As of 9 November 2026. Resource type: guide (article) for manufacturers with partner sales. Figures and statements about Scalera come from the linked case study, the product page and the home page, opened on 9 November 2026; recommendations are marked as such.
Short answer
- Starting point: partners process tenders for your range with unequal product knowledge, which creates quality gaps.
- Approach: align product matching and position recognition centrally, leave approval with the partner.
- dormakaba example: 2–3× more tenders per partner, approx. 50–70 % less manual effort (case study).
- Rollout: start small, test with real bills of quantities, define metrics up front.
- Limit: advice, price and customer relationship remain the task of partners and manufacturer.
Sources: scalera.ai (dormakaba case study, Product Matching, home page), accessed 9 Nov 2026
Why does tender work become uneven in a partner network?
Because each partner reads bills of quantities with its own knowledge and tools. The case study describes a dormakaba network where tender processing was manual, partner capabilities differed and offer quality varied (dormakaba case study).
What slows partners down day to day?
Administrative effort. According to the case study, the more partners worked on tenders, the less they could be active in the market (dormakaba case study). Whoever has to read positions and match products has less time for customer conversations.
What does this inequality cost the manufacturer?
Opportunities. The case study names unused cross-selling potential, inconsistent offer structures and loss of expert knowledge through demographic change (dormakaba case study). How accessories and add-ons make a quote complete is covered in Accessories and add-ons in quotes; this guide is about the network.
What does standardising mean in a partner network?
It means every partner uses the same product logic, the same review criteria and the same output format, without the manufacturer writing each quote. What is standardised is the path from bill of quantities to quote basis, not the customer relationship.
Which four building blocks belong to it?
- Shared product base. The range exists once in clean form and everyone uses it.
- Uniform position recognition. A bill of quantities is broken into positions the same way for all partners.
- Shared review criteria. Everyone bases approval on the same rationale and confidence.
- Structured output. The quote basis has the same format at every partner.
How does this relate to Scalera's product page?
Scalera describes that product data is imported once and the knowledge stays available across teams and locations, so everyone works from the same information (Scalera, Product Matching). For every suggestion the platform shows a rationale and an AI confidence (Scalera, Product Matching). That is the basis for shared review criteria.
What did the approach look like at dormakaba?
dormakaba uses Scalera to standardise and scale tender processing across internal teams and external partners (dormakaba case study). The case study lists four steps: AI analysis of tender positions, product mapping to the dormakaba range, systematic identification of additional revenue opportunities and a structured output as the quote basis.
Which results does the case study report?
- Partners process 2–3× more tenders with the same resources.
- Manual effort drops by approx. 50–70 %.
- Offer quality is consistent across the distributed network.
- Faster response times raise win probability by 15–30 % in competitive tenders, per the case study.
All values come from Scalera's case study (dormakaba case study). They are manufacturer-reported figures from one project, not a guarantee for other networks.
Why was Scalera chosen?
The case study names ease of use with minimal onboarding friction across diverse partner profiles, scalability across regions and organisations, and a data flywheel that improves with real project data (dormakaba case study). For you as a manufacturer, the first question in any network is: how low is the barrier for the smallest partner?
Standardising does not mean replacing partners, it means giving everyone the same starting point.
Who does what: manufacturer or partner?
The manufacturer provides product knowledge and ground rules; the partner handles review, price and customer contact. The split below is a recommendation to adapt to your network.
| Task | Maker | Partner |
|---|---|---|
| Keep product data | Yes, centrally | Reports gaps |
| Split BoQ items | Provides method | Uses it |
| Review matches | Sets criteria | Decides per quote |
| Price and terms | Sets the frame | Final calc |
| Customer contact | On request | Leads the talk |
Recommendation, not a vendor requirement. As of 9 Nov 2026.
How do you roll this out across the network?
Small, with real documents and fixed measurement points. The sequence is a recommendation; the test method for getting started is in the pilot test plan.
Which five steps do we recommend?
- Choose pilot partners. Two to three partners of different sizes.
- Test real bills of quantities. Current tenders instead of sample cases.
- Define metrics up front. Time per BoQ, corrections, turnaround.
- Collect feedback. The case study names continuous improvement through real project data.
- Roll out broadly. Only once pilot partners back the criteria.
What role does prioritisation play?
A big one. When partners process faster, the number of requests grows; which of them are worth it is the topic of the framework Bid or no bid.
How do you tell whether the network benefits?
By a few metrics defined in advance. Measure the same thing per partner before and after the start, otherwise the comparison is not reliable.
- Processing time per bill of quantities. The most direct value.
- Tenders processed per partner. Shows whether capacity is freed.
- Rate of corrections. Shows how solid the product base is.
- Time to a sendable quote. Links speed with quality.
How to calculate the business value is shown in The hidden cost of manual tender processing.
How do results reach your systems?
By export. Scalera exports matched tenders via CSV, XML, GAEB or API into ERP, CPQ or CRM systems (Scalera, Product Matching). How ERP and quoting software work together is covered in ERP integration for tenders and quotes. A broader view on software selection is in the guide to automating proposals.
Key takeaways and next steps
- Unequal product knowledge in the network creates unequal quotes; the dormakaba case study describes exactly this starting point.
- Standardise the path from bill of quantities to quote basis, not the customer relationship.
- Start with two to three pilot partners, real documents and metrics fixed in advance.
- Review and approval stay with the partner who submits the quote.
Want to test this for your network? You can book a demo and bring your own bills of quantities.
Frequently asked questions
Why standardise tenders across a partner network?
Because partners with unequal product knowledge produce different quotes for the same bill of quantities. For dormakaba the case study names knowledge asymmetry and inconsistent offer quality as the starting problem (dormakaba case study).
Who reviews the AI suggestions: manufacturer or partner?
The partner who submits the quote. Every match comes with a rationale and an AI confidence (Scalera, Product Matching). The manufacturer defines the review criteria.
How many partners should a pilot include?
Two to three partners of different sizes are enough for a first read. This is a recommendation, not a rule; the test method is in the pilot test plan.
How does product data get into the system?
Product data is imported once, and per the product page the knowledge stays available across teams and locations (Scalera, Product Matching). Which data to prepare is covered in Product matching at scale.
How do results reach the ERP?
Per the product page, matched tenders can be exported via CSV, XML, GAEB or API (Scalera, Product Matching). Scope and limits are covered in ERP integration for tenders and quotes.
Which metrics show whether the rollout holds?
Processing time per bill of quantities, tenders processed per partner, rate of corrections and time to a sendable quote. Fix the measurement points before the start.
Does the software replace the manufacturer's advice?
No. It takes the reading work off partners; technical advice, pricing and the customer relationship stay with people.
Sources
- dormakaba case study on scalera.ai, opened 9 November 2026
- Product Matching page on scalera.ai, opened 9 November 2026
- Home page scalera.ai, opened 9 November 2026