This topic was mentioned briefly on another board in relation to what happens when a sponsor buys an affiliate program from another program, and changes in the backend platform (changing between NATS, MPA, CCBill, whatever)

What steps would you want to see a sponsor take when they are changing or converting their backend affiliate processing from one platform to another?

I would think that the following would be a minimum, but I'm interested in what others have to say

- supporting the old platform for at least 60-90 days after cutover to new platform

- Create translation scripts if at all humanly possible to allow links from old platform to seamlessly credit affiliates on new platform.

- Provide notice to affiliates in advance of making new platform available (and obviously well before discontinuing old platform)

- Provide reconciliation of sales and funds on old platform at termination of traffic to old platform, or roll data into new platform


What have I missed? For those who have been through it, what can a sponsor do to make it most painless for affiliates?