Alliance Network FAQ

  • Updated

What is the Alliance Network?

The Alliance Network is SheerID's platform that seamlessly connects loyalty programs across partner brands, empowering consumers to link their accounts and unlock 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.

The Alliance Network is in an early adoption phase. You can be among the first SheerID-powered brands to establish seamless authentication and rewards integration between your brand and strategic partners. Early adopter program participants receive prioritized support and the opportunity to influence the product roadmap.

How does it work?

Alliance flow.png

Consumer Journey

  1. Primary Login: The user logs into their loyalty account with Brand A (Orbit)
  2. Partner Login: The user is redirected to log in with Brand B (Adventure Tours)
  3. Verification Completion: Accounts are securely linked, and the user is notified of their reward or offer
  4. Enjoy Benefits: The user accesses their rewards and continues engaging with both brands

Product Features

  1. Co-branded Landing Pages. SheerID will host a custom-branded landing page for the Alliance Partners. Consumers initiate and transition through verification here, guided by specific offer parameters, ensuring a branded experience throughout.
  2. Authentication. SheerID will provide a workflow that authenticates users via Alliance Partners, establishing a secure, seamless entry point. This single sign-on process (using OAuth or any other protocol) allows users to confirm their identity through current partner connections without repeated logins.
  3. Live Reward Updates. As users accept offers, we ensure efficient and effective distribution of rewards across both systems. Our webhook emitters keep user accounts synced in real-time across platforms, allowing instant updates and consistent user data between both your system and the partner's system.
  4. Program Enrollment (Optional). Enrollment integrates directly with your system and partner platforms, allowing you to grow program membership.

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?

  • Seamless Experience: Effortless account-linking and instant access to benefits
  • 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 and membership 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, conditions, 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
  • Authentication Setup: Share access credentials, client IDs, secrets, and configuration parameters for OAuth or other protocols to enable seamless user verification (both test and production environments preferred)
  • 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. loyalty 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?

  • Authentication and API Integration
    • Support for providing access credentials and IDP configuration details
    • Participation in authentication setup discussions
    • API credentials and endpoint specifications for real-time data exchange and rewards enrollment
  • Rewards System Integration
    • If partners handle rewards updates: Configure webhook listeners to process notifications from SheerID
    • If SheerID handles the rewards updates: Provide API access for actions like updating points, logging rewards, or querying balances
  • System Coordination and Testing
    • Verify integration accuracy, such as token transfers and loyalty account connections
    • Collaborate with SheerID during testing phases to validate user experience, functionality, and security across systems
  • Post-login Setup
    • Configure post-login success pages to include a script or callback signaling successful user login (if required for the IDP setup)

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, focusing on whether they have a public Identity Provider (IDP) solution

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

Authentication Methodology

  • If Public IDP Exists: Conduct a test integration using OpenID Connect (OIDC), SAML, or other standards-based solutions to validate compatibility
  • If No Public IDP Exists: Engage the partner's technical team to review alternative options (e.g. proprietary solutions, Okta SWAs)
  • As a fallback, SheerID-created solutions like post-login scripts or Direct Sign-on (DSO) may be implemented

Integration Planning

  • Confirm OAuth/SSO setup for seamless user authentication
  • Establish webhook configurations for real-time updates
  • Finalize branding assets and userflow designs

Phase 3: Validation and Launch

Testing

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

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 are the future enhancements?

Future enhancements will include a unified central discovery page within the MySheerID platform. This will serve as the hub for all your co-branded offers, streamlining the setup and management of linked offers and brand connections.

What does the Early Adopter phase entail?

  • 4-6 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 and 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 are interested in the Alliance Network, please reach out to your CSM to get the conversation started.

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