Partners Program was first established in 1995 as an indirect sales channel designed to compliment the existing direct sales channel. Since then, Partners has grown from a staff of two, to a dedicated team of fifteen staff and over 40 partners nationally.
Partners Program is all about building relationships and business partnerships. The aim of Partners Program is to strengthen relationships with key agents, working closely to service the customer and increase Primus' market share through dynamic marketing plans, innovative telecommunications products, competitive pricing, and a commitment to both the agent and the company.
The strength of the program is the amalgamation of two skill-sets, whereby Primus and our agents work together to create a strategic alliance that markets to, and services a wide range of clients.
An integral part of the Primus / Agent partnership is that each party leverages off the relative strengths of its partner in order to provide our customer with a better seamless overall solution.
We view our agents as a source of competitive advantage over our rivals and vital to our future success. With this in mind, acceptance into Partners Program is restricted to those companies who have industry experience, professionalism and the genuine ability to generate real and substantial business.
Why Partners Program and the Agent?
Agents are in a position to enhance, complement and add value to our products through complimentary third party products and services that we as a carrier cannot provide, i.e. independent broking, facilities maintenance, paging solutions etc. The agent's knowledge of these value-added products and of their own markets produce a unique win / win environment. An agent's perceived carrier independence will often win business that we as a carrier never will.
Agents take a number of forms and present themselves to the customer in a number of different ways, such as:
- Accredited Primus Agents
- Independent Telecommunications Consultants / Brokers
- Independent Utilities Consultants / Brokers
- Mobile Phone retailers
- Hardware suppliers and maintainers
Agents have proven themselves successful in winning strategic business by utilising their own contacts and business networks. Some of Primus' largest accounts have been won using the agent's channel. The agent's channel has consistently been responsible for generating more than 50% of the company's total monthly revenue.
Partners Program is also viewed as two-way connections with the customer. Agents don't just provide ways to get our products and services to market, they are also the way to listen to our customers and learn more about them. At the end of the day, the channel is another way to develop and sustain ongoing relationships with our customers.
Partners Program Benefits
Since its inception, the Partners Program has proven to be not only a viable sales channel, but has been extremely successful in generating substantial revenue and securing major accounts for the company.
The Partners Program needs to work for three distinct entities: Primus, the agent, and the customer. Without focusing on the needs and expectations of our customers and agents, the channel will never deliver the value Primus needs from them.
For our Customer
- A complete solution through collaborative supply of complimentary products and services.
- A single point of contact and often a one stop shop for communications and information technology products, services and advice.
- Local account management is provided by the agent with Primus account management backing and support.
- Primus and the agent act as a team and not in conflict.
- Enhanced local presence, particularly in regional Australia.
For the Agent
- The association with the brand strength and market position of Primus gives credibility and confidence to the agent
- Access to a wide range of complementary set of skills and resources providing the potential to deliver a better overall customer solution
- Access to the entire range of Primus' world class communications products
- Increase the potential for sales from sharing sales leads
- Increased likelihood of sales success through working co-operatively in a strategic partner relationship
For Primus
- Local presence in Regional and outer metro areas
- Increased account management contact with customer
- Greater protection of the client
- Total solutions and value added services provided by the agent
- Ability of agents to win business that we as a carrier would not due to perceived carrier independence
- Relatively low cost of customer acquisition
- Agents win-back ability due to established relationship
- Opportunity for reduced implementation costs through smoother delivery and improved delivery time
Who is the Customer?
We need to recognise that in Partners Program we have not one, but two customers to satisfy. To ensure the longevity of this channel and Partners Program as a whole, we also need to provide quality service and value to the agent.
Just as customers make choices as to who they will buy from, so too do agents choose who they partner with. Agents want to deal with a carrier that has their interests at heart. A carrier that not only has competitive quality products, but one that is easy to do business with and has an understanding of their business. We must get beyond the culture of simply paying commission for business brought to us.
It is at this time we need ask - exactly what business are we in?
Partners Program is in the business of "Strategic Business Partnerships". We are a resource to the agents business and the interface to Primus Telecom. Primus' world class telecommunications products provide the vehicle that enables us to do that. The better the agents business does, the better our business does. It is not difficult to see that being pro-active (not re-active) in assisting our agents business to grow, directly affects our bottom line as much as it does theirs.
By better preparing our agents for business, developing close working relationships and carrier loyalty, we secure our agents for long term partnerships, protecting the investment of time, money and other resources.
Partners Program is extremely committed to both Primus and the Agent to grow and further develop a solid, dynamic, profitable and mutually beneficial sales channel. One that will not only aggressively compete in today's marketplace, but will have the foundations and stability to produce long term results for all.