Telco revamps its partner scheme
Single system split into three levels for dealers, distributors and resellers in parallel channels
The UK arm of telco Orange is to split its old federated partner programme into three tiers and put new business to business connector targets in place to produce better user revenue and loyalty. It says the changes should bring in new business from non-traditional fixed line and IT reseller channels.
The company will organise accredited dealers and distributors as ‘principle partners’, ‘specialist partners’ and ‘approved partners’ from April, according to the business they deliver.
Principle partners will be required to put 90% of sales through Orange, and will work with it directly. Distributors Mainline and Midland will enter this tier.
Specialist partners will loosely comprise Orange’s 18 federated dealers, although certain of them committing wholly to the network will join as principle partners. Distributors connecting multiple networks will join this band. Approved partners will work through distribution. Orange will coordinate with distributors to pass stockists for approval.
The telco will segment third-parties across those categories vertically also, according to the sector in which they work – retail, web sales, local business, distance selling, non-traditional channels, among them. Orange said types of marketing support, materials and training will depend upon those sector requirements.
Levels of support, along with targets and commercial packages, will be worked according to partner status.
Orange says the programme will improve conversion rates and customer retention, and reward partners better for those things.
Guillaume Van Gaver, VP sales and loyalty Orange UK, commented: “We have momentum, and we need to sustain this if we are to achieve our ambition of becoming the leading network partner in the Indirect Business channel. That’s why we are giving a renewed focus to the channel, and launching a new and improved Partner Programme which will deliver long term value for us all so that we can achieve our goals together.”