Channel Incentive Programs Feature List

INCENTIVE PROGRAM DESIGN & OPERATION
Entomo's Channel Incentive solutions are offered in a variety of formats including turnkey outsourced services, in-house programs, and combinations thereof.

During the program design phase Entomo provides its customers with the expertise, marketplace research, resources and tools needed to design and implement effective channel incentive programs based on in depth customer/market segmentation, channel characteristics, channel pricing/discount requirements, partner tiering, new product/market assessments and brand/channel integration among other factors. Our approach is based on the market - actual customer, channel and competitive practices.

While tapping the leading edge of business and channel theory, our recommendations succeed only by passing the test of practical, real-world deployment in the program implementation and operation phase. During this phase Entomo implements and optionally administers and operates the program for its customers on an outsourced basis.

For example the channel claims process can be completely outsourced to Entomo. Channel partners submit claims directly to Entomo. Entomo researches the claims based on the program rules as well as channel data. Valid claims are reviewed and approved at Entomo then sent electronically to the customers system for further review (if required), approval and payment.

At the same time Entomo staff assigned to the customer's channel management team are available 24x7 to answer questions channel partners have about the status of their claims or the rules of the program.

PRICE PROTECTION
Entomo's channel incentive management solutions allow its customers to store and manage their price-protection commitments to the channel from a single system. Before revising published pricing.customers can perform “what-if” analyses to predict which distributors and inventories are eligible for credits. They can analyze in advance the impact - amount of credit to issue - of price changes on channel inventory and backlog. Once the price-protection program is implemented, Entomo automates the calculation or price protection payments due and then proactively initiates them when required on a price decrease. The system also includes support for retroactive price protection adjustments based on inventory levels for past dates.

SPECIAL PRICING REQUEST & DISTRIBUTOR PRICE AUTHORIZATION
The SmartHub system automates the process for authorizing and validating special pricing requested by distributors via the Distributor Price Authorization (DPA) process.

SHIP-AND-DEBIT (SFSD)
Entomo's solutions eliminate manual process and spreadsheet based systems traditionally used to handle Ship-and-Debit claims including validation of the claim against the original authorization and POS/inventory data, accepting/rejecting claims and sending responses to partners.

CO-OP MARKETING AND MARKETING DEVELOPMENT FUNDS
Entomo's solution integrates with existing CRM, financial and other business systems to extend them for end-to-end management of Coop and Market Development Funds (MDF) including planning, budgeting, spending and claims.

The offering automates the analysis, approval, tracking and management of Coop and MDF programs online including claims and marketing plans. It tracks how much was spent on a specific campaign by creating a campaign specific budget account and allocating funds to it. It tracks both MDF budgetary allocations as well as the amount spent per partner ensuring that no retail or distribution partner receives more than their appropriate MDF allocation.

When partners apply for funds for a particular campaign, the SmartHub system will track the amount requested, what it was requested for (such as displays, local advertising), how much was authorized, how much was paid, and the budgetary funds available.

Once MDF allocations and campaigns are set up, integration with Entomo's channel data collection system allows customers to measure the sales associated with the use of those marketing funds. This allows customers to allocate marketing funds based on actual return and sales growth while still accounting for gross sales, reseller market share, and margin.

The system includes detailed reporting including partner utilization, spending, ROI and outstanding liabilities. Built-in financial management capabilities including the ability to load, view and manage budgets/accruals. Once deployed the system eliminates spreadsheets and manual processes and replaces them automation and business processes based on industry best practices that reduces cost, and eliminates payment errors and over payments

REBATES & SPIFF
Entomo's solution offers front-end management of rebate and SPIFF programs via SmartHub's funds management system. Capabilities include the online submission and tracking of pre-qualification requests and associated claims. Integrated reporting provides a detailed view of expenditures and liabilities as well as redemption and payment status. Integration with existing financial systems enables the automated processing of payments via checks, credit memos or wire transfers.