“We must consider the complex inputs to get to the desired output.” This quote from our webinar guest Lisa Stifelman-Perry, Director, Global Partner Experience Operations at Splunk, A Cisco Company, sounds so simple and yet so many companies don’t properly plan ahead before selecting and implementing partner automation tools.
Lisa went on to say, “The approach to automation is critical to getting all the teams in the boat rowing in the same direction with a clear plan of action." We couldn’t agree more. We also love the list she provided of steps to ensure successful partner automation.
Understand the specific processes or tasks that need to be automated and the desired outcomes. Begin with the end in mind and work backward to your starting point.- Before automating a process, identify bottlenecks, unnecessary steps, or areas for improvement and streamline the process to maximize the benefits of automation. Don’t waste time automating bad or inefficient processes.
- Ensure that data quality is high and that systems are properly integrated to support automation. Inaccurate or incomplete data can undermine the effectiveness of automation and lead to errors or inefficiencies which partners can feel. This experience ultimately impacts partner adoption if the errors aren’t resolved quickly.
- Involve end-users in the automation process from the beginning to ensure that their needs are considered. Be sure to provide adequate training and support to users to facilitate the transition to automated systems and ensure adoption and acceptance.
- Thoroughly test and try to break it. Don’t go down the easy path when testing; really take the time and get in there trying to break things. Conduct both unit testing and end-to-end testing before deployment.
- Think about scale and flexibility to accommodate future growth and changes. Ensure that automated systems can adapt to evolving processes, technologies, and user needs over time.
- Prioritize security full stop. Bring your security teams in from the start, especially if you are implementing a new technology. You want to make sure the security is foolproof.
- Monitor the performance of the automation and address any issues promptly. Letting issues linger directly impacts partner adoption. Regularly review and update automation workflows to ensure they remain aligned with business objectives and requirements.
- Foster open communication and collaboration among stakeholders, including IT teams – they will be your friends. Bring in the business users and external partners or vendors if that applies. Ensure that everyone involved in the automation initiative understands their roles and responsibilities and is aligned with the overall objectives.
- Embrace a culture of continuous improvement and innovation to drive ongoing optimization and refinement. Solicit feedback from users and explore opportunities for further automation or process enhancement.
Our webinar with Lisa, hosted by our own Diane Krakora, is 45 minutes of interesting dialogue on the elements that most affect partner experience. Automation is just one piece of the puzzle. Take a listen, view the presentation deck, and read the “Tale of Prioritizing Partner Experience” which inspired the conversation.
Let us know what you think. Share the steps that have made you successful. If you’re struggling with your own partner automation, let’s talk. Whether it’s an assessment of your systems, recommendations for next steps, or hands-on implementation and management, we can help.
Amanda Hawkins is responsible for those marketing emails you get from PartnerPath and runs all the webinars from behind the scenes. What a treat to have the webinar panelist basically write a blog for you! I especially loved the quote, "Embrace a culture of continuous improvement and innovation." I hope you do too.
