PRM Lifecycle
The rough potential scope of PRM looking at it as a subset of B2B Customer
Relationship Management, and like CRM to do with relationship lifecycles, only in this
case partners not customers is given below.
The five main ‗buckets‘ of activity revolve around:
• Partner Strategy – selection and recruitment – not just channels but also alliances. This
is becoming increasingly important for Telco companies trying to reach and develop 3G
and Broadband markets, where their traditional skills and capabilities require significant
broadening. This has also applied for some time to IT hardware manufacturers, which
through alliances with software companies and relevant channels can make
themselves relevant to specific market segments through these associations.
• Training, certification & informing – getting partners up to speed and up to standards
that are in keeping with the brand promise.
• Collaboration – in advance of and throughout the whole sales cycle
• Logistics and administrative support – presales/post-sales
• Performance Management –the discipline of managing important relationships with
strategically important partners – both channel and alliance partners. Whilst these
aspects are not always truly sequential, they do give a view of the main aspects of
partner network interactions. This is why at the centre of the relationship lifecycle I have
placed a sphere: - Partner Network Development. The idea being that PRM should not be
solely about automating or e-enabling current partner relationships,(indeed, I would
argue that
this view is a major danger sign), but should be very deliberate and focused attempt to
generate competitive advantage through the development of an effective and
relevant partner network – alliances as well as channels.
