Vendors can spend all the money in the world designing a world-beating partner programme with industry-leading margins.
But that’s no more than a good start when it comes to winning over the channel partners that stand between them and the end-user budgets they are so eager to unlock.
IT Channel Oxygen caught up with the CEOs or MDs of 11 leading UK partners to find out which vendor traits and behaviours most dazzle and depress them.
They represented partners large and small, from market giants such as CDW, Insight, Phoenix Software and Focus Group, to smaller specialists including Red Helix, Ramsac, Simoda, ITB, Convergent Technology, Krome Technologies and Celerity.
Margins and partner programme mechanics rarely came up, with the leaders we spoke to variously lauding vendors who engage in joint execution planning, expedite customer issues speedily and take time to understand their businesses.
On the other hand, common bugbears included pointless personnel and commercial changes, unmanned phones and murky or byzantine deal reg and MDF processes. Golf days were a turn off for one particular leader, meanwhile.
The 250 resellers and MSPs featured in the recent Oxygen 250 generated sales of over £29.2bn in their latest years on record. They represent a powerful front line of trusted advisors that hold the keys to end user IT spending.
So what is the way to a channel partner’s heart?
Read on to find out:
Neil Hall, CEO Focus Group
Which vendor behaviour or trait do you love the most, and want to see more of?
One vendor, Cisco, has to sign off direct deals by their channel director. This creates direct deals being an exception and shows their commitment to the channel.
What do they do that irritates or frustrates you?
When there is no joint risk and reward, typically from a commercial perspective.
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