SERVICES

You know you should have alliances, but why?  What is your expected revenue target and what are your non-revenue targets?  Should you have a few, key alliances, or as many alliances as you can?  There are many aspects to an Alliance or Ecosystem strategy and we can take you through the various options.  We do not believe there is a cookie cutter answer here; each company is different and what works for one company or industry is not right for others.  But knowing the components of a strategy, and what the pro and con arguments are for each aspect, is important.  Involvement/input of the senior executives is crucial for this effort: CEO, CFO, and leaders of Sales, Marketing, Operations, IT and likely others.  An Alliance and Ecosystem strategy document can be completed in approximately 8-12 weeks.

​

Alliance metrics are rarely direct.  Alliance revenue changes, volume of sales leads, and new client numbers are common metrics that are usually indirectly influenced by alliance activities.  There are other metrics that address specific activities or events, but these too, typically do not have a ”cause and effect” relationship with revenue.  Working with the COO, VP Sales, VP Marketing and CHRO we can determine the metrics that support company objectives within 2 – 4 weeks.  We can also revisit existing metrics and, with similar participants, make appropriate adjustments to the metrics so there is a stronger correlation to the desired outcomes.

One of the hardest data points to obtain is honest, direct feedback from the ecosystem.  Ecosystem members can be reluctant to plainly identify issues about personnel, perceived bias, exclusive opportunities, or special sales plays.  We can play a “counselor” role between ecosystem partners.  Each participate can provide unfiltered input without fear of reprisal, and major issues can be run down and resolved.  Our experience on both sides of similar conversations gives us credibility and options to resolve conflicts.  The Alliance management team and partner Alliance teams are needed for iterative conversations over a roughly 6 – 8 week period.  A SWOT analysis can be utilized to convey the results.

What should the Alliance organization look like?  Who should it report into?  What skill sets are crucial for success?  The organization structure, and quality of staff, should reflect the level of priority assigned by management.  You may choose to have one person manage multiple alliances, or have multiple people assigned to a single alliance.  You may want someone who really knows the business in key roles, or you may want people who have alliance management as their primary experience.  Based on experience with multiple organizations, we can help you through this effort with insights on what works, what causes friction, where synergies should exist, and what options you have to choose from.  Key players in this effort include the COO, VP Sales, VP Corporate Strategy, and CHRO.  An organization structure, 4-6 position descriptions, and key metrics can all be documented within approximately 4- 8 weeks.

​

The lack of a regular, meaningful review of Alliance operations is unfortunately common.  Given the dollar values that are often involved, this is surprising.  We recommend a minimum of an annual review that looks at revenue, activity levels, trends, macroeconomic factors, and other variables to determine the health of an alliance.  The Alliance management team should be responsible for this activity, working with other company operations staff.   We can develop a review process and framework of analysis in 4 – 6 weeks.  We can also work with Alliance management through a cycle of reviews as part of the review team.

For an organization early in their ecosystem development, we offer assistance with identifying, recruiting and interviewing Alliance and Ecosystem staff.  We can also provide an external review of existing staff effectiveness.  Depending on your requirements, this effort may not be full time for the consultants.  But working with Ecosystem management and HR we can expedite the process and help find highly qualified staff.

The process that you use to identify and create alliance partners should be a conscious one that aligns with your Alliance Strategy.  We have seen companies where seemingly anyone could sponsor an alliance with minimal oversight; unsurprisingly, there were many ineffective, redundant and conflicting alliances at these companies.  We can help you to develop an alliance formation process that is consistent with your corporate objectives while also meeting legal requirements.  Key players include VP Alliances, COO, and Corporate Counsel.  Due to the potential legal requirements at companies, the elapsed time might be significantly longer than the level of effort would suggest.  3 – 6 months are likely needed to finalize a process that is comprehensive and repeatable.

​

There are benefits to reporting on Ecosystem activities and results internally and externally.  External reporting within the ecosystem provides quantitative and qualitative information for each partner, and allowing them to track their progress against targets.  Internal reporting gives management the data necessary to assess target attainment and determine where to exploit unexpected opportunities.  A set of reports can be developed within about 4 weeks and requires involvement from Ecosystem leadership, Sales, IT and Finance.