Transforming the partner experience through the new Avalara Partner Program

The new Avalara Partner Program reflects the fact that much has changed in the 20 years since Avalara was founded. We were a partner-first company then — as we are now — but our business, our partners, and the needs of our shared customers have all evolved. 

The sales tax landscape has seen seismic shifts in the past two decades, adding complexity and risk at every turn. Not coincidentally, a 2023 Avalara survey of decision-makers at small to medium-sized U.S. businesses found that 70% of respondents feel that the complexity of sales tax is one of their biggest challenges, and 88% are willing to use automation or AI to reduce the burden. That’s a massive opportunity, both for Avalara and for you.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all program, because every partner is different — and every partner defines “success” differently, too. That’s why we make it easy to engage with us in the ways that work best for you:

• Refer Avalara. You can earn financial incentives by using our referral process to connect customers with Avalara for industry-leading tax compliance tools and services. 
• Expand services. You can build out your professional services practice and become certified to implement Avalara solutions. You can also use Avalara tools to expand your business.
• Build integrations. You can develop certified integrations or embed Avalara solutions into your technology platforms.

The program has three tiers — Premier, Preferred, and Authorized — a structure that gives you the chance to earn more as you engage more. Even those who don’t fit into one of the tiers can refer opportunities and earn incentives as registered partners.

The Avalara Partner Portal is where everything comes together: This partner-only platform allows you to easily manage all your activity, get real-time data, and access vital tools to help you thrive. Want to see your tier status? Review incentive statements? Find marketing assets, such as sample emails, newsletter content, and other materials to help you sell Avalara? It’s all in the portal, along with tutorials and other content to enhance your knowledge. You can even create a personalized dashboard for quick visibility to what matters most.

Our partner program is designed to benefit a wide variety of businesses in three broad categories.

• Technology partners: As a technology provider, you strive to provide a seamless experience. But if customers have to leave your ecosystem to manage their sales tax, or they need to search for a solution on their own, you’re missing an opportunity. Avalara can help you keep your customers close — and you’ll earn rewards from us while earning loyalty from them.
• Consulting partners: If you’re a value-added reseller, ecommerce agency, or services partner and you don’t offer sales tax automation, your customers are going to look for it elsewhere. Avalara solutions do more than make tax compliance easier for users — they were designed to help businesses like yours better serve your clients.
• Accountants: Many accounting professionals find sales tax compliance to be challenging — even as clients look to you as their trusted advisor to help them navigate filing requirements. Whether you’re a small practitioner who wants to enhance your sales tax offerings or you’re part of a large firm seeking to embed our solutions into existing systems, Avalara makes life easier for both you and your clients.

In addition to providing you and your customers with industry-leading tax compliance solutions and expertise, the Avalara Partner Program delivers a wealth of benefits, including but not limited to the following:

• Competitive financial incentives, including compensation for new products sold to existing customers, product discounts, and more
• Extensive co-marketing resources as well as market development funds to help high-growth partners accelerate business
• Eligibility for lead-generation programs and enhanced lead scoring
• Annual business planning with quarterly check-ins
• Eligibility to participate in the Partner Advisory Board
• Listing on the Avalara partner website
• Certified technical resources

Note: Some benefits are tier dependent.

You’ll also have access to robust support benefits, including a new Partner Engagement Desk accessible within the Avalara Partner Portal. Here, our team can help with program-related questions, provide guidance on the lead-submission process, assist with commission statements, and connect you with experts for technical, product, or sales assistance. 

The new Avalara Partner Program provides rapid support: Premier partners can expect a one-hour expected response time and prioritization to the top of the implementation support queue; for Preferred and Authorized partners, the expected response time is four and eight hours, respectively.

We’ll be onboarding partners in waves and the first registration emails will be sent out this week. In the meantime, if you want more details about the program, check out the program guide, and if you missed our January 31 launch webinar with Avalara leaders, click below to watch it on demand!

[WATCH WEBINAR]

The Avalara Partner Program represents an investment in our relationship and a foundation for further growth together. While it will deliver a superior experience immediately, it also is the beginning of a multi-year journey, one that will see the program continue to evolve.

This is only the beginning, more enhancements will be coming so stay tuned. The future is bright.