7 Ways to Use PRM Software to Enhance Ease of Doing Business
b'Selling via an indirect sales channel is never easy, especially if you are trying to do it at a global level with multiple product lines catering to all kinds of verticals. The complexity of managing such a channel can be overwhelming, and that complexity can also make it really hard for partners to do business with the vendor. This is where purpose-built partner relationship management (PRM) software can help. In this article, we will explore how PRM software can significantly enhance the ease of doing business for a vendor\\u2019s partner base.\\nBefore we discuss the benefits of PRM software, however, let\\u2019s explore some of the core challenges partners face as they do business with a vendor selling through the channel.\\n\\n \\tComplex program and partner relationship management requirements \\u2013 Most vendors selling through the channel have built their channel program over the years, and the cost of change and/or the fear of change have prevented vendors from simplifying their channel programs. The combination of program complexity, a patchwork of partner portal applications, and a lack of purpose-built PRM software can make doing business very complex.\\n \\tThe portal is not mobile-friendly \\u2013 The partner portal is the first and last handshake a partner has with the vendor. However, if you are not using purpose-built PRM software, it\\u2019s likely your portal is not fully mobile-responsive and the patchwork of applications you use to manage your partner relationships is really hard to navigate via a mobile interface. This is a critical hurdle that partners must struggle to overcome every time they log on.\\n \\tHard\\u2013to-find content \\u2013 A primary purpose of your partner portal is to allow your partners to self-serve and access the many vendor-provided channel programs that are in place without calling the vendor for assistance. Without a purpose-built partner portal powered by world-class PRM software, however, searching for and finding relevant marketing assets, programs, sales materials, and other content can be very difficult.\\n \\tComplicated navigation \\u2013 If your partner portal has evolved over the years and has become a patched-up quilt of discrete applications, chances are most of the applications (partner contracts, training, incentives, deal registrations, etc.) come from different vendors and there is little navigational consistency. The multiplicity of interfaces can be downright confusing. This is where purpose-built PRM software that encompasses end-to-end channel management can make a big difference, providing users with a clean, consistent, logical interface that remains the same wherever they are within the portal.\\n \\tLack of dynamic alerts \\u2013 Keeping partners informed in a way that is useful to them is critical. That\\u2019s why partners need to be able to configure and manage alerts for their own unique purposes\\u2014whether the alerts have to do with deal registration, incentives approval, or training certification expirations. Unfortunately, most partner portals do not allow this to happen. If you deploy purpose-built PRM software, however, you can absolutely overcome this issue and enable partners to manage their alert-based workflows much better and faster.\\n\\nAll in all, doing business is hard, even frustrating, for your partners if have not properly deployed and configured PRM software to power your partner portal and programs. So now let\\u2019s explore in more detail how state-of-the-art PRM software can help your partners overcome these challenges.\\n\\n \\tStreamline partner onboarding \\u2013 Partner engagement starts with the recruitment of new partners into current programs and existing partners into new programs. Properly built PRM software can significantly augment and automate the partner onboarding process.\\n \\tMake agreement management easy \\u2013 The first step in getting a partner onboarded is signing agreements. For many organizations, this is a painstaking, manual process that is difficult to keep track of. However,'