SaaS success is not just about the tech.
The availability of high quality supporting services can make or break the relationship between a SaaS company and their end customers. This is because getting the best results from any piece of technology requires using it in conjunction with high quality, specialized services.
Of course, while you might have a brilliant customer support team fielding tech support requests, you can’t possibly provide your customers with all the services and support they need to really see your software shine. Here’s where your SaaS partner program comes in.
Having a network of accredited service providers at hand to service your customers plays a key role in SaaS customer retention.
It makes sense, then, to ensure that your customers are able to access your partners – and their services – in the quickest, easiest way possible. The question is, how? The answer can be as simple as investing in the right technology.
Use a destination marketplace to commercialize your partners’ offerings and showcase the depth of your partner ecosystem.
Not only does a commerce-enabled partner directory make it easy for customers to find and transact with your partners, it also enhances the overall customer experience by managing all client interactions in a centralized portal. This makes for a smooth, seamless, and cohesive customer experience.
You might be wondering how a private, commerce-enabled partner directory differs to an open, public marketplace. Here are five key differences between a public marketplace and a private partner directory:
1. A private marketplace only includes trusted, accredited partners.
One of the most obvious benefits of a closed, private partner directory is that it only contains accredited service providers who are part of your SaaS partner program. As such, these providers will be best equipped to support customers in using your tool specifically.
A public marketplace, on the other hand, contains a wide array of professional service providers and freelancers providing services for a wide array of SaaS tools.
2. Quality can be guaranteed in a private marketplace.
End customers can have complete confidence in any and all of the partners and services listed in a private directory. As mentioned in the point above, because accredited partners benefit from the training and expertise they gain from your SaaS partner program, high quality service can be guaranteed.
In an open, public marketplace, however, the same level of quality cannot be guaranteed.
3. Customers can easily compare services and prices in a private marketplace.
Navigating a private commerce-enabled partner directory makes it incredibly easy for customers to compare services and prices in the context of specific tools and features within your product, making it easier to find the right provider and service package for them.
While comparing prices and packages in an open, public marketplace is possible, it requires much more footwork on the part of the customer.
4. A private, commerce-enabled partner directory gives you more control over the overall customer experience.
In a public marketplace, you have no control over the customer experience provided by service providers. Given how important supporting services are for customer retention, this can be a problem. With a private partner directory, however, you’re able to track the customer experience by monitoring the sales process, delivery of services, payment process, and client feedback for each customer journey.
5. You’re able to jump in with expert assistance when required.
Ordinarily, you wouldn’t know if your end customer was experiencing problems with any given service provider. With a private, commerce-enabled partner directory, however, you’re able to track the end customer’s experience with your accredited partners. More to the point, because you have a strong working relationship with your partners, you’re also able to assist them with any problems that may crop up.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our commerce-enabled partner directory, continue reading about our product here and click through this demo site. Or, schedule a virtual chat over coffee with us.
