When Microsoft surpassed Apple to become the most valuable company in the world, the business press made no mention of partners’ contributions to the company’s success. This slight isn’t uncommon, and it’s something channel chiefs need to counteract....
Vendor mergers and acquisitions are disruptive to partners for a variety of reasons. Vendors need greater transparency when bringing two companies together. Here are a few tips for what to share with partners during such deals....
Once vendors stop playing catch-up and solution providers approach managed services strategically, not opportunistically, the full potential of the recurring revenue model can be realized....
The channel has a love-hate relationship with the long tail, mostly because of misconceptions about the composition and dynamics of low-performing partners. Here are 7 common misconceptions or overlooked facts about the channel’s long tail. ...
Automated digital sales – selling through marketplaces like Amazon, for example – will soon become a major source of indirect revenue for technology vendors. Now is the time for vendors to start preparing for this inevitable shift in selling....
Marketplaces and e-commerce are opening potentially lucrative sales channels for vendors. But automated digital sales channels don’t come without risks, and some vendors may find themselves initially at a disadvantage. ...
Vendors often question the reason for compensating partners on renewals. The truth: When not appropriately compensated, partners have many options that aren’t in favor of the vendor....
If vendors look beyond self-serving data points, and partners protect themselves through ‘diversification,’ channel relationships would be much healthier overall....