The IoT trend is for real, but applications, not hardware, live at its core, opening the way to a ‘brave new world’ of rich data and actionable intelligence....
Tesla wants to bypass auto dealers and sell its ‘green’ cars direct, but Dell and others offer ample proof that the channel is needed, no matter the industry....
Vendors often see positive returns from partners as a good indicator of value. But they need to look at how much partners give back without consuming costly resources. Contributing partners have greater value, and there’s a way to quantify who they are. ...
We often hear about channel consolidation, but consolidation is happening at the vendor level, too, and it’s mostly a result of the shift from conventional products to services-based offerings....
Growth planning is more than just thinking about selling more. It’s about recalibrating product and revenue mixes, making adjustments and moving the business higher. ...
Many vendors tout their commitment to the indirect sales model and even go so far as to say they’re 100 percent channel. It’s a nice sentiment, but nowhere near reality....
For years, the channel community has berated and discounted the so-called “lifestyle VAR” as a no-ambition, self-sustaining business that doesn’t contribute to growth. The industry got it wrong and, in fact, should be embracing the people and businesses that call the channel a lifestyle....
Before transformation can begin, the business must first assess where it stands and what’s happening in the market around it, and decide where it wants to go....
