Do’s & Don’ts while working with partners
We've seen people inadvertently share confidential information with partners. The privacy of all Zoho users is of utmost importance to Zoho, and all data protection laws are strictly followed by the company. We must exercise extreme caution when disclosing any information to our partners. In the recent past, we have seen a few scenarios where account information was shared with non associated partners. This may result in both integrity and monetary loss for Zoho.
Please always confirm the account association of partner's (in case of any confusion) with the Partner Team.
We've outlined a few ways we may support our partners and how to do it in the best way possible.
Support Perspective
Chat support
During a live chat, if the partner asks for account information, before sharing the information, the person responding must see if the user who started the discussion has the same domain as the one they are asking about. We have noticed several times in the past that without even determining whether the customer is tagged to the partner, we have exchanged information with them.
We should never divulge the account information to partners that isn't related to them. If there are any confusions, please inquire about the account and partner connection with the Partner Team.
Screen Sharing Sessions
Do not share your screen with the partners. Always ask the partner to share their screen if they are having issues as the partners may take screenshots while we are sharing our screens, resulting in a data breach.
Also, whenever we take a screenshot of a partner's screen, please obtain their permission first.
When the screen share session is finished, remember to exit the session and close the tabs.
Sharing Screenshots
Be careful not to share any screenshots that contain information about a partner-unaffiliated account, including account information, transaction information, or email addresses.
Phone call
Because we never know who is on the other end, phone calls are always riskier types of support. To be safe, get the account's legitimate email address and reply in general. Use the registered email address to send an email if they ask for any sensitive information. Always try to reach the same phone number that is listed in the email's signature.
Emails
If a partner requests information about an account, please check the domain. If the enquirer domain does not match the enquired domain, please check if the respective account is tagged to the partner. Only if the account is tagged should we proceed with the response.
Many of our employees have direct contact numbers on WhatsApp. We've seen partners ask for/share information on WhatsApp. We advise everyone not to share information via WhatsApp. Always have a formal conversation, and it is required to document your conversations via email. It will also help us keep track of our future conversations.
For Sales/Account/Business development
Please refrain from including the partner as a silent observer during the product demo session if the partner is not associated with the customer.
Please avoid sharing positive comments and video testimonials about a particular partner on the partner's social media handle or on the partner's website.
Do not accept gifts from partners or accept any monetary consideration from them.
Lead Sharing:
Make sure you distribute the leads to the partners based on partner's registered addresses and areas of expertise.
Only official emails should be used for lead sharing and PAMs should always be included in the email thread
Please don't discuss the confidential customer's information on WhatsApp, Cliq, or in verbal discussions.
Every discussion with the partners should incorporate PAM.
Never share just one partner with a customer; always share at least three options. Sometimes it's not possible to have at least 3 partners from the same location, so we can exchange partners from surrounding regions based on their experience.
Never share leads to affiliate partners because they are only referral partners and cannot offer consultation services.
If the client doesn't want to work with the partner after the lead has been provided with them via the lead sharing process, we should move their request to the Central IT Team (centralit@zohocorp.com), who will then remove the partner service from their account.
We should exercise caution when disclosing information to partners because of their positive working relationships with them. Avoid disclosing confidential information in casual settings.
Partner as an Admin
If the partner is requesting to add themselves to the customer's account as an admin, then we should deny the request from our side. Zoho will not change the admin of the account from the customer to the partner.
Product/Accounts Team - Please make sure not to change the super admin/admin of the account from the customer to the partner from your side. Kindly check the domain of the account if you are making any changes in the admin manually from your side.
If the partner still wishes to add themselves as an admin, then the customer will have to purchase a user license and provide them admin access. Zoho will not be in a position to change the admin to the partner. Any changes done in the account should be from the customer's consent.
There are several ways to see if the partner is associated with the customer's account:
Potential Module: We can check to see if the lead was shared with the partner. Even when a lead is shared with a partner, the account is not always tagged to them.
Subscription Module - we can see if the account is tagged to the partner
Payments Tool - we can see the partner tagged while upgrading the account. When the partner is tagged, the Reseller Price will be available.
Store - From the Customer Listing Tab
Please reach out to PAM for any confusions
Consider the following points:
Additionally, kindly remember to log off your computer each day after you are finished with your job.
Do not divulge your password or any other private information to anyone.
Avoid sharing customer's details over WhatsApp or any other medium.
If any partner asks for information that is irrelevant or could have an impact on our data privacy policy, please inform your manager or reach out to Partner Team.
Our partner team plays a crucial role in maintaining and nurturing our relationships with our partners. They are the primary point of contact and have a deep understanding of our partners' needs and goals. By routing all communications through the partner team, we ensure that our partners receive consistent, accurate, and professional information.
In addition, while managing sensitive information such as product roadmaps, customer details, and statistics, each team have to be extra cautious. It's essential that we protect this information and maintain its confidentiality. Sharing it with unauthorized individuals can cause damage to our partnerships and our company.
We encourage all team members, especially those who are not directly facing our partners, to follow this best practice. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to the partner team.
Thank you for your understanding and support in maintaining strong and professional partnerships.
Contact: Kevin@zohocorp.com