2013-02-28 17:32:35 - Channelplace releases a new partner finder module as part of its partner relationship management platform. The new functionality enables vendors to integrate a partner finder with search parameters in their website, which is fed directly from the partner directory. The module is designed to be easily cus-tomizable and the partner portal integration enables vendors to easily track all projects arising from contact requests through the partner finder.

Landau/Germany, February 28, 2013 - Vendors with a strong partner orientation have an interest to bring together potential customers with qualified partners and they usually list all partners on their website for this purpose. These partner pages range from simple lists to interactive maps. "The partner information is generally updated manually, which often leads to outdated information” explains Diana Ricken, Channelplace Sales Director. “Added value can be provided by making it easy for prospects to find the partner with the best fit - be it by proximity, experiences with their IT structures or systems, or as a result of their focus on a specific industry or company size."

“Our customers named "best search results" and "correct up-to-date information" as the most

important criteria of a partner finder functionality”, Jörg Rosenthal, Channelplace product manager explains, "Vendors differ widely in their range of partners, in the type of customers they are targeting and in their sales processes. Therefore we designed our partner finder to be very flexible with regard to content and presentation, and made sure that contact requests can be integrated with existing workflows."

Reduce data maintenance effort
The Channelplace Partner Finder can be integrated into the company website, but the partner information displayed (such as contact information, logo, business profile, qualification etc.) is pulled directly from the partner portal. The partner finder thus avoids a duplication of data maintenance efforts while completeness and timeliness of the data is ensured. Using the flexible Channelplace role system, vendors can allow partners to maintain their own data that is to be displayed in the partner finder or have the partner managers take on this responsibility. For information maintained by the partner, prior activation by the vendor may be configured.

Flexible search criteria and attributes
As a standard set of partner information will fall short of most vendors’ requirements, Channelplace enables you to define your own attributes for the Partner Finder. Attributes can be created in an easy to use user interface applying various data types (from text to multi select dropdown) and evaluated using a standard set of reports. The partner information that is displayed in the Partner Finder on the website can be freely arranged and completely adapted to the website design (CSS).

Workflow integration
When a potential customer initiates a contact request through the partner finder, a pro-ject is automatically created in the partner portal and mapped to the selected partner. Both, partner as well as vendor will be notified and all related activities can be tracked in the portal. If the partner portal is integrated with a CRM solution, the project information can be synchronized between both systems.

"The new Partner Finder not only sets standards with regard to flexibility, but also meets the vendors’ desire to trace revenue generated by contact requests." Diana Ricken summarizes the benefits of the new Channelplace Partner Finder.

About Channelplace
Channelplace is a partner collaboration management (PCM) platform including complete partner relationship management (PRM) portal functionality. Designed for IT & High Tech vendors leveraging wide reach, multi-tier sales channels, our innovative cloud based solution covers the entire life cycle of successful channel relationships - from partner on-boarding to loyalty incentives. Our technology integrates with leading CRMs like salesforce.com and any web CMS. Channelplace is a business unit of wiora Software GmbH. For more information seewww.channelplace.net