You may think this is harsh, but we consider the partner account manager (PAM) at fault for every solution provider relationship gone awry. Don’t scream. We know they can’t control every factor of the vendor/solution provider relationship. However, as the designated primary point of connection between the two organizations, they are responsible for communication and collaboration.
In our 10th annual State of Partnering Study, "10 Trends for a 2020 Vision," solution provider respondents indicated the top reason they regretted joining a program was, first and foremost, the vendor failed to deliver on promises. The technology not performing as advertised and too much conflict with the direct team rounded out the top three regrets. Those are three big reasons to break-up and all can be addressed by setting and meeting expectations. This comes down to the simple act of communicating expectations and commitments with partners – followed by doing what you say you’re going to do.
Most solution provider respondents indicated they prefer to engage through their PAM, with the vendor field sales rep being a very close second. We’re not surprised the responses for field sales representative nearly tied the PAM; the field is where the teams mix it up and sales happen. It is very important the two organizations are connected at the field level. And not surprisingly, considering the solution providers critical need to delight customers, engaging with the vendor’s service/support organization also ranked significantly high.
Change the PAM role to a Relationship Success Manager – like a Customer Success Manager, but focused on channel partners. These new success managers should know the partner’s business model and understand what enablement and initiatives they need to be successful.
Vendor respondents are stuck in the traditional PAM role though, as their job expectations centered around pipeline/forecasting, co-selling, and developing the partner business plan. Those are all very traditional activities assigned to the PAM way back when we were stuffing sales through VARs. Facilitating peer-to-peer activities was ranked lowest in the vendors’ expectations of a PAM. This is a big missed opportunity to help partners connect with others in your network and grow the partners’ capabilities and capacities. The future holds much more partnering – between vendors and solution providers, between solution providers and between vendors themselves. Partner Account Managers should have a concentrated role in ensuring the success of those relationships.
Data from the 2016 PartnerPath Annual State of Partnering Survey. Click to enlarge.
The future of the channel includes individualized partner models, individualized enablement and individualized experiences for the partner. The solution providers will have the power through their ownership of the customer relationship. Vendors need to fit into the solution, relying on the channel relationships to deliver on the customers’ business needs. The role of the PAM will therefore shift to ensuring the partners’ success, rather than managing pipeline and forecast numbers. Pipeline management, forecasting and business planning can all be done through automation tools. As Relationship Success Managers, the PAMs of the future will ensure the solution providers are successfully using your products, wrapped in their services, and producing happy customers. If you’re not helping solution providers succeed, someone with a different, but similar, technology will.
Watch the July 27 Webinar Recording on the Changing Role of a PAM.