there are some programs that have very responsive reps, but the reps can’t actually do anything - all they can do is set things in motion. if you need a login or something changed in your account they have to email tech support and if you need decisions made, they need to email someone else. so while they do their best - and sometimes that’s very good - to get back to you right away and keep you informed, it may take days for you to actually get what you need.
Re: reps who have to go through channels for everything
Yes. More times than I care to remember.
I guess I have been lucky as the my last two employees have pretty much allowed me to make my own decisions.
But, you know, sometimes it may be the affiliate reps fault that they don’t make a decision. When I was a district manager, I always told my GMs that the only wrong decision you can make is to not make a decision; yet they still were scared shitless to make a decision, and many times never made them unless they got “approval”.
If an affiliate needs something and it seems reasonable, they should get a decision right then and there. If they have to wait then the program may just lose the affiliate’s interest. Time is money.
Re: reps who have to go through channels for everything
That is just crazy. It’s a total waste of a good affiliate rep.
This is something that I feel very strongly about as it really affects the bottom line of the program. Why do they waste their time making a decision if they can’t implement it?
Re: reps who have to go through channels for everything
I never understood why anyone had to email the tech department to get a password for an affiliate. Sheez … I can do it within two minutes while I’m talking to the affiliate. Something like that shouldn’t take two or three days.
But I guess we need to understand that some site owners are control freaks. They have to have their finger in every aspect of the company or site.
I think more reps should live by this old addage: “It’s better to ask for forgiveness than for permission.”
I mean, if you give Gay Demon a password and they end up doing a review that sells a membership every day, is your boss going to be pissed off?
Re: reps who have to go through channels for everything
Again, we’re back to people thinking that affiliate support is a part time job that can be done by a college student between keggers.
Yes… there are times when even I have to refer to the big guy, but a properly-run program should allow the affiliate manager to make executive decisions, give out passwords, answer questions about payments, generate proper link codes, get video clips and images… make banners themselves.
I mean, we’re in an industry with a lot of competition. Affiliates aren’t going to bother with a program that doesn’t address their needs.