Client Background
Client Overview
- Name: Undisclosed
- What you need to know about them: A booking platform marketplace with an affiliate program to drive additional bookings.
Initial Challenges
Challenges
- The client had an affiliate program where commissions were approved only after a booking was completed and the platform received its commission.
- The process for verifying and approving these commissions was manual, requiring an employee to spend 1-2 days each time, so they only did it once per month. This led to delays and outdated information for affiliates regarding their commission status.
Impact on Business
- The manual process was time-consuming and inefficient, causing delays in commission payments and a lack of real-time updates for affiliates, potentially affecting affiliate satisfaction and engagement.
Objectives
Goals
- Automate the process of verifying and approving affiliate commissions to increase efficiency and reduce manual workload.
- Provide affiliates with more timely and accurate information about their commission status.
- Ensure the process is reliable and accurate, maintaining trust with affiliates.
Solution
Approach
- Automation Implementation: Developed an automated system that mimics the manual process of verifying affiliate commissions. The system used browser automations to extract all pending commissions from the external tracking affiliate tool, including handling pagination.
- Verification Process: The system then checked each booking’s status on the client’s internal admin system to confirm if the booking was completed and the commission was cleared for payment.
- Frequency: This automated process was scheduled to run every night, ensuring up-to-date commission information.
Ensuring Quality
- The automation was thoroughly tested to ensure accuracy in data extraction and status verification. The system was also monitored regularly to catch and correct any discrepancies promptly.
Implementation
Timeline
- Total Duration: 1 month, including development, testing, and deployment.
Project Phases
- Development: Set up browser automation for data extraction and booking verification.
- Testing: Thoroughly tested the system to ensure accurate data processing and error handling.
- Deployment: Implemented the automated process with daily runs to keep commission statuses updated.
Client Collaboration
- The client provided access to their systems and detailed requirements, ensuring the automation met their needs and maintained data integrity.
Results
Quantitative Metrics
- Time Savings: Eliminated the need for manual review, saving 1-2 days of work per month.
- Timeliness: Provided affiliates with daily updates on their commission status, significantly improving the timeliness and transparency of the process.
Additional Insights
- Improved Affiliate Relations: The faster and more reliable commission updates helped enhance trust and satisfaction among affiliates.
- Scalability: The automated system is scalable and can handle increasing volumes of bookings and affiliates without additional manual effort.
Testimonial
Client Feedback
- “The automation solution has drastically improved our efficiency in handling affiliate commissions. Our affiliates are happier with commissions updated daily, and we’ve freed up significant resources for other strategic initiatives.”
Key Takeaways
Summary of Success
- Successfully automated the affiliate commission verification and approval process, saving significant time and resources.
- Provided affiliates with real-time updates, enhancing transparency and trust.
- Enabled the client to scale their affiliate program without additional manual workload, supporting business growth and efficiency.