Alliance Network FAQ

  • Updated

What is the Alliance Network?

The Alliance Network is SheerID's platform that seamlessly connects your brand with partner programs, such as membership and employee perk programs across partner brands, empowering consumers and unlocking co-branded rewards. It simplifies partnership creation by managing authentication, data sharing, and reward triggers within a unified system. This network enables brands to quickly and securely integrate loyalty offerings with strategic partners, providing robust validation of consumer loyalty across programs.

This guide provides an overview of the Alliance Network's functionality, setup steps, integration requirements, and estimated developer resource needs.

How does it work?

Alliance Flow May 2025.jpg

Consumer Journey

  1. Start at Brand A. The consumer visits Brand A and begins enrollment in a special membership program (e.g., for verified members of specific affiliations).
  2. Select Your Affiliation. The user enters their affiliation information into the Brand A interface.
  3. Verify Through Your Affiliation. Brand A uses SheerID's platform to check the affiliation's uploaded member data — no need for the affiliation to send files manually since verification is processed instantly using BYOD (Bring Your Own Data) data uploaded by the affiliation.
  4. Login to Brand A. The user logs into their account for Brand A.
  5. Get Rewarded. Once verified, the consumer is shown their exclusive reward or offer from Brand A.
  6. Keep Engaging. Consumers can continue engaging with Brand A and accessing their affiliation benefits, all powered by a seamless BYOD integration that requires no ongoing coordination.

Product Features

  1. Co-branded Landing Pages. SheerID will host a custom-branded landing page for Alliance Partners. Consumers initiate and transition through verification here, guided by specific offer parameters, ensuring a branded experience throughout.
  2. Data-Driven Verification. SheerID enables verification through partner-supplied data rather than authentication credentials. Affiliated organizations upload datasets directly to the SheerID platform, allowing Brand A to verify consumer eligibility securely and instantly — no user login with the affiliation required. This "Bring Your Own Data" (BYOD) model removes the need for OAuth or other login protocols and lowers the integration burden for both partners.
  3. Live Reward Updates. As users are verified through affiliation data, SheerID ensures timely and accurate reward delivery. Real-time webhook emitters keep consumer records and reward statuses synchronized across Brand A's system, ensuring a consistent and responsive experience.
  4. Program Enrollment (Optional). Enrollment flows can be embedded within Brand A's form experience. Verified users may be optionally added to Brand A's loyalty or rewards program — without requiring additional steps from the affiliated organization — streamlining engagement and membership growth.

How does the Alliance Network benefit my brand?

  • Expand Reach: Brands can access new, pre-verified audiences through partner collaborations
  • Streamline Integrations: Simplified API and authentication setup reduces technical overhead
  • Boost Retention: Co-branded rewards keep consumers engaged and coming back
  • Leverage Data: Actionable insights to help optimize campaigns and deepen customer loyalty

How can the Alliance Network benefit consumers?

  • Personalized Rewards: Offers tailored to their verified memberships
  • Real-time Value: Immediate benefits like points or discounts when they take action
Brand partners must provide all end user support for Alliance Network programs. SheerID consumer support teams cannot assist with offer redemption, so it will be imperative that each brand's support teams create a support workflow for their Alliance Network partnership programs.

How do privacy and data sharing work?

In the Alliance Network, the standard match key is a permissioned, deterministic identifier used to securely link loyalty, membership, or perk program accounts across brand partners without requiring direct PII sharing or third-party data clean rooms.

What are the partner constraints?

  • Both partner brands should utilize OAuth/OIDC or a similar authentication method and be prepared to dedicate time to the process
  • Formal partner agreements must be in place as SheerID facilitates the connection between the brands

What are the integration requirements?

  • Brand and Design Assets: Provide logos, color palettes, and brand guidelines for custom-branded landing pages
  • Offer Details: Share promotion specifics, including terms, eligibility criteria, and reward logic
  • User Flow Definition: Confirm the recommended user flow in collaboration with SheerID and technical teams
  • KPIs and Success Metrics: Establish clear success criteria and define owners for KPIs across teams
  • Webhook Setup: Configure webhook listeners to receive notifications from SheerID, including defining security and data field requirements
  • Data Validation and User Association: Provide necessary PII fields (e.g., member ID, name, email) for user lookups and compliance with privacy policies
  • Test Environment Access: Ensure availability of sandbox/test credentials and replicate production conditions for integration validation

What developer resources are needed?

Data Integration and API Configuration

  • Affiliation Data Upload: Affiliations (e.g., clubs or organizations) upload member data directly to SheerID's platform using standardized CSV formats.
  • API Credentials: Brand A provides API credentials and endpoint specifications to facilitate real-time data exchange and rewards enrollment.
  • Data Mapping: Brand A specifies the enrichment data (metadata) key names (e.g., membershipLevel) expected from the details endpoint. SheerID enforces these in the affiliations' CSV uploads.

Rewards System Integration

  • Webhook Configuration: If Brand A handles reward updates, configure webhook listeners to process notifications from SheerID.
  • API Access: If SheerID handles rewards updates, Brand A provides API access for actions like updating points, logging rewards, or querying balances.
  • Real-Time Updates: Establish webhook configurations to support real-time verification events and reward fulfillment.

System Coordination and Testing

  • Integration Verification: Verify integration accuracy, ensuring that data flows correctly between SheerID and Brand A's system.
  • Testing Phase: Collaborate with SheerID during testing phases to validate user experience, functionality, and security across systems.
  • Data Validation: Ensure that the data provided by affiliations meets the required standards and formats for successful verification.

Post-Verification Setup

  • Success Handling: Configure post-verification success pages to include a scripts or callbacks signaling successful user verification.
  • User Experience: Ensure that consumers receive appropriate messaging and rewards upon successful verification, enhancing engagement with both Brand A and the affiliation.

What are the steps for setup?

Phase 1: Partner Identification, Planning, and Contracting

Identify Potential Alliance Partners

  • Leverage existing relationships (e.g. Brand A introduces a potential partner)
  • Assess the partner's technical readiness

Contracting Process

  • Step 1: SheerID sends the partner a Statement of Work (SOW) template
  • Step 2: The partner provides their Subcontractor Agreement with the SOW attached
  • Step 3: The partner confirms that their Brand Partner is covered under their existing partnership agreement
  • Step 4: SheerID executes the contract, and the collaboration begins

Technical Discovery

Conduct a discovery session with SheerID Solutions Architects and the partner's technical and marketing teams

  • Goals:
    • Review IDP options and assess APIs for compatibility
    • Define program design, offers, KPIs, and timelines

Phase 2: Authentication Integration and Setup

If affiliation data is available:

  • Affiliations (e.g., football clubs) upload member data directly to the SheerID platform using a standardized format via File Manager
  • SheerID validates consumer eligibility using the uploaded dataset — no authentication or sign-on required

If affiliation data is not yet available:

  • SheerID collaborates with Brand A and the affiliation to define required fields (e.g., memberId, lastName)
  • SheerID staff supports the affiliation in creating a data upload stub and guides the initial upload

As a fallback:

  • SheerID can implement manual data imports or low-lift onboarding solutions to support early access

Key Considerations:

  • Affiliations are responsible for regular data updates, ensuring their accuracy
  • The early adopter phase is invite-only and must be vetted by the product team

Phase 3: Validation and Launch

Testing

  • Collaborate with QA teams to verify authentication workflows, redirects, and account linking
  • Ensure smooth token exchange and data accuracy

Launch Readiness and Go-live

  • Confirm all system components are functional and aligned with launch goals
  • Transition the program to production with monitoring in place

Post-launch Optimization

Monitor and Review Performance

  • Track user engagement, reward distribution, and system performance metrics
  • Collect feedback to identify areas for improvement

Enhance and Scale

Optimize workflows and explore scaling opportunities with additional partners

What are the key deliverables?

  1. Phase 1: Defined scope, partner alignment, and technical readiness assessment
  2. Phase 2: Configured authentication methods, finalized designs, and setup
  3. Phase 3: Validated workflows, successful program launch, and early monitoring
  4. Post-launch: Insights on performance, optimization strategies, and scaling roadmap

What does the Early Adopter phase entail?

  • 6-8 weeks to setup, focusing on project planning and coordination
  • SheerID handles most of the integration, including authentication setup and co-branded experience creation. The process is designed to minimize development lift from your team, with only light technical support needed for API credentials, webhook configurations, and branding assets
  • To participate, brands must:
    • Provide technical inputs such as API credentials, branding assets, and promotional details
    • Engage in a collaborative setup process with SheerID, including test environment access and feedback cycles
    • Commit to endorsing the partnership, including offering public validation or testimonials to highlight the collaboration's success

How do I get started?

Contact SheerID's team to see how you can leverage this product. If you are a current customer at SheerID and interested in the Alliance Network, please reach out to your CSM to get the conversation started.

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