Large amounts of funds are earmarked each year to incent a client's distribution channel partners to promote the client's products. To qualify to receive those funds, the partner typically must meet certain criteria and goals, as well as submit appropriate documentation. A large number of partners and ever-changing roster of dynamic incentive programs with various requirements required a large amount of client resources to manage. The size of the payments involved were considerable and great care needed to ensure all program criteria were met before funds were released.

Create an automated workflow to manage the allocation of marketing funds to client channel partners, reducing manhours while maintaining accuracy. The requirements to be met by each partner varied according to each incentive program and the documentation required for verification was itself dynamic. The workflow required the establishment of an audit trail and the addition of a level of accountability to the client's business process to ensure all funds were accounted for and released properly.

ADC consultants were engaged to review existing processes and develop a solution to manage the client's marketing programs and ensure proper distribution of funds. The resulting application established and enforced a new workflow for each marketing program, provided an audit trail for funds dispersed and established metrics related to the program's effectiveness.

The amount of time and resources required to manage operations of the marketing fund programs was dramatically reduced. The effectiveness of the system also served to improve the relationship between the client and its distribution partners. The centralized reporting available at the conclusion of the project provided additional value for use in reviewing the effectiveness of both completed and on-going marketing programs.