained manual and time-consuming, and making simple data updates or handling exceptions proved more difficult than expected.

Our organizational structure added complexity, with business units operating on three different compensation cycles. The system couldn’t support our varied approval processes, making coordination difficult. Reporting was another pain point—we couldn’t easily export salary grids or access standard data without custom reports. Once approvals were complete, we were locked out of our compensation data, leaving no clear way to analyze outcomes.

Data management was also a struggle. The tool was too closely tied to performance reviews, lacked integration with our budgeting systems, and offered little flexibility. Ultimately, we were stuck with a one-size-fits-some process that didn’t fit our business. We needed a solution that could adapt to us—not the other way around.

What prompted AEG to seek a new solution?

We ultimately realized that our existing platform could no longer support the evolving needs of our compensation team. The system saw no meaningful updates over three to four years, and key functionality remained missing. Making even simple data edits or handling exceptions became unnecessarily complex and time-consuming.

There was a heavy reliance on performance reviews that further limited our flexibility, creating unnecessary dependencies in our workflow. After years of workarounds and stagnation, it became clear we needed a more agile, responsive solution—one built specifically for compensation planning.

The Solution

How did you go about selecting a new compensation planning solution?

We began the process with a formal RFP to evaluate platforms that could meet both our immediate needs and long-term goals. After reviewing several options, we narrowed the field to Decusoft and another solution.

Our priority was to find a solution that could deliver the core functionality we’d been missing—right out of the box. We also placed significant weight on the platform’s ability to manage our complex organizational structure, including multiple compensation cycles and varied approval workflows. Decusoft stood out for its flexibility, purpose-built design, and clear understanding of the intricacies of compensation planning.

The Results

What key features of Decusoft Compose made the biggest impact?

Several features of Decusoft Compose had an immediate and meaningful impact on our compensation planning process. First and foremost, the platform’s flexibility allowed us to manage multiple compensation cycles simultaneously—something our previous system couldn’t support. This was critical given our varied business unit timelines.

Compose also made it easy to upload and export data, significantly reducing manual effort and improving integration with other systems. Managers gained clearer visibility into their teams’ compensation data, which helped drive more informed decision-making. We were also able to update data with far greater ease, allowing for quick adjustments when needed.

Finally, the platform’s comprehensive approach to approval workflows brought much-needed structure and clarity to a previously fragmented process. Overall, Compose gave us the control, adaptability, and insight we’d been missing.

Can you share an example of how Decusoft Compose improved compensation planning efficiency?

Before adopting Decusoft Compose, even basic tasks like accessing salary grids required custom reporting and vendor support. With Compose, we can now easily export that information on demand, which has saved us significant time and effort. Another major improvement has been the ability for managers to retain visibility into compensation data even after the approval process—something that was previously locked down. We can now also upload planning data directly from external budgeting systems, streamlining integration and eliminating the need for cumbersome workarounds.

Overall, Compose has significantly reduced the amount of manual intervention required in our compensation processes, allowing our team to focus more on strategic planning and less on system maintenance.

How would you describe the overall experience working with the Decusoft team?

Like any implementation, the early stages came with challenges, but the Decusoft team was committed to working through them alongside us. Our main contact was incredibly attentive, understanding, and focused on finding solutions that worked for our unique needs.

What stood out most was the team’s responsiveness and willingness to address issues quickly. We also appreciated how the product has continued to evolve, with enhancements that reflect real user feedback. The ongoing support from Decusoft has been consistent and helpful, reinforcing that we have a true partner—not just a vendor.