How to Be the Most Successful Channel Player in the Post-COVID World

Bob Lamendola

COVID-19 has forced organizations to accelerate their digital transformation and adoption of new technology. Although digital transformation activities started before 2020, the pace and urgency of implementing them has quickly risen to the top of the priority list. As such, IT organizations have adopted new technology, new ways of working and new thinking about their relationships with technology companies.

Best Practices

Some best practices have and will always hold true. Others are now more important than ever. Here are a few recommendations for how to identify the best partners for your organization and how to be the best channel partner you can possibly be in the post-pandemic world.

Bundle what you can. The future of the workplace will inevitably consist of a more diverse, separated and distributed remote workforce than ever before. As such, it will be crucial to offer more packaged solutions and services that can easily be procured, deployed and consumed. Packaged solutions enable agile organizations and meet the growing needs of their increasingly remote and hybrid workforce. Consider partners that not only prioritize solution development based on a thorough understanding of customer challenges and needs, but that take a centralized approach to management, incubation, R&D and operationalization that drives agility and efficiency for increased innovation.

Take a comprehensive approach. It’s important to think all inclusively. Value-added resellers (VARs), managed service providers (MSPs) and channel service providers can effectively choose their partners by taking a holistic approach to portfolio alignment and go-to-market strategy. Start by identifying potential solutions across several technology partners, and thoroughly evaluate solution capabilities, features, pricing, profitability and partner incentives. This mutually beneficial relationship enables both stakeholders to add and take advantage of value cohesively.

Take as many test drives as you need. It’s imperative to execute proof-of-concept testing on the leading options to confirm that the solutions function successfully and are viable before moving forward with any partnership. When developing agile processes — which, as mentioned, is a critical step in the post-pandemic world — build toward specific customer needs. Partnerships that engage in co-development activities and appreciate this type of intentional life cycle development are typically the most successful.

Identify the right criteria. To be successful, VARs, MSPs and channel service providers should work to ensure that they have a clearly defined sales and go-to-market strategy, market coverage or presence, reputation and current portfolio to present to their channel partners. These criteria help define what your partnership will entail and frame a reciprocal understanding about working together, as well as shared objectives and goals. Organizations that make an upfront investment in developing a common vision of success and goals over time — and understand whether those priorities have shifted or changed because of the pandemic — will likely result in a positive experience.

Remember who comes first. It’s important to understand the competitive landscape to avoid partnering with providers that operate in a limited or saturated market; that have vision or strategies that do not align with your own; or are solely transactional in nature. This is true in any market, but particularly important in the post-pandemic world where customer-centricity is more important – and expected – than ever. Today, customers are uniquely poised to bargain to win given the newfound consumerization of everything. And, while we know that the customer sits at the crux of all we do, if there is one thing the pandemic has shown us, it’s that they could be sitting anywhere. Partner with organizations that share this customer-first mindset and have a similar desire to meet their customers at their immediate point of need.

Similarly, it’s also wise to avoid closely affiliating with organizations that don’t have a partner alliance team or dedicated resource that will be available to work with you to build the relationship and drive success for your solution. You want to ensure that …