The value that you derive from your partner marketing technology is not solely dependent on the capabilities of the platform. Often, the support you receive is just as important.
As a general rule, most vendors will provide you with support avenues such as centralised email addresses or phone numbers which direct your queries through to a Client Services Team. In a nutshell, Client Services is responsible for your overall experience with both the technology and your technology provider, designed to provide you with a uniquely positive experience that delivers a solution.
While approaches like ticketing systems and queues have been demonstrated to be the most effective way to get the best and fastest resolution to issues, many worry that when they follow these procedures their needs won’t be addressed well or in a timely manner. In this blog, I’m going to tackle six common concerns that professionals have about clients services processes, and how Partnerize has worked hard to deliver a far better solution to our clients. I’ll structure this around six common misgivings that prospective clients discuss with us during the sales process, based on their experiences with other software companies. Then, I’ll discuss what we do to mitigate that concern.
1. I don’t like dealing with support “chatbots”.
Ah the chatbot. They’ve certainly gotten better at answering very simple consumer questions over the years. In the software business, service level agreements for responses and resolutions have become more scrutinized than ever, so some have tried to deploy chatbots in complex B2B contexts. Yet, a PC Magazine study revealed that 63% of people would prefer to wait to speak to a human versus receiving an automated message. This shows that whatever technological solutions may be available, they don’t negate the need for human intervention. This is particularly true with complex technologies and toolsets.
At Partnerize, we assign every query to an individual who is responsible for completely and satisfactorily resolving your issue. Human support is important because each client has a unique business, follows different strategies and may employ specific tactics. Responses and solutions need to be tailored to account for individual needs. Furthermore, we offer a highly skilled and knowledgeable Client Services Team who can respond in the context of both the advertiser’s partner program and the wider partner marketing space.
2. I need answers now, not days from now.
As someone working in the APAC region, I know first-hand that support from companies in this region can be pretty slow. Often, companies rely on centralized teams in the US or Europe to provide all customer support to clients. If you are 12 hours behind the US, it can take a full day before a query is even acknowledged, let alone resolved. Moreover, due to time differences, even the most basic exchanges can take a long time.
Partnerize does things VERY differently. Firstly, we offer support in either the same or a similar time zone so that your queries are answered by a person who understands your needs and can liaise with you for rapid resolution. Secondly, one of the many benefits of working with a global technology provider for your partner program is a worldwide support infrastructure. At Partnerize, this means you have a 24 hour, always-on support service which aims to respond to all initial tickets within 60 minutes.
3. I don’t want to deal with people that don’t know me and my business.
Client Services is deeply involved in the operational aspect of numerous campaigns. Having the capability to speak to them directly and meet them regularly allows for a cohesive, personal relationship which can facilitate better outcomes in all future correspondence.
At Partnerize, team members are trained to learn about specific clients and then take ownership of tickets from that client. That doesn’t mean you will always work with the same Client Services person. You may start with an initial on-boarding manager from the Client Services Team when you first join, who will then ensure the rest of the team is aware of any bespoke setups and business rules, for ongoing support.
4. I want support from people who understand what our brand is trying to do.
It is easy to equate a support team with the stereotype of being isolated in a contact centre, with little to no knowledge of the wider business. And to be sure, in some companies, that’s how things work.
But for Partnerize, Client Services is fortunate to have an extremely holistic view of the entire business. Our team is involved across the entire lifecycle of our customers, from the initial sales stages through to implementation and ongoing support. We work closely with Sales, Integrations, Customer Success, Finance and Tech teams who all look after different aspects of your partner marketing campaigns.
5. Client Services is Only Useful When You Want To Solve A Problem
Client Services teams need to be true product experts, able to provide ideas and suggestions for how to meet needs rather than solely focusing on acute technological problems.
Partnerize ensures that our Client Services team is highly adept at troubleshooting issues. But this is only a portion of the value they add. Their practical knowledge of the product is at your disposal too. Whether it’s through platform training sessions, analysing and understanding data, or advice on improving efficiencies, there are multiple ways you can better utilize your Partnerize Client Services team.
6. Client Services Is There To Support Customers, Not Partners
In the partnerships industry, brands benefit when partners do well. But for some organizations, partner issues and challenges are often left to their own device. That is not the way to maximize results and revenue.
Partnerize Client Services recognises the importance of providing partners with the same level of service we give our advertisers. Advertisers can rest assured that partners are being looked after well, which not only reflects positively on the technology vendor, but also their brand as an extension. Training sessions are regularly scheduled with partners to help them effectively and efficiently leverage the plethora of advantages that the platform offers them specifically.
Ultimately, Client Services performs an ‘enabler’ function, focusing not only on what the technology can do, but how you can extract the most value from it. At Partnerize, we work hard so that clients and partners can extract more value from our tools and programs, The result is both a better experience with your technology platform and ultimately, stronger performance of your partnerships program.