The Client has a long-standing relationship with a global marketing service provider in the implementation of several marketing programs promoting channel readiness in achieving sales targets.
The Problem
The Client is a global leader in information technology which was formed more than 100 years ago. It pioneered technology solutions that help address various business challenges in several industries. The success and growth of the Client are anchored on the effectiveness of its large and diverse channel infrastructure including Resellers and Business Partners.
The Solution
The Challenge
In 1997, the Client’s global marketing provider was looking for a partner to support the administration of its channel incentive program for the Asia Pacific region covering Greater China, India, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, and ASEAN countries. Factors such as strategic location and cost arbitrage were considered as major criteria in the selection process.
Some of the challenges in the course of the engagement were managing customers with mixed cultural background and understanding country specific policies and implementation guidelines which required several deviations from the general policies set by the Client.
We Made
A unique requirement of the engagement is the hiring of multilingual which took several months to process. Prople employed video conferencing and web-based training with the Client and its global provider to ensure that program guidelines, terms, and conditions are understood and implemented accordingly. This includes the use of different marketing delivery tools necessary to support implementation of the programs.
To facilitate a more efficient way to deliver the service, Prople design an in-house tracking tool that monitors the status of claims, turnaround times, and information relating to Business Partner performance.
Prople’s performance is measured based on agreed KPIs with the Client, These KPIs comprised of turnaround time and completeness of documentation for all transactions processed which is a prerequisite during on-site and off-site audit checks performed by the Client from time to time. Regular monitoring and management reports are submitted to the Client to evaluate the effectiveness of the channel marketing programs and serve as a basis for strategic decision making.
The Transformation
Prople’s engagement expanded to a total of 17 channels incentive programs across 16 countries in the Asia Pacific region in 13 years with the project team growing to a number of 25. This growth can be attributed to the team’s effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of a globalized channel program on a regional scale. The principle of adopting best practices and continuous process improvement is evident in the way Prople managed the engagement over the years, resulting in consistently meeting the Client’s standards and expectations.
