Big box reseller: They play the role of middle men who look into activities such as moving bulk volume.

Master distributor: Master distributors purchase adequate supplies for small scale dealers.

Buying group: Buying groups obtain from the manufacturer or distributor in bulk.

Channel: Moves the products and services to the end user.

Broker: The broker negotiates the deals, partnerships, and sales between companies.

Independent representative: This is one of the most important aspects of partner portals; independent representatives will help in providing a sales service which will offer local market access to manufacturers.

Dealer: A dealer is a reseller who is given the authority to offer customer support by vendors, in most cases. They are independent companies and are usually involved in the automobile or heavy equipment industry.

All these aspects come together in order to generate a smoother functioning business. The vendor has to impart important company related information to the channel partners. This information will let your partners know more about your new product or strategy for better organisation.

These portals not only inform the partners about a new product/service, but they also educate them about new strategies and ways of conducting business. Involve your channel partners in your business with the use of efficient and well-planned partner portals.

Partner portals are web based applications which are designed in such a way that the parent companies and partners can easily share information and views. If you own a business and are finding it difficult to manage business relationships then you should opt for a partner portal.

Before partner portals, business owners used to share information via emails, fax and phone calls. Although these are useful, these methods do not offer quick results. With the help of partner portals, the parent company can easily connect and interact with all their partners whenever they want.

Partner portals offer real time information to partners

To access partner portals, your channel partners have to provide authorised credentials. This feature of partner portals allows you to protect your business-related information from strangers. Information such as leads, contacts, reseller programs, deal registration and spreadsheets can be shared via partner portals. Due to latest advances in technology, business partners can get real time information easily.

Partner portals also have a feedback section which allows business owners to modify the website when required. The latest partner portals are designed to integrate a deal registration program onto the portal to reduce the chances of channel conflicts. This will eventually increase sales volume and hence profits.

Partner portal strategies are very effective as they serve as a focal point in joint business ventures, business convergences, communication and collaborations.

A partner portal system can be defined as an internet based application that allows a manufacturer’s pipeline or partners to gain access to valuable information such as marketing strategies, pricing, support and overall sales. It can be accessed from the manufacturer’s main website and you will require logon credentials to log into it. You can thus assign logon credentials to important partners and they can access the necessary information at any give time. Partner portals can be a critical component of a successful strategy that will be useful for a small business.

Given below are the various features of partner portals:

Capture leads - Partner portals will assist leads and will also decrease the number of quarrels over a lead. Partner portals can be accessed anywhere and you can access it from any computer 24/7.

Content management system – A portal manager will allow you to instantly upload content on your portal via a dashboard. You do not need any prior training for this and you can upload your content without affecting the current layout of your site.

Password protection - By using a password protected log in, your associates can instantly access company related content.

Use partner portals systems to make you business more efficient.

Types of partners – Partners will usually consist of resellers, distributors, service providers, installers and other strategic partners. This will help them obtain information that pertains to your company’s marketing resources, pricing and sales data and technical details. This is classified information and is available to selected users only.

How will it help your partners – You can use a partner portal to update your partners on new promotional discounts and your partner can also examine your service memoranda. A partner portal will help you integrate your business by providing your partners with an assigned sales support representative. This will be beneficial for both parties as the representative can provide configuration assistance to your partners.

How to access a partner portal – Your partners can access the partner portal through the manufacturer’s website. For this, you will have to provide your partners with secure logon credentials.

How will this help your company – This will greatly help your company to avoid channel related conflicts and will help you protect your partners from marginal erosion. A partner portal system will give you valuable information about your sales pipeline and this will assist your partners in times of need.

Use a partner portal to make your business more efficient and maintain steady relationships with your partners.

What is deal registration - Deal registrations will provide you and your partners with a secure and reliable partner portal. This process will allow your partners to register deals online and will also provide protection to your deals or leads. A deal registration can also be equipped with a partner portal.

Partner portal – This is a web-based application that permits a company’s partner to attain a direct access to the company’s pricing and sales information, marketing resources, etc. You can also obtain technical details that might be unavailable to the common public. A partner portal can also update your partners on various new promotions and discounts that will be beneficial for your partners.

This can increase your company’s revenue- Thanks to deal registrations and partner portals, your partners may readily put your product on sale. This will increase your sales and profits. A partner portal can be accessed on the manufacturer’s website. You will have to provide your partners with secure logon credentials and this will help them to monitor the progress of your channel.

Use partner portals to create a feeling of mutual trust and this will help you strengthen your relationships with your partners.

The latest partner portals are designed in such a way that they offer quick information or data to the partners. Partner portals are perfect for companies with huge channel network which help in increasing the sales. Monitoring the activities of channel partners without partner portals is a time consuming procedure. So opt for partner portals and invest your time in business procedures.

Partner portals or websites also help the channel partners to access and get business details such as:

• Marketing collateral
• Product images
• Lead applications
• Business presentations

Things to Consider While Designing Partner Portals

If you have decided to have a partner portal for your business partners then use the latest portal technology which is convenient to operate. Consider the memory of partner portal, as it will decide the amount of information which can be stored in the portal. Add an analytical tool which increases the accuracy and speed of your website. Use scalability feature to increase the number of partners.

Security features are a must because partner portals have confidential information related to the company. Improve the visibility and efficiency of your business with appropriate channel partners.

Some important components that make up channel clouds:

Big Box Reseller:

These are the middlemen that are interested in moving mass volumes instead of offering specialised services.

Master Distributor:

They are distributors that purchase enough goods for small scale dealers.

Buying Group:

These are companies that obtain goods in bulk from the distributor or manufacturer. They are co-ops and loose affiliates who purchase goods in bulk to get huge discounts.

Dealer:

A dealer is actually a reseller who is given the power to offer customer support by vendors.

The importance of partner portals in channel management

Employing the use of a partner relationship strategy is one of the biggest business trends today. Numerous organisations implement partner relationship management strategies into their channel due to the many advantages they offer.

Revenue generation and productivity are some major advantages that a sound PRM strategy offers.

A PRM strategy is most effective when partner portals are used. This is because the partner portal acts as a point where all involved parties in the joint business venture can collaborate and communicate with each other. So, if you want to make the most from your sales channel, integrating a PRM strategy can prove to be very helpful.

Partner portal programs play an important role in different types of businesses. For instance, manufacturers have dealers, distributors and retailers whereas a software company deals with technical partners, VARs and integrators. In both scenarios, a partner portal application helps managers to communicate with their partners. Here are the few things which can be shared through partner portals.

• Sales leads
• Business quotes
• Dispatch reports
• Placing orders
• Marketing reports

Apart from above mentioned features, partner portals also work as a support centre for all the partners who are located around the world. And the internet allows business owners to offer 24/7 support to their partners.

A few additional features offered by partner portals

Partner portal programs play a key role in channel management, as they inform the company about different issues. In the past e-mails were sent to inform partners about business issues but now partner portals offer real-time updates whenever required. A well-designed partner portal allows the partners to know about the investment, leads, deals, business strategies and upcoming meetings.

If you use a partner portal you can have a successful channel network and hence higher profit margins.

How are deal registrations beneficial?

Deal registrations are very beneficial for vendors, partners and end consumers. Deal registration programs have to be planned and executed in an orderly fashion. When implemented properly, deal registrations can deepen and widen relationships between partners and vendors. This is beneficial as it will lead to increased loyalty and sales. Deal registrations are the best way to decrease pipeline conflicts and increase your sales cycle.

Elements of a channel program

Channel programs require definite elements in order to succeed, and deal registration programs are no exceptions. Its key elements include establishing your business objectives, conducting market research, developing executable strategies, and simplicity. These elements can yield profitable results to any company.

Who can access partner portals?

A channel dependent company which uses partner portals can provide their partners with valuable information such as sales cycles, information on leads, market research etc. This information is available only to authorised individuals and can be obtained from a server or the company’s website.

Use partner portals and deal registrations to increase the efficiency and productivity of your company.

How Will It Help Your Company?

A partner portal will provide your partners and affiliates with a way of maintaining steady relationships and is mutually beneficial for both parties. Partner portals will provide access to data such as upcoming sales, tracking information regarding sales, and commission figures. It also allows you to check the current status of your operations and can be accessed from various places.

A partner portal will allow your partners to check vital information once login details have been created. These credentials will restrict the flow of data to important affiliates or partners.

Server Based Application – A partner portal can be efficiently managed by housing your portal on your company’s server. Your partners can use this link to enter your company’s main site and access a login page. Once their login credentials are confirmed by the server, the partner can then view authorised data.

Who Should Use It?

Partner portals are commonly used by resellers and affiliate programs. A partner or affiliate can have real-time access to the various activities associated with your company’s process. This is more convenient than receiving a weekly or a monthly report. Portal portals allow your partners to view recently placed orders, information on new customers, sales records, etc.

Partner portals can save time and help your company to become more efficient in its business.