Customer Communication Responsibilities for Partners

4 minutes Payment Partner Specifics

Clear division of communication responsibilities prevents confusion and ensures merchants receive consistent, accurate information. This guide explains who (partner or SAPI) handles which customer communications.

You handle:

✅ Initial introduction/offer
- "We partner with SAPI to offer payment-linked financing to merchants like you"
- Benefits of payment-linked financing (general)
- Invitation to apply or learn more

✅ Pre-referral education
- What payment-linked financing is
- How it differs from loans
- General eligibility criteria

✅ Referral notification
- "We've referred you to SAPI. They'll contact you within 24 hours."
- SAPI's contact details
- What to expect next

✅ General support
- Answer general product questions (using SAPI Help Center)
- Encourage customers to complete applications if interested
- Direct specific questions to SAPI

SAPI handles:

✅ Application process
- Initial outreach after referral
- Application instructions and support
- Document requests
- Open Banking connection guidance

✅ Underwriting and decisioning
- Credit assessment
- Offer generation
- Approval/decline communications
- Decline reason explanations

✅ Offer and agreement
- Offer letters (terms, rates, amount)
- Contract signing process
- Questions about specific offer terms
- Acceptance and funding logistics

✅ Servicing and collections
- Repayment schedule
- Balance inquiries
- Statement delivery
- Payment issues (failed Direct Debits)
- Top-up eligibility and processing
- Early settlement quotes

✅ Collections and arrears
- Arrears notifications
- Forbearance arrangements
- Collections activities
- Legal action (if required)

✅ Complaints
- Formal complaints handling
- Dispute resolution
- Compliance matters

Scenarios requiring coordination:

🤝 Co-branded marketing campaigns
- Partner and SAPI collaborate on messaging
- Both brands featured
- Compliance pre-approval required

🤝 Merchant success stories/case studies
- Partner may initiate
- SAPI approval required
- Merchant consent required
- Both companies review before publication

🤝 Product updates or changes
- SAPI informs partners of changes
- Partners communicate to their merchant base (using SAPI-approved messaging)

Appropriate channels:
- Email (from your domain)
- Phone calls
- In-app messages (if you have a merchant dashboard)
- Postal mail
- In-person meetings

Brand:
Your branding with "Powered by SAPI" or "In partnership with SAPI" notation.

Channels:
- Email from @sapi.com addresses
- Phone from +44 20 3868 4990
- Postal mail from SAPI's address
- SMS (for urgent alerts)

Brand:
SAPI branding, may include "Referred by [Partner Name]" acknowledgment.

Common confusion points:

"Who do I contact for questions?"
​Clear guidance: "For questions about your SAPI advance application or account, contact SAPI directly at [email protected] or +44 20 3868 4990. For questions about your payment processing with us, contact our support team."

"Why is SAPI emailing me?"
​Pre-warn merchants: "You'll receive emails from SAPI about your financing application. They're handling the underwriting and funding. We've referred you to them as a trusted financing partner."

"Who approves my application?"
​Clear messaging: "SAPI reviews and approves all financing applications. We've introduced you to them, but they make the lending decision based on their criteria."

❌ Specific offer terms on behalf of SAPI
Don't tell merchants "SAPI will offer you £25k at 1.30 factor rate"—you don't know until SAPI underwrites.

❌ Guarantee approval
"You're definitely approved" or "SAPI will fund you"—only SAPI can confirm.

❌ Interpret SAPI's decisions
If merchant is declined, don't explain why on SAPI's behalf. Direct them to contact SAPI for official explanation.

❌ Servicing instructions
Don't guide merchants on repayment changes, balance inquiries, or account management. That's SAPI's responsibility.

❌ Collections or arrears guidance
Never get involved in collections. Direct merchants to [email protected] or +44 20 3868 4990.

If merchant has an issue:

Step 1: Determine if it's a payment processing issue (yours) or financing issue (SAPI's)

Step 2: If SAPI issue, direct merchant to appropriate SAPI contact:
- General: [email protected]
- Collections: [email protected]
- Complaints: [email protected] (subject: "FORMAL COMPLAINT")

Step 3: If merchant is frustrated or issue is complex, loop in your partner success manager:
- Email [email protected]: "Merchant [Name] having issue with [brief description]. I've directed them to SAPI, but wanted to make you aware for follow-up."

Don't:
Act as intermediary passing messages back and forth. Direct connection between merchant and SAPI is faster and more accurate.

Q: Can we respond to merchants on behalf of SAPI?
A: No. Only SAPI can speak authoritatively about their products, decisions, and merchant accounts. You can relay general information but should always direct specific questions to SAPI.

Q: What if a merchant complains to us about SAPI?
A: Listen, acknowledge, but direct them to SAPI's complaints process ([email protected] with "FORMAL COMPLAINT"). Don't try to resolve complaints about SAPI's service—that's SAPI's responsibility.

Q: Should we notify SAPI of every merchant interaction?
A: No—only significant issues (merchant threatens legal action, mentions financial distress, is very dissatisfied, etc.). Routine communications don't need to be reported.

Q: Can we send merchants SAPI's Help Center articles?
A: Yes! Share links to relevant articles to answer common questions. Helps merchants self-serve.

Q: What if a merchant asks us about their specific offer—can we see it?
A: No. Offers are confidential between SAPI and the merchant. If they share it with you, you can discuss generally, but don't provide specific advice on whether to accept (unless FCA-authorized for credit advice).

Communication guidelines: [email protected]
​Merchant issue escalation: [email protected]
​Partner success manager: [email protected]

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +44 20 3868 4990

Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm GMT