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What the Heck is Partner Enablement?

06.29.16

... And Why Should You Care?

By Diane Krakora, CEO

In our most recent webcast, “From Programs to Initiatives: Trends in Partner Enablement,” Michelle Hodges, VP Global Strategy and Programs at Riverbed, and I discussed what it takes today to enable partners across types and program tracks. Among many other topics we tackled the core question: “What is enablement, anyway?

Enablement-work.jpgFor something that reaches across all facets of a company’s channel ecosystem, the answer is simple: Enablement is the practice of ensuring a partner can independently initiate and complete the sale process AND effectively implement and support the customer solution. It includes both sales and technical aspects.

That sounds straightforward enough. But peek under the hood and you’ll find an incredibly complex and confusing engine. (Why would anything with the channel be simple?)

For starters, we’re dealing with multiple types of channel partners: resellers, consultants, MSPs, born-in-the-cloud providers, distributors … the list goes on. Each type has its own business model – things they care about and want.

For example, most resellers were born out of their technical expertise to install and support a customer’s solution, but never acquired sales acumen. Consultants, however, may be able to sell an Eskimo a glass of ice water but their business model doesn’t entail installing, configuring and supporting the software/hardware. Different types of partners have different business models and require different enablement programs.

 

The Complexity Continues

Even then, each partner within a certain type may have a different skill level and thus could require different training from peers. There are some solution providers who rock at both sales and configuration, and forcing them to be trained on systems and sales methodology they already know would be a waste of time and energy for both of you. However, they might need more tools and resources to effectively support the customer.

That’s why individualized enablement initiatives — or pods (I know, insert groan here) — are necessary in preparing today’s channel ecosystem. If the last 12 months have taught us anything, it’s that vendors can no longer pigeonhole their partners into one-sized-fits-all pyramid-based Programs based on sales revenues and expect them to be successful. Partners who believe their vendor partners aren’t meeting their needs, wasting time and money around unnecessary enablement requirements, will walk away to sell another product, solution or customer outcome. (Don't let that happen to you.)

Have you reinvented your enablement programs to be more individualized? Are your partners successfully selling and implementing your solutions? Let us know in the comments below.

Diane Krakora headshot

Diane Krakora is CEO of PartnerPath with two decades of experience defining the best practices and frameworks around how to develop and manage partnerships.

Watch the Recording: Individualized Enablement

Topics: Channel Best Practices

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