Distribution partnerships are more than just a sales channel for Kamuno – they are the bridge to the Swiss SMEs that need our financing solutions. We from the Kamuno team sat down with our CCO and co-founder Roger Twerenbold and asked him how these partnerships work at Kamuno, what our partners get out of them and where our network is headed.
Roger, what does Kamuno mean by a distribution partnership?
Distribution partners are, for us, anyone who already has a relationship of trust with SMEs – fiduciaries, advisors, software or comparison platforms – and who introduce their customers to a Kamuno financing solution at the right moment. They are the bridge between us and the SME that needs liquidity for its next step.
Why does Kamuno rely on distribution partners alongside classic direct marketing?
Because trust is decisive in the SME business. Entrepreneurs are far more likely to take a financing recommendation from their fiduciary firm or their accounting software than from an advert. Our partners already have that head start of trust – we benefit from it, and customers receive the solution through a channel they already trust. We also increasingly find that companies like to discover the financing solution in their familiar environment. That makes it all the more important for us to offer partners the right solution with the desired level of integration.
Who are your distribution partners?
They include, for example, fiduciary and advisory firms such as OBT or Forvis Mazars, software companies such as bexio, insurers such as AXA, banks such as WIR Bank or Cembra, payment solution providers such as Wallee, comparison platforms such as FinanceScout24 and networks such as Gryps or KMU Swiss. Altogether we work with more than 120 such organisations.
What is the concrete incentive for distribution partners to work with Kamuno?
For partners, working with Kamuno is a way to offer their own customers concrete added value: with our flexible financing solution we support SMEs precisely when they need additional financial room to manoeuvre. Many SMEs experience financing as a major challenge. Together we help them tackle it efficiently and without complications.
In doing so we adapt the collaboration to the partners and their business model. Our solution thus becomes an additional advisory tool with which employees can specifically address their customers’ financing needs and offer a suitable service.
Depending on the partnership model, our partners can also participate in successful credit transactions. What matters to us is that the collaboration creates added value for everyone involved: for the SMEs, our partners and Kamuno.
How does a referral work technically – is it onerous for partners?
No, deliberately not. Partners can capture a customer request directly in the partner portal or have the process shown to them beforehand in a short demo. The initial assessment requires no documents; an offer is often ready within a few minutes – so partners do not have to integrate a large process into their day-to-day work. We also offer integrated solutions that mean no extra effort in partners’ daily business and allow customers to submit a request directly through their familiar environment.
What do referred customers actually receive in the end?
Customers receive a flexible credit line with draws of up to CHF 250,000. Within a few working days they receive a decision. Monthly repayments are transparent; there are no hidden costs.
For partners that means: they recommend a solution that meets a proven market need and brings their customers real added value.
How does a distribution partnership with Kamuno differ from a classic bank referral?
Speed and transparency. A bank often needs weeks and many documents. We deliver an assessment in real time and a decision within a few working days. For partners that means: they can give their customers a reliable answer quickly instead of leaving them in the dark for a long time.
How does Kamuno win new distribution partners?
Mostly through direct contact: in a conversation or a demo we show how easy integration into everyday advisory work is. Many partners also come because they have heard about Kamuno through existing partners or our communications – recommendations work in both directions.
Are there criteria by which you select your distribution partners?
Proximity to the target group is decisive: for us, partners who already enjoy the trust of SMEs are relevant. Equally important is their reliability. Anyone who recommends us links our brand with their own reputation. Just as important to us is a business model geared towards long-term collaboration. Together we want to create a forward-looking solution for Swiss companies.
What was the biggest challenge in building the distribution partner network?
At the beginning we had to convince partners without being able to point to a long track record. That changed as soon as we could show how reliable and fast our process actually is in practice. Kamuno is growing as a brand every day. For my team and me that means staying on it and continually spotting new opportunities.
A decisive factor is certainly also the proximity to UKB. The combination of an innovative fintech with a stable cantonal bank is a winning one.
Can you give an example of how a distribution partnership works in practice?
We offer various forms of collaboration and integration. Many of our partners use our partner portal: after a one-time registration they can integrate it into their daily advisory work efficiently and without technical integration. We can set up the portal in our partners’ layout. It is used in particular by fiduciary firms, bank branches and SME advisors.
In parallel we are further expanding our integrated approach in the area of embedded lending. One example is Wallee Boost: Kamuno steers the process and credit granting in the background. Customers can submit their request directly in the familiar Wallee environment.
Another example is bexio. SMEs that run their accounting there often need financing precisely when they are growing. With bexio Credit they can start their financing request directly through their accounting software.
What would you say to anyone considering becoming a Kamuno distribution partner but still unsure?
Talk to us with no strings attached. In a short conversation we show you exactly what the collaboration means for you and your customers – without obligation. Most people are surprised how simple the start actually is.
Where should the distribution partner network go in the coming years?
We want to expand our network in a targeted way and deepen the collaboration further: with partners from additional industries, closer integrations, new tools and even stronger joint communication with customers.