The JTL partner programs are an integral part of our corporate identity. Under the motto “Achieving more together”, we now cooperate with over 300 partners who set up our software for customers or offer complementary technologies to our products. We see our powerful network as an “extended arm” to the customer. Friendly communication at eye level and the quality of the services we offer are therefore our top priority. New partners are onboarded according to criteria that ensure this high standard. In return, we offer our network numerous support services and benefits.
Are you also interested in a partnership with JTL? Who better to tell you about it than one of our two service partner managers? That’s why we spoke to Martin Rudloff about the requirements, the onboarding process and the benefits of our JTL partner programs:
Interview with Martin Rudloff, JTL Partner Manager
JTL: Hello Martin, thank you for your time! Good, let’s start at the beginning: What requirements do I have to fulfill to become a JTL service partner?
Martin: Hello, I’d love to. Right, let’s start with the basics: Interested parties for the JTL partner programs must have a registered business. It is important that this can be assigned to the core areas of consulting, integration, design or development. Then your agency should have the necessary manpower to implement several customer projects at the same time. This means that you should be a full-time partner.
JTL: Do prospective customers have to have previous experience with JTL products?
Martin: No, that’s not absolutely necessary. But it is certainly an advantage if you already know the product range or have already implemented one or two projects.
JTL: How does the application for the JTL partner programs work?
Martin: Application is the wrong word here, because all you need to do is contact us as an interested party. The best way to do this is to use the contact form on our website. After reviewing your details, we will have an initial meeting with you so that we can get to know each other better.
JTL: Can you give us an insight into how such an initial meeting works? What questions do you ask prospective customers?
Martin: In the initial meeting, the focus is on getting to know each other, not working through a list of questions. In addition to the important personal impression, it is also crucial for us how your agency presents itself. To do this, we take a look at the agency’s website together with the interested parties, for example: Does it already exist or is it currently under construction? What information can visitors find there? This allows us to give specific tips on how you can improve your public image and present yourself as a JTL service partner in the best possible way.
JTL: So you put personal contact at the beginning of the partnership?
Martin: Exactly. Because it is extremely important to ensure a high standard of quality in our network. The close exchange at the beginning also creates a basis of trust, which is crucial for a successful partnership.
JTL: What happens after the initial meeting?
Martin: After a successful initial meeting and a further review of your business, we will conclude a service partner agreement with you. This sets out the basics of the partnership, including all rights and obligations, so that both sides are as secure as possible.
JTL: Our claim is that our customers are supported by qualified agencies at all times. How do you ensure this in the JTL partner programs?
Martin: Before a new agency is included in our service partner search, an employee must demonstrate their knowledge of JTL, our products and the partner program in general. In this way, we ensure that customers receive comprehensive and factually correct advice and support at all times.
JTL: Do you bidder help to acquire this knowledge?
Martin: Sure! We support our partners in a variety of ways: Our JTL-Guide is a good first port of call for getting to know JTL’s products. Our numerous YouTube videos also provide compact knowledge about the JTL product cosmos. If you have specific questions, you can have them answered in the JTL forum by our very agile and helpful community. For “newcomers”, we also recommend our Udemy course, which teaches the basics of eCommerce. Our special training courses also help new partners who want to become active in the services sector to build up their knowledge.
JTL: Are there any special benefits that you use to reward partners for their particularly extensive knowledge?
Martin: Yes, with our certification program you can “convert” your acquired knowledge into certificates, which you can then use for your marketing, for example. But your certificates also have a positive effect on your findability in the service partner search.
JTL: What other advantages does the JTL service partnership offer cooperating agencies?
Martin: The service partners receive visibility via our channels and thus generate reach for their business. You can use both our customer center and the aforementioned service partner search to present the various services and focus areas of your work on your profile page.
Our service partners are also ahead of the game when it comes to information about JTL: we regularly provide them with insights into our development via special newsletters. And they also receive exclusive invitations to our event formats – such as JTL-Connect, the JTL-Partner Convention or the JTL regulars’ tables.
Another interesting feature is access to a special expert hotline for the area in which you are certified as a partner. Last but not least, we offer an attractive sales model, which we will provide you with more information about in our initial meeting.
JTL: Martin, thank you for the interview!
Would you also like to become part of JTL’s successful and well-connected partner landscape? Then get in touch with Martin and his colleagues right away and become a JTL service partner! We look forward to hearing from you.
