As we continue to move into a digital age in which individuals are comfortable researching and buying online, a transition accelerated by the Coronavirus pandemic, the buying journey has become non-linear. A potential customer may read a review, ask a friend, then browse the web before ultimately purchasing online (without consulting any sales professionals or entering a store).
In December 2021, PartnerPath CEO Diane Krakora hosted our annual year-end webinar with Jay McBain, Principal Analyst - Channels, Partnerships & Ecosystems at Forrester. They broke down what vendors should keep an eye out for in 2022. To hear the full dialogue, including examples, explanations and what you should do to adapt, be sure to watch the webinar. Below are a few highlights on each trend.
Topics: Featured, Industry Perspective
How are the people who design, recommend, resell, integrate, support and manage technology solutions doing in the global pandemic? We conducted a survey of solution providers at the end of 2020 and asked how their business had been impacted by the pandemic with options of 'increased, decreased or stayed the same.' Their answers provided the basis for our recent report “10 Effects of the Global Pandemic on the Channel.” At a glance, see the effects we identified.
02.24.21
In our recent channel chief virtual roundtable, we asked leading technology channel executives what was keeping them up at night. Surprisingly, it wasn’t partner sales, additional enablement, driving customer adoption or even the plethora of small solution providers teetering on the edge of a pandemic-fueled extinction. What they were most worried about is the damage social distancing has done to their ability to nurture relationships with their partners. Without a plane flight and dinner meeting with a partner, how do you make sure your relationship remains positive and prosperous?
Partnering is personal and the pandemic has hampered relationships in a myriad of ways. We can’t safely break bread inside our favorite bistro or shake hands to solidify our agreement to invest and grow together. But beyond physical touch, creating a personal relationship with partners means personalizing how you do business.
I attend a lot of events. I’m usually crisscrossing the globe between partner summits, partner advisory boards, sales kick-off meetings and industry conferences. I’m one of the weirdos that actually misses large gatherings. No, I don’t miss the conference chicken or sitting in a freezing cold dark hall. I miss the energy of a packed room, the chitchat with people sitting around you before and after the sessions and catching up with friends and colleagues. The many virtual events I’ve attended in the last six months have left me, and others, wanting – but not all for the same reasons.
01.07.21
Welcome to 2021! Boy am I excited to see the calendar turn over. There’s been so much up and down in the news for the last nine months I can barely keep track. The pandemic that ravaged the world medically and financially also accelerated five of the six buyer trends changing IT channels we predicted back in December 2019:
Topics: Partnering Tips, Channel Best Practices, Industry Perspective
With all the uncertainty in my country and the world right now, it was comforting to have a consistent message from Cisco during their recent partner summit. Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins opened the event with a hopeful message of agility and resilience – skills that have been tested in my household these last eight months. My husband is a commercial airline pilot and for an industry not known for their agility, they’ve moved quickly in altering routes and schedules. Needless to say, our household has tried to embrace both agility and resilience amidst the uncertainty, to varying degrees of success. I’m sure many of you have your own stories of needing to adapt quickly to job, family and life changes.
Topics: News and Programs
By Diane Krakora, CEO of PartnerPath
I talk about recruiting, enabling and managing indirect partners all the time. The goal of 99% of all technology companies is to leverage indirect channels for increased sales reach, market penetration and customer satisfaction. But there has been a shift that greatly affects the traditional channel model and some vendors are feeling the change.
Topics: Industry Perspective
By Diane Krakora, CEO of PartnerPath
You would be amazed at how many people call us every month to help them with partner recruitment. On the one hand, it's usually companies who see the value in leveraging the channel to grow their business (awesome!). On the other hand, I sometimes think they want me to hand them a top-secret document and say, "Shh, here's the magic list of partners for you. Go call them." But calling a list of partners to recruit them into your program not only wouldn't work, it wouldn't be a good partner experience. And a good first impression once lost is lost forever. You might lose the opportunity to work with some great solution providers. Plus, there's no top-secret list.
Topics: Featured, Channel Best Practices
07.01.20
In our recent channel chief virtual roundtable event, we discussed the effects of the global pandemic on partnering plans and programs. Accelerated digital transformation ushered in by social distancing practices is driving all ten participants to change some aspect of their channel model. Framework adjustments include new compensation plans, shifting to virtual education platforms, delaying program launches and changing criteria for spending MDF. But the most divergent conversation regarded what to do with small and medium partners who are financially struggling during these uncertain times.
Topics: Industry Perspective
