Avant Unleashes Next Generation of Pathfinder Platform

Technology services distributor (TSD) Avant has unveiled the next generation of its Pathfinder platform for technology sales.

The Pathfinder platform has emerged from beta after undergoing testing and optimization based on feedback from tech advisors and vendor partners.

Chris Werpy, Avant’s chief innovation officer, said technology and the channel are “evolving at a pace greater than many can keep up with.”

Avant's Chris Werpy

“The new Pathfinder platform was built on a fast framework that allows for stronger agility to continually address the changing needs of each stakeholder involved in a trusted advisor’s opportunity,” he said. “With technology evolving, buyer needs shift, creating demand from trusted advisors for tools that accelerate market entry, elevate customer engagement, and empower themselves as leaders in this space."

Werpy said Avant designed the newest version of Pathfinder to adapt to changing technology and to offer innovations that support its partners' growing businesses.

Details of Next-Generation Pathfinder Platform

The next-generation Pathfinder platform is built on a faster, future-proofed framework that Avant designed to help tech advisors keep up with the rapid pace of change in technology, and drive year-over-year revenue growth by allowing more confident decision-making.

An enhanced sales collateral feature connects tech advisors to content focused on key product features and differentiators, ideal customer profiles, elevator pitches and case studies created by vendors and curated by Avant.

In addition, Pathfinder includes peer-to-peer vendor guidance and customer-ready insights, including net promoter scores (NPS) based on tech advisor-verified sales data.

Tech advisors can now generate branded marketing materials in real time using content from Pathfinder’s provider portfolio. Power briefs incorporate the tech advisor’s logo, brand assets and targeted messaging for individual customers.

Moreover, select provider pages within the provider portfolio will feature analysis from Avant’s sales engineers to help tech advisors easily identify when a particular supplier would be the “best fit” for an end customer solution.

Pathfinder Engage, Blue

The updated Avant platform introduces Pathfinder Engage, a tool for vendors designed to enhance collaboration with tech advisors and their customers. It offers additional reporting and analytics, with varying access tiers. Vendors can create and share custom content about their solutions. 

With the launch of the next generation of Pathfinder, Avant is also introducing a new back-office tool called Pathfinder Blue for Avant team members. This further enhances the support trusted advisors receive from Avant’s partner support and sales engineering teams.

“The next generation of Pathfinder will make it easier for all stakeholders to work together, creating stronger cohesion and communication,” Werpy said. “This was a triple-platform launch, introducing both Pathfinder Engage and Pathfinder Blue as better access points for vendors (Engage) and the Avant team (Blue). Our team’s primary goal here is to build a platform that streamlines interactions and creates efficiencies for everyone — trusted advisors, vendors and our Avant team alike.”

Avant will continue to optimize its platform over time, with the intention of making Pathfinder a tool its tech advisors can use with their end customers to bolster decision confidence and win more deals, he said.

“This is just the beginning of the innovation we have planned for Pathfinder, and we can’t wait to share more of what’s coming in 2025,” Werpy said.