All You Should Know About the WooCommerce Agency Partner Program

Bob: Hey, BobWP here and I’m joined by Marcus. Marcus, how are you doing today?

Marcus: I am doing excellent, Bob?

Bob: Surviving WordCampUS?

Marcus: Yeah, we’re still recovering a little bit, but I think I’m getting there. It was a fun time, but good to be back. Good to be here doing these podcasts. We have a special guest today with us, as always, from WooCommerce slash Automattic. Today we have Mary Voelker joining us. How you doing today, Mary?

Mary: Hello. Thanks for having me. How are you guys?

Marcus: Really good. I think I did this show one time, a long time ago with Bob, and I was the guest. And today I get the privilege of co-hosting with Bob and putting Mary in the hot seat.

Mary: Nice. We’re both new at this, so it should go well.

Bob: Yeah, I often hide and no one hears my voice, except for intermittently throughout the show. So anyway, excited. We’re going to be talking a lot about the Agency program that WooCommerce has, but before, tell us just a little bit about what you do at Woo and give us a quick, in a nutshell, what your average day looks like? Or you probably don’t actually have an average day? It probably changes from day to day, but give us some idea what goes on.

Mary: I’m the Agency Program Manager at WooCommerce. So I started a little over a year ago and I manage the WooExpert program. So I’m located in Nashville, Tennessee. So really my day to day, is managing the experience of our agencies in the program. So making sure that they have the tooling that they need to be successful, and if they have any requests for enablement, making sure that we are getting those requests to the team, the resources that they need, all that stuff. So a lot of fire drills happen quite frequently, but it’s fun. So that’s kind of what I do, day to day.

The start of the Agency Partner program, where it was and where it is

Bob: The Agency program, I know a lot of people have talked about it. A lot of people have wanted to get into it and be part of it. And why don’t you start with where it was at? And then we’ll kind of go from there.

Mary: So the WooExpert program was launched in 2015. And at the time, the program was really invite-only. It was paid membership. And agencies were chosen based on their relationship with Woo and their proven ability to provide consistent high quality service to our merchants. But then in 2022, the program was paused and no new agencies were accepted, but then we relaunched the program in May 2022. And we have about 75 agencies in the program already. So although we’ve been around for a few years, we really are a new program, but the growth and the passion the agencies are exhibiting for the program in WooCommerce and open source so far, is really exciting. So that’s kind of the gist of the program history. I’m happy to go into what makes it different from our old program a bit.

Marcus: Yeah. Why don’t you tell us a little bit about the differences coming from the old program to the new program? I know that this is very similar to maybe the way that the training team and stuff was around, but then had to relaunch as well. So why don’t you tell us a little bit about what the new program looks like?

Mary: Sure. So there are a few things that make the program different from the old program. So first, we removed the entry fee that was required to join. So it’s free to join now and we reinstated our tiers. First, silver, gold, platinum agencies receive a listing in the WooExpert Marketplace. So merchants will use this marketplace to find an agency partner. So it really helps us align these agencies with eCommerce and tells our merchants that these are agencies that they can trust. Additionally, silver, gold and platinum agencies receive access to our WooCommerce Marketplace, to download plugins for free, for testing. So this has been something that has been really helpful to a lot of our agencies and something that they’ve been really excited about. So we’re happy to offer this as a benefit.

Next benefit that is new to the program, is the support of our partner managers, as I mentioned, account executives and customer success team. So if an agency has a lead and they need a little extra support from the Woo team to close a deal, our sales team is really standing by, ready to work with agencies and clients directly, or with agencies on their own, to figure out what we can do to help the agency win the business. And when agencies refer a lead to WooCommerce and work with our sales team, they can receive discounts on extensions and even WooCommerce payments transaction fees. So this is something that’s really available to every tier, verified through platinum. Our team is available to help them.

Another benefit that we offer, is priority support access. So all new business and existing customers referred by WooExperts are eligible for customer success support, if the customer’s GMV is $250,000 or greater. And gold and platinum agencies actually receive priority support with our WooCommerce Happiness Team via chat and email, if they need assistance. And then a last benefit that I’m really excited about, that we are excited to offer, is just education, sales, and marketing materials, all of that good stuff. So we really give them the ability to access exclusive training and opportunities, certifications, sales materials, in our WooExpert academy. So agencies can complete certifications, take advantage of additional resources to improve their knowledge of WooCommerce, Automattic, and our partner products. We also have one-pagers, pitch decks, for our products to make it really easy for agencies to just pop it into a pitch deck or share with merchants, all that stuff.

Credibility and/or referrals

Bob: I’m curious, and this is something maybe you haven’t really got a feel for, but I see two things. You mentioned a little bit about referrals and stuff, and this is part of the program. You don’t need to get into the details or referrals, but when an agency comes to you, where do you think is the shiny button for them, or their mindset. Like, okay, I want to join the program because I know that I will get referrals, or I want to join the program because of the credibility of being listed on the WooCommerce site. Is there one or the other that you feel that, when they approach you, that they find the most value in?

Mary: Yeah, so I would say most agencies are really interested in getting a listing in the marketplace and being affiliated with WooCommerce. That’s a big benefit of the program. But additionally, leads are a big thing. We obviously want to help our agencies grow their business. So that is something that you do receive as a member of the program. You do receive pre-qualified leads. These do increase and get better as you move through the program. So our platinum WooExperts will be considered for more leads than our silver WooExperts would. So I would say both of those are pretty equal. I think people are excited about both.

Defining qualified leads

Marcus: That’s awesome. You’ve mentioned qualified leads a couple times. I’m just curious, what sort of process that leads come through to, I guess, just be qualified in general for one of the WooExperts. Is there a checklist or whatever, that leads come in through and have to check the boxes before they get passed on to the WooExperts? And then what does it look like, I guess, if they’re not a qualified lead? Is there just sort of email back or whatever that says, “Here’s what you’re missing. Get these things, and then we will pass you on to one of our WooExperts”?

Mary: Sure. Yeah. So we have every lead that goes through our marketplace or comes through a sales lead form on our website, it goes directly to our sales team, where they are gathering the initial information that they need to determine, what is the purpose of the project? What resources do they need? Is it a simple support request and they’re in the wrong place? Or those kinds of things. And then at that point, if it’s determined that they need a little additional customization support, then we will send it on our WooExperts.

And the way that we choose WooExperts is, we have a pretty in depth agency profile on each expert in our program. So we look at what their minimum budgets are, their location, what they specialize in. And then we also look at if they’re available for things like small tasks or quick fixes or bug fixes, stuff like that. So some agencies are willing to take those on some aren’t. So we really just get with merchant, initially, to understand their needs. And then we try to compare it to the best agency profile. And we try to introduce them to one or two agencies, so they really have the option so they can see what’s available out there. So at that point, yeah, once we send it on to the agency, we really let the agency take it from there and drive the conversation. And of course we’ll be there along the way, to help them if they need any assistance or anything like that. But once the lead is referred, we let the agency run with it.

Marcus: Yeah. It’s good to hear that it’s not just, “Fill this form out and we’ll randomly pick a WooExpert to send this you,” that there is some real vetting going on, about what the ask is and who might be the best fit for it, within the partner program.

Mary: Yeah, and we did have it working in a different way, previous to this. We were just letting the leads go directly to agencies. And we noticed that agencies were spending a lot of time, trying to qualify these leads, and merchants were not getting back to them, or it wasn’t even a support request and it was just a general question, something like that. So we really decided to do this to not only provide a more white glove service to our merchants, but to save our agencies time as well.

Keeping an eye on the types of leads that come in

Bob: I have this visualization of all these agencies knocking at Woo’s door, “Let us in. Let us into the program.” Now, is there ever a point where you’re looking at, okay, we have this set of agencies, are you ever seeking out agencies to fill holes or criteria? Where you’re saying, “Well, it would be nice if…” And this can also tie into the geographic, because I’m looking at time zones and you have all these different time zones they’re listed in, and all of them across basically the globe.

So are there instances where you are saying, “Okay, we need to start seeking out more that are maybe experts in this particular part of building stores for clients,” or whatever? Or are you ever seeking out, saying, “Boy, we sure would like to get some more in this particular geographical area, just because, although we like to think in the perfect world, we’ll work with anybody anywhere.” People will think, “Oh, it would be nice if they were on the same time zone as me, more accessible.” So do you spend any time seeking out? Or is it you have plenty of them knocking on your door and you’re saying, “Hey, we have enough to choose from”?

Mary: Yeah. So we really, right now, are getting through a lot of internal referrals that we have, and there is a lot of interest in the program. So we want to make sure that we are addressing those applicants as quickly as possible and giving them the time that they deserve. But definitely we are noticing, as we get more familiar with the types of leads that are coming in, we are noticing that there are needs for smaller, quick tasks, that could turn into larger business down the line, as well as we have been getting requests for crypto help and stuff like that. So we are beginning to notice these things and are going to be getting more proactive about seeking out agencies that fill these gaps. But we really, like I said, we launched in May. So we are still very much in this learning period, trying to figure out exactly what our merchants need right now, and how we can make sure that we have the right support available for them.

Bob: So you’re seeing a rise in the crypto, Web3, all that stuff? But it seems like, apparently from what you’re saying, that it’s here to stay for a while and there is interest externally from people that want that expertise. And maybe that’s almost a general recommendation for people just building with Woo, that, yes, this is something that you may want to seriously look at, or at least understand enough. Your little drop there of that, just shows me that it’s not going away. There are people that want to build on that.

Mary: Yeah. I do think that anything new is interesting and I think it’s important to just stay on top of the trends as an agency in our program. We want to make sure that you are aware of the pulse of the industry and what’s kind of trending right now. So I would say that’s important. I can’t speak for the industry as a whole, just a couple of things that we’ve noticed within our own marketplace, that there have been some requests for that recently. It’s definitely something that we are seeing, but yeah, I’m not sure I’m ready to say it’s here forever. I don’t know enough about it, but I do think it is exciting and there is interest in it.

Most sought after things that people are asking agencies for

Marcus: Yeah, that is interesting. I’m curious from your experience, seeing the requests come in or whatever, for agencies, what are, would you say, some of the maybe most sought after things that people are asking agencies for?

Mary: We’re seeing a lot of requests for site migrations, as well as just people need help getting started. It’s a lot of just questions about where to begin, as someone on WooCommerce. We really want to make sure that we have consultants available to answer those questions as well. So even if it’s just an hour of their time, to walk them through the basics of WooCommerce and the pros and cons, and really helping them build a foundation to grow their store. We’re seeing a lot of opportunity for this landing and expanding of business. So smaller requests can turn into big business down the line, as any agency owner probably knows. So we’re seeing a lot of requests like that.

Bob: You’re saying that you’re seeing a lot of migration requests? And so that’s an assumption I’m making that people are wanting to migrate from whatever here, to WooCommerce. So that if that’s one of the top things, that’s a positive reflection overall of the industry, at least. People are… I don’t want to say dumping other platforms, but they’re literally dumping other platforms. And they’re saying, “Hey, we need help.” And they want to make it a smooth transition.

Mary: Yeah, absolutely. And that’s something that we really try to equip our agencies with, is points that you need to make a convincing argument. If there’s any question that WooCommerce is the best, we really want to make sure that we are helping you make that argument and make it clear that it is, it’s really a great platform, and you can do anything that you want with it. And so I think that’s something that agencies have found really helpful, is just having that information at their fingertips, that they can share with their merchants or a potential client.

The agency and WooCommerce team relationship

Marcus: Before we get to talking about how agencies can apply to be a part of the program, I’m curious what the relationship looks like, from a lead being passed on. You’ve mentioned a couple times now, I worked at an agency, so I know work becomes more work. What does the relationship with the WooCommerce team look like, once maybe that first qualified lead has been handed off? Is there more to that relationship? Or is it mostly then handed off to the agency to have that agency, client relationship, as more work continues to come in, down the line?

Mary: Yeah, so it really depends on the need of the merchant. It’s something that’s just a completely customized website, where they’re not really using our extensions or stuff like that, then we really are pretty hands off and we let you kind of run with it, after we make that referral. But if there are opportunities for us to help them get started with the correct extensions, the correct hosting payment provider, stuff like that, that’s really when we like to get involved in the conversation and guide you to the correct extensions or answer any questions that you might have.

So we’re pretty involved in those conversations. We can bring in solutions engineers. We can bring in Customer Success. So we have a team available. If you’re a platinum WooExpert, then you do have your partner manager there, who is really there for you throughout the entire process. They’re letting you know that you have a new lead. They’re following up, asking how it’s going. They’re joining calls, if you need them to. They’re making that introduction. Really, just making sure that you’re supported throughout the entire thing. So again, it kind of varies, based on the need of the emergent, but we can be as hands-on or hands-off as you need us to be.

The process of applying for the program

Bob: That segues into what is the process, or how much can you tell us of the process, to actually apply to become a part of the program?

Mary: Sure. So if you’re interested in joining the WooExpert program, you can find the link on WooCommerce.com. I can also share it with you all, to include in any show notes, but if an agency applies, it’s important to us to still be pretty stringent about who we are letting into the program. This is something that we did when we first launched and we still want to make sure that we are letting in really great, dedicated agencies, so our merchants are receiving the best support possible.

So if an agency applies, they can expect their application to undergo an initial screening, to confirm basic requirements like size, experience, your reputation. Just making sure you filled out the application correctly. If I see any holes, or we might need a little additional portfolio work, or anything like that, I’ll reach out. But then after that point, you’ll be sent on to a technical review where our team examines the quality of your code and any work samples you’ve submitted. And then a final assessment for design. So we’ll look at things like use of themes and extensions, site stability, responsiveness, speed, security, all of that stuff. So if you’ve passed that, then you can expect to get in. We try our very best to get to applications within five business days, but it can vary, based on the amount that we have. So we do our best to get to them as quickly as possible.

Marcus: Is there an average timeline or so, that people can expect from start to finish? I assume the sooner you start, the better. Time-wise, the better off you are. But is there kind of an average timeline that folks can expect?

Mary Yeah, so we shoot for five business days. We like to say that we have a bit of a Domino’s pizza tracker in our application. So you can see where your application is along the way. So it’s been received. And then if it passes that initial screening, then you’ll get an alert, letting you know that it’s gone on to technical and design review. At that point, technical and design review can take a little bit longer, depending on what work you’ve submitted, if we need to reach out for additional work. So that can take a little bit longer, but we really strive for five business days for the entire application review.

Using the program to further educating Woo builders

Bob: Now I know this is a new program and I’m just thinking in this… I’m not saying this is on your roadmap or something you can provide, but it seems like as this thing grows, you’re building also an opportunity for some kind of documentation, not necessarily to become an agency program partner, but for smaller agencies or individuals, to have a list of criteria that takes them to a level that maybe they don’t become part of the program, but what you want to strive to be, as maybe a smaller agency, or even a single developer.

Mary: No, you’re absolutely right. Eventually, we do want to be able to support really every builder out there, and make sure that they have the resources that they need to succeed, whether that’s within the WooExpert program, or within another community program at WooCommerce, or whatever that turns into, but with the ultimate goal of becoming a WooExpert. So we are looking for ways to share a lot of the resources that we are creating for WooExperts with the larger community and vice versa. As we create things for the larger developer community now, how are we communicating those things with WooExperts? So definitely a goal of ours down the line, to just make sure that everyone from the solo developer, to the biggest agency around, is supported. So definitely a goal. So you aren’t wrong.

Bob: Well, I need to talk to you because it has me thinking about some ideas, but we’ll talk about that later. Definitely.

Marcus: Oh, Bob always has ideas.

Bob: Unfortunately. That’s why they keep me in the background all the time, because who knows what I’ll come up with in the middle of a podcast?

Mary: No, I love it. Send them to me.

Bob: Well, this has been great. Yeah, I love that it’s progressing forward and that it’s still kind of in its infancy, but it sounds like there’s a lot of room for growth and I think probably a lot of learning experiences on both ends and stuff. So I’m really anxious to see where things go. And if people want to say, “Well, I want to talk to Mary,” we won’t send everybody just to you, but how can they… Obviously, we’ll have links, but if they wanted to just connect with you, kind of follow what’s going on with things, what’s the best way to connect with you and the best way for them to connect with knowing what’s going on with this program?

Mary: Sure. So we will be trying to communicate any updates on any landing pages about the program and our blogs, stuff like that. So you can keep an eye on our social media for updates and stuff. But if you want to connect with me, admittedly, I am terrible at social media, but you can find me on LinkedIn and people are welcome to connect with me on there. Shoot me a DM and ask any questions that you may have. But again, I would encourage people to apply, if you have any interest at all. You can at least get the conversation going and see if they’re a good fit. So yeah, just don’t be shy about submitting an application.

Bob: All right. Well, Mary, we will have you back later on and have an update on how things are going and transpiring on your end, but appreciate you taking the time.

Mary: Yeah, absolutely. Thank you so much for having me.