Many companies that use distributors and manufacturing reps know it takes a lot of work to answer questions, send documentation, and manage partner requests.
Adding a Partner Portal will reduce the amount of time your sales and marketing teams must devote to answering questions and emailing files.
How? Let one of our clients explain:
Before we had a partner portal, we would have to email price lists, Technical Data Sheets, presentations, and other collateral to our key partners. This was a full-time job: Distributors would always ask for new content for their website, or help with images they could use, and we were always taking phone calls asking for specific pricing for each customer that would call them. Some would call and validate every single price for every product daily. Just by putting the price list on our partner portal, we reduced our call volume by 80%.
What is a Partner Portal or Extranet?
An extranet is a private network used to provide trusted third parties with controlled documents such as price lists, training materials, technical documents, and Product Data Sheets.
We Have an Intranet – Is that the Same Thing?
It is not the same. An intranet is used only for internal communication with company personnel. It serves as a centralized repository for resources such as forms and policies. An extranet is a platform that is also open to your company’s external stakeholders (the ones to which you grant access). It provides a streamlined method for these clients, suppliers, and partners to get the information they need.
Most companies have content they want to share with stakeholders, but not necessarily with the general public. An extranet provides the most convenient means to do so. This is also a controlled and secure environment, safe for sensitive documents.
Other Extranet Benefits
As noted in the above client quote, extranets can save time by allowing customers direct 24/7 access to information so they can resolve their queries. When communication is this easy and effective, it can improve client relationships, while also reducing your time and labor costs.
360Circuits provides extranet services that can improve your business operations and productivity.
Doug Dixon
Chief Marketing Officer
Doug Dixon specializes in consulting and implementing successful marketing programs that utilize the latest in marketing technology. As an electronics veteran, Dixon has worked in the industry for over 30 years for companies like Henkel, Universal Instruments, Camelot Systems and Raytheon. His industry experience includes a broad skill set that includes engineering, field service, applications, product managem