Partnership management is a complicated process requiring precision, commitment and permanent supervision. In the digitisation era, it is essential that you use tools that not only facilitate your daily work but also help you to achieve better results. Automation has become a key to success, while a well-configured PRM (Partner Relationship Management) system may prove to be your best ally. See a list of 10 automations that can help you to effectively manage partnerships and improve cooperation potential.
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Commission management automation
Commission-based settlements is one of the most important aspects of cooperating with partners. If commissions are provided systematically, transparently and on a timely basis, trust and loyalty grow in strength. PRM systems in turn may allow full automation of this process, which translates into time savings and error prevention. Depending on the settlement period (e.g. monthly or quarterly basis), you will be provided with a ready list of commissions, supplied with a note on which leads must be used to settle partners, when to do so, and what amount is due.
With settlement automation, you can be sure you will never miss anything. The PRM system can not only calculate commissions but also remind you of a need to make a payment, thus eliminating the risk of mistakes that may affect the partner’s trust. Using automation, you can control every single stage of the process, which in turn lets you focus on developing relationships rather than manual calculation of commissions.
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Simple file sharing
Cooperation with partners requires continuous replacement of various materials, starting from sales materials, through training, and ending up with marketing items. It is very absorbing and ineffective if you manually share files to every partner separately. If automated, this process can save your time and provide all partners with an access to up-to-date and required materials.
Thanks to the PRM system, you can share files automatically as well as keep track of who and when collected them. It is a win-win situation as partners may download documents at their convenience, and you can monitor their commitment. What’s more, when you upgrade the file to a new version, your partners will be able to access it instantly.
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Automated communication with partners
Effective communication is a foundation for every successful partnership. However managing numerous partners often proves to be challenging. Automation of communication allows you to keep in touch with partners on a regular basis, with no need to send messages manually.
A good PRM system will let you automate sending information on new functions, local events and available case studies. Message template creation and partner segmentation allow customising communication and transmitting a relevant message to a specific group of people. With transparent and visible new-message notifications, you can be sure your partnerships will always be taken care of, with no need to engage additional resources. Remember, you do not need to ignore building unique relationships with partners, but it is all about providing a regular access to the most significant modifications/information.
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No partner activity reminders
Regular contact and partners’ activity in the PRM system are crucial for fruitful cooperation. However partners happen not to log into the system or fail to report leads for a long time. Reminder automation allows quick reaction to a decline in the partner’s activity, which may prevent losing valuable relationships. The PRM system may also advise you to contact a specific partner and remind him of his potential profits or provide him with a sense of care.
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Automatic partner list update on the site
An up-to-date and accurate list of partners on your website not only represents your business but also serves as an important method of building trust and credibility. It may be bothersome to update this information, particularly in case of a large number of partners. Thanks to update automation, your list of partners will always remain up-to-date and you will not have to engage developers.
Some PRM systems allow generating and automatic update of the list of partners on the website in real time. When the partner changes his description, logo or other data, the system will instantly modify this information on your web page. This is how you can save time and be sure your site is never outdated.
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Data provision to sales team
Effective cooperation with partners requires failure-free integration between the PRM system (used to manage partnerships) and CRM (used by the sales team). Automated lead provision from the PRM system to CRM system results in quick reaction to new selling opportunities, which significantly raises efficiency of operations. The automation of this process eliminates the risk of delays and mistakes related to manual data provision. This is how you can be sure no lead will be missed and your partnerships will bring best benefits.
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New partner onboarding
Including a new partner in a partnership program is a critical moment that requires suitable preparation and commitment. The onboarding proves to be time-consuming. Yet with automation, you can simplify and shorten this stage of cooperation.
A solid PRM system must provide onboarding automation thanks to which a new partner can receive all required information, agreements and training materials in a well-organised form. With this system, you can also automate meetings with the Partnership Manager, which translates into time savings and lets you initiate a full-fledged cooperation earlier. Automatic reminders and checklists for the partner help you to make sure that every stage of onboarding can be successfully completed.
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Key task monitoring
Effective partnership management requires supervising numerous tasks and deadlines at all times. Importantly, if you manually keep track of progress in a dispersed way, you can skip essential elements of cooperation. This is why you ought to automate key task monitor to be able to control progress and react to potential issues on an ongoing basis.
Using the PRM system, you can instantly receive notifications on a need to undertake actions, e.g. close an old lead or contact your partner. The system can remind you of deadlines and tasks that must be paid attention to, eventually minimising the risk of skipping crucial elements of cooperation. All this information is available in one place. Thanks to this, you can always keep your partnerships under control and concentrate on developing new possibilities.
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Partner training automation
Training is critical in terms of developing partnerships, but may prove time-consuming to organise and conduct. Thanks to training automation, your partners may have an opportunity to acquire knowledge and skills at their convenience, which boosts cooperation.
The LMS (Learning Management System) system that is integrated into PRM allows automation of partner training. When used, you can create courses, conduct tests and issue certificates. Partners can make use of training materials at any time, and you can be sure their knowledge is up-to-date and complies with your expectations. Training automation allows you to easily manage partners’ education and build their competences.
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Partner support automation
Cooperation with partners is not only about leads and training but also proper support at all stages of the cooperation. Thanks to automated support, it is possible to quickly solve problems and increase partners’ satisfaction.
One of the possibilities is integration of the PRM system with the external ticket system, which eventually allows automating the support process. This is how every partner can report problems and questions that will be instantly assigned to relevant people in your company. Additionally, the ticket system allows analysing common questions and creating a FAQ section, which may with time automate answers to the most frequently asked questions. This way your partners receive quick and effective support, and you save time and resources!
Key automations in the PRM system: summary
The partnership management automation is a key to improved efficiency and better results. Using such instruments as Partnerplace, you can enhance processes, gain control over every aspect of cooperation as well as focus on developing partnerships that bring real benefits. With automation, you can not only save time but also provide top-quality service to your partners, and finally enjoy a long-lasting success.
