Top 15 Channel Manager Chris Shubert, NuVox
Years in position: 8
Years in channel: 10
Main channel goal: “My goal is to help my channel partners achieve theirs! With every partner, I want to take the time to custom-design a program that will allow them to succeed with NuVox based on their strengths and needs. There is no better feeling for me than to see a partner grow and hit the next level with my program.”
Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge in the channel is keeping focus. Partners get distracted by myriad different things that come with the telecom territory. Whether it is a vendor issue, a new product or promo or some crazy offer from the competition, you have to keep your focus on hitting your number and taking care of your customer. The distractions come and go, but consistent work habits will save you every time.”
What traits do you exhibit that you think make a top channel manager? “When it comes to taking care of my channel partners, it’s all about simplicity and speed. From your products to your paperwork, you have to keep things simple for the customer to understand. If they cannot understand it in two minutes, they will not buy it. Speed is the other key. You have to respond faster than your competition from quoting to installation.”
Lucky charm: Leather jacket he’s had since high school.
What agents say about Chris:
“Chris gets both the reactive requirements of being a great channel manager as well as the more strategic and tactical requirements to build a long-term revenue stream that is bigger than what his support alone can deliver.”
— Lance Akins, Vice President – Sales, Telarus
“Chris is extremely responsive; he knows his products extremely well and takes the time to work with agents to match the right product to the application and business need of every opportunity. In addition, Chris is a true advocate for sales. He does a great job of selling NuVox to end users and thus becomes an effective part of an agents’ strategy to close business. Once sold, Chris is committed to customer service and goes above and beyond to make sure customers are satisfied.”
— Nancy Ridge, Vice President, Telcombrokers
