Viv Galligan, Head of Partnerships
“There has to be a purpose to a partnership. There has to be a win for all parties. And there has to be a commitment of resources from all sides.”
When we analyse how we deliver commerce, the customer is the most critical aspect. Who is the customer? What problem are you trying to solve for them? And what experience do you want them to have?
It’s customer first, and if the partnership is built around this a common plan emerges more easily.
And when we think like this, collaboration becomes key.
Using partnerships to scale your business is not a new concept but its benefits can be forgotten in an ultracompetitive world. Long term objectives for all participants should be transparent.
So why would you consider a new partnership? Is it to access new markets, and new customers? Will we be able to deliver new functionalities, and more scales? Understanding these fundamentals is where it starts.
Ultimately, there has to be a purpose to a partnership. There has to be a win for all parties. And there has to be a commitment of resources from all sides.
What will be the result of this collaboration? Will capabilities be enhanced? You need to ensure your business gets a better product or better customer experience from the partnership, which is attractive but simple.
There also needs to be a clear timeframe around how the partnership is formed, and it needs to be executed and committed to. Theory and talk abound our workplaces - do it or move on.
Understand each other’s mutual strengths. And keep asking those customer-focused questions: who is the customer, and what problem is being solved for them? Partnership parties should not be competitive where duplication of functions exist. Agree who provides the best way for the customer to be recruited and serviced.
Think about how will you measure performance? How will you know if the partnership is succeeding? Success is generating new customers and keeping them serviced well. Revenue will increase if the model is simple and the proposition makes sense.
Understanding the key ingredients to partnership success is vital to us as a business, and to businesses we are already fortunate to have partnered with.
We have a long-established partnership culture in Elavon and have a team committed to partnership growth for Independent Software Vendors (ISVs), Independent Sales Organisations (ISOs) and eCommerce organisations. We provide solution for our resellers so they can stand out in the marketplace, and deliver frictionless, connected solutions for their customers.
To read more about how Elavon can partner with your business, see our Partners page.
