https://www.channelfutures.com/wp-content/themes/channelfutures_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
    • MSP 501 Information Center
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
Channel Futures
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Technologies
    • Back
    • SDN/SD-WAN
    • Cloud
    • RMM/PSA
    • Security
    • Telephony/UC/Collaboration
    • Cable
    • Mobility & Wireless
    • Fiber/Ethernet
    • Data Centers
    • Backup & Disaster Recovery
    • IoT
    • Desktop
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Analytics
  • Strategy
    • Back
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Channel Research
    • Business Models
    • Distribution
    • Technology Solutions Brokerages
    • Sales & Marketing
    • Best Practices
    • Vertical Markets
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
  • MSP 501
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501 Rankings
    • 2022 NextGen 101 Rankings
    • MSP 501 Information Center
  • Intelligence
    • Back
    • Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • From the Industry
    • Reports/Digital Issues
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • Channel Futures TV
  • EMEA
  • Channel Chatter
    • Back
    • People on the Move
    • New/Changing Channel Programs
    • New Products & Services
    • Industry Honors
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Advisory Boards
    • Industry Organizations
    • Our Sponsors
    • Advertise
    • 2022 Editorial Calendar
  • Awards
    • Back
    • 2022 MSP 501
    • Channel Influencers
    • Circle of Excellence
    • DE&I 101
    • Channel Partners 101 (CP 101)
  • Events
    • Back
    • CP Conference & Expo
    • MSP Summit
    • Channel Partners Europe
    • Channel Partners Event Coverage
    • Webinars
    • Industry Events
  • About Us
  • DE&I
    • Newsletter
  • REGISTER
  • MSPs
  • VARs / SIs
  • Agents
  • Cloud Service Providers
  • Channel Partners Events
 Channel Futures

Strategy


Partnership

It Takes Two – Especially When Ideas Are as Good as Dollars

  • Written by Karl Fahrbach
  • December 4, 2017
SAP's Head of Global Channels talks about how vendors need to adjust expectations of their VAR partners

Human beings are natural collaborators, and our strategy in business shouldn’t be any different. This is especially true in the digital economy – the rapid pace at which the IT landscape is changing has created an urgency for innovation, and the only way this can be achieved is through the evolution of partner programs. Though the relationship between software vendors and Value Added Resellers (VARs) provides the partnering VAR with a certain level of independence in decision-making, ongoing collaboration should be thought of as the backbone to these kinds of business relationships. To ensure that partners are set up for success regardless of their level of engagement, software vendors must establish programs that provide the following: 

An “economy of ideas”

Need an idea for how to grow your partner ecosystem, or further tailor your solution portfolio? Why not ask the parties directly involved? Don’t limit communication with your partners to formal email chains and quarterly meetings – make sure conversations are ongoing and open. Partner programs should take advantage of the connectedness of today’s society by implementing the same principles. Showing partners that you value their opinions will make them more inclined to share their aspirations and challenges, allowing for problems to be addressed before they occur. This is especially valuable in the partner relationship between a VAR and vendor. By keeping a steady flow of communication, vendors and partners can work together to bolster the VAR “value-add” that will accompany a given solution. Many minds make light (and innovative) work.

Channel know-how

Once a VAR has decided on a solution, they then become the direct point of contact for the end-user for solution customization. The paradigm of the channel has shifted, making it a marketplace with limitless options to choose from. Companies large and small and from many industries are seeking out cloud-based solutions from VARs, but given their wide range of specific needs, conversations to find the right fit will not be the same. No solution will be one-size-fits all, and as such, vendors should take the time to understand their VAR partners’ industry of focus, and provide them with the marketing and sales tools that best target that audience.

However, effective partner programs must go past sales assets, and offer education and enablement. Through training programs, discussion boards and support availability, partners are given an outlet to ask questions and receive immediate feedback. Not only does this have the potential to increase time-to-sale, it also fosters a strong sense of community created around the partner ecosystem.

A clear measurement of success

As a foundation for many VAR/vendor relationships, VARs are required to meet authorizations and/or revenue targets to maintain the partnership. While the thought of “requirements” might come with a negative, one-sided connotation, these details should not be left to the fine print of the agreement. Instead, partners should be provided with a linear view of the journey to reach these benchmarks, inclusive of certifications and communications that should occur along the way. Support materials such as trainings and marketing assets are useless without direction on how to use them, so laying out a clear-cut path in best practices is invaluable to ensuring partner success.  To that end, these kinds of partnerships must be symbiotic, and the achievement of these milestones must be recognized. Whether it comes in the form of financial incentive or additional marketing resources, rewards are a necessary part of any successful partner program.

Though the business partnerships of yore often centered around a smaller party working toward the success of a larger party, placing a premium on active, collaborative partnerships is more important now than ever, meaning ideas are as good as dollars.

 

 

Tags: Agents Cloud Service Providers MSPs VARs/SIs Strategy Technologies

Most Recent


  • Rocket boosters
    Nerdio Puts Rocket Boosters on MSP Partnerd Partner Program
    Partnerd program ups the ‘nerd’ factor, providing the tools, education, and resources needed to succeed for MSPs.
  • MA merger acquisition
    Service Express Snaps Up Two Providers with Key IBM Cloud Expertise
    The acquisition comes amid ongoing M&A among managed service providers, including N-able and Node4.
  • GoTo Expands Mobile Device Management with Planned Purchase of Miradore
    The acquisition will allow for flexible end-to-end support of all devices for SMBs.
  • Catching cloud in net
    Node4 Is Growing, Acquires Microsoft Cloud Specialist risual
    MSP Node4 acquires risual to strengthen Microsoft Cloud capabilities and public sector footprint.

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your Channel Futures account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Cloud Phone
    AT&T to Offer Up to 1 Million Customers Cisco Webex Calling
  • M&A
    Why All MSPs Need to Understand the M&A Landscape
  • hurricane season
    4 Things MSPs Should Consider When Prepping for Hurricane Season
  • What's new?
    Partner Program Updates: Dell, Spectrum, Vonage, IBM, NetApp, More

Upcoming Events

View all

MSP Summit

September 13, 2022 - September 16, 2022

Channel Partners Conference & Expo

May 1, 2023 - May 4, 2023

Galleries

View all

Microsoft Reveals 2022 Partner of the Year Awards

July 6, 2022

Channel People on the Move: AT&T, HPE, Google Cloud, Comcast, More

July 5, 2022

Missed June’s Cloud News? AWS, VMware, HPE, Google Cloud Made Headlines

July 5, 2022

Industry Perspectives

View all

The Role of Mentors and Sponsors in Advancing Your Tech Career

July 5, 2022

How to Make Embracing Change Part of Your Company Culture

July 1, 2022

How to Differentiate to Leverage 5G’s Revenue Opportunity

June 28, 2022

Webinars

View all

VEP Platform for Delivery of uCPE, SD-WAN and SASE

June 29, 2022

The Digital Worker: How to Empower Customers with a Flexible, Scalable VDI Solution to Enable Remote Work

June 30, 2022

Growing Partner Revenue and Customer Satisfaction with Power Management Services

June 23, 2022

White Papers

View all

Work Goes Remote – (and Other Top ITOps Trends)

May 25, 2022

The New Bottom Line: How MSPs Can Meet the Healthcare Crisis While Evolving Their Businesses

April 19, 2022

How to build a Security Operations Center (on a budget)

April 4, 2022

Channel Futures TV

View all

Vonage a ‘Single Communications Stack Provider’ for Partners, Customers

IBM, Partners and the $1 Trillion Hybrid Cloud Opportunity

June 26, 2022

Agents Share ‘Secrets,’ Industry Opportunity

May 11, 2022

AT&T, Microsoft, Cisco, ThreatLocker on Unlocking Partner Potential

May 6, 2022

Twitter

ChannelFutures

We've extended the deadline to July 8 to submit a nomination for this year's DE&I 101 - honoring members of the tec… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 7, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@GetNerdio has significantly revamped its Partnerd partner program, originally introduced in May of 2021.… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

With planned acquisition of @MiradoreLtd, small and midsized businesses can now partner with @GoTo for a one-stop-s… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

Read about @ScienceLogic's two new hires. dlvr.it/STRqwM https://t.co/BWeZo4fXbs

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

Breaking down the 2022 #Microsoft @msPartner of the Year Awards. dlvr.it/STRlVC https://t.co/HspwIXREp2

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

RT @MSP_Summit: Today's #MSPSummit & Channel Leadership Summit #SpeakerSpotlight is on @Len_DiCostanzo, CEO of MSPToolkit! Learn from one o…

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

Global software company @Nable has acquired @Spinpanel, a multi-tenant Microsoft 365 management and automation plat… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

July 6, 2022
ChannelFutures

.@nitelusa weighed in on @ABIResearch's latest study. dlvr.it/STRVYg https://t.co/CudmYUiLjz

July 6, 2022

MSP 501

The industry's largest and most comprehensive partner awards program.

Newsletters and Updates

Sign up for The Channel Report, Channel Futures Update, MSP 501 Newsletter and more.

Live Channel Events

Get the latest information on the next industry-leading Channel Partners event.

Galleries

Educational slide shows and images from live events.

Media Kit And Advertising

Want to reach our audience? Access our media kit.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • Channel Partners Events
  • Telecoms.com
  • MSP 501
  • Black Hat
  • IoT World Today
  • Omdia

WORKING WITH US

  • Contact
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Newsletter

FOLLOW Channel Futures ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X