The final type of solution left to be discussed in the Telecom Channel Portals 2.0 series of posts is the commission automation app. This type of application, like the marketing portal and order entry portal, saves telecommunications organizations a significant amount of time and money.
Commission and bill processing, however, is an enormously difficult task for telecommunication organizations. It also provides an opportunity for these organizations to differentiate themselves in a very competitive market. On the business agility blog, we’ve talked about automating manual processes before, but here we have an application with the potential to increase the bottom line for literally every stakeholder involved.
A Respectable ROI
Online portals can be automated and customized for recurring commission structures based on the type of partner and product/services being sold. Commission management and execution is a key business driver in the industry, so optimizing the partner sales channel should be a top priority for most telecom organizations. As more providers jump-start technology initiatives in channel management, these online services will inevitably become the norm.
Resellers are more likely to work with organizations that keep them informed about commission. After spending valuable resources winning business, being able to log into an application to check financial position, time-line of payment, and other stats is a real game changer. Resellers are also more likely to continue business with a provider that values transparency, which fosters trust in the relationship.
Channel Manager Approved
Having spoken with channel managers who have seen the before and after effects of implementing this type of application, its results are readily verified. While the Mendix platform is primarily responsible for achieving new levels of business agility, the immediate business value in automating commission is definitely there. The difference is that Mendix allows development teams to be more flexible than off-the-shelf apps, and much faster than custom development – which amplifies your return.
The moral of this story is that online portals can go much further than displaying and collecting information. By including logic into an application, the functionality and time saving capabilities become nearly endless. All too often, we see gigantic excel spreadsheets used for finance-based processes such as tracking commission payments. By automating this process, time is saved, errors are avoided, and transparency is increased.
This concludes the final post in the Telecom Channel Portals 2.0 series. For more information about how telecommunications companies can increase their business agility, check out our Telecom Factsheet.
