Reimaging the Partner

It’s no mystery that partners are embracing a more consultative role in the channel.

“I think partners are more engaged than what they used to be,” said Thurnau. “They want the knowledge to be better. They want to be that advisor, so they’re hungry for the knowledge.”

However, for vendors to pass along that information, they must also understand a partner’s background to avoid a relationship that’s purely transactional.

“It’s more important now than ever before to know your partner,” Day said. “And not just know them from what’s their name, where are they located, and what do they sell, but truly understand who the people are inside of their organization. Due to mergers and acquisitions, the partner landscape is drastically changing. So how well do we truly know the partners that we can be a part of their offering, creating their value proposition?”