With Channel Connect @CRN_UK and Internet World IW_expo coming up in the diary, I'm looking forward to getting behind some of the fluffy cloud stuff and finding out what is really happening with the Channel at the moment.
The big question remains... is the reseller doing anything for your business?
We've seen too many channel models over the years. It's fair to say that each has value in most cases for the vendor, but it often depends on if the partners are running a business as a sales organisation or just fulfilling business as a reseller. How many times have we seen "Bring me some leads and I will sell your product"!!
I recently read about Solidworks VAR programme, a worthwhile read if you have 5 minutes http://bit.ly/j2RFoW but raises a real question about what the resellers are actually doing to own their business in the first place - it seems to me that these are just becoming a sales office that Solidworks don't own or control in the long term. Great if the reseller is exclusive, signs a contract and is close to the business. Are there any of those still out there? Applications on a postcard please.
The big question remains... is the reseller doing anything for your business?
We've seen too many channel models over the years. It's fair to say that each has value in most cases for the vendor, but it often depends on if the partners are running a business as a sales organisation or just fulfilling business as a reseller. How many times have we seen "Bring me some leads and I will sell your product"!!
I recently read about Solidworks VAR programme, a worthwhile read if you have 5 minutes http://bit.ly/j2RFoW but raises a real question about what the resellers are actually doing to own their business in the first place - it seems to me that these are just becoming a sales office that Solidworks don't own or control in the long term. Great if the reseller is exclusive, signs a contract and is close to the business. Are there any of those still out there? Applications on a postcard please.
Most of the channel development and partner engagement programmes we deliver for clients have multiple vendors, services and now cloud-based solutions of their own. I'm not talking here about how to measure their effectiveness, but find the ones that can really add value to a vendors business before they enter into the agreement.
Bring on Channel Connect - should be fun!
