Software Delays: Help Your Clients Win at Regulatory Roulette

In the high-stakes world of enterprise IT, your clients are unwittingly playing a dangerous game of chance. The roulette wheel spins, but it's not just money at stake — it's their reputation, financial stability and regulatory compliance. As their trusted advisor, you're uniquely positioned to help them change the rules of this rigged game.

The house? The tech giants who control your clients' software infrastructure. The rigged game? Slow software responses to critical security issues that leave organizations exposed to regulatory risk while consuming up to 90% of their IT budgets to keep the lights on.

As an enterprise software veteran and leader of an organisation that works in the channel, I've witnessed this perilous game play out countless times. The scenario is all too familiar: A critical vulnerability is discovered in a widely used enterprise software package. Regulators immediately demand action. Tight deadlines are set for patching or mitigation. Your client – along with thousands of others – is now on the clock.

But there's a catch. They depend entirely on their software licensor to provide a fix. Days turn into weeks, and weeks stretch into months. All the while, your client remains exposed, teetering on the edge of non-compliance. The consequences? Punitive fines, reputation damage and lost business opportunities.

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The recent CrowdStrike incident, where a routine software update caused widespread system failures, highlighted how vulnerable organizations are to software missteps. While catastrophic failures grab headlines, the slow, grinding inefficiency of tech giant responses often poses a more insidious threat to regulatory compliance. As a channel partner, you've likely witnessed firsthand how these delays impact your clients' operations and compliance efforts.

The Channel Partner's Strategic Advantage

Consider a typical enterprise running dozens – if not hundreds – of software packages from various vendors. Each represents a potential point of failure, a ticking time bomb of regulatory risk. Your clients need a partner who can help them navigate this complex web of dependencies while ensuring continuous compliance.

As a channel partner, you're ideally positioned to help clients navigate this regulatory minefield. Your existing relationships and understanding of their business needs make you the perfect advisor for implementing more robust software management strategies.

The root problem lies in a fundamental misalignment of incentives. Software licensors operate on self-serving timelines, particularly the tech giants who dominate the enterprise space. Their priorities are driven by profit margins, new feature development and shareholder expectations. Your clients' regulatory compliance often becomes an afterthought.

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You can assist clients in several ways. First, encourage them to embrace risk-based software management to help move beyond passive acceptance of vendor timelines. Implement regular risk assessments of their software ecosystem and develop contingency plans for potential software delays. Your expertise in monitoring and risk mitigation tools becomes invaluable here.

Also, suggest leveraging alternative support models. The traditional software publisher-only support model is no longer sufficient in today's regulatory environment. As a channel partner, you can introduce innovative independent support options that offer more responsive, tailored solutions to compliance needs. These alternatives often provide faster response times and custom patches when big tech responses lag.

Further, help your clients join forces with peer organizations to share best practices and collectively pressure software licensors for improved responsiveness. Your network and industry connections can facilitate these valuable relationships.

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Additionally, guide your clients in maintaining meticulous records of all supplier communications, risk mitigation efforts, and compliance-related activities. This documentation can be crucial during audits or when dealing with regulatory bodies.

Expanding Your Service Portfolio

Incorporating independent software support into your service portfolio as a channel partner creates new opportunities for growth and client engagement. By offering alternatives to traditional vendor support, you position yourself as an innovative problem-solver rather than just another reseller. This differentiation is crucial in today's competitive market.

Moreover, by helping clients optimize their software support costs, you create opportunities for additional service offerings. Whether it's security consulting, cloud migration or digital transformation initiatives, the budget freed from excessive maintenance fees can fund new projects — projects you're ideally positioned to lead.

One often overlooked advantage of independent support solutions is the transparency they offer. Unlike traditional vendor support, where information about patching timelines and potential risks often remains obscure, independent providers typically offer clearer communication and more detailed reporting. This transparency helps you build trust with your clients while providing the documentation needed for regulatory compliance.

Perhaps most importantly, by helping clients reduce their software support costs, you enable them to redirect resources toward innovation. When 90% of IT budgets are tied up in maintenance, there's little room for digital transformation. By introducing more cost-effective support solutions, you help free up budget for new initiatives — initiatives that you're well-positioned to support.

The regulatory roulette game may be rigged against businesses, but channel partners have the expertise and relationships to help clients beat the house. Taking a proactive, risk-based approach to supplier management and compliance can help your clients navigate the regulatory landscape while positioning yourself as an indispensable strategic partner.

The stakes are too high to leave your clients' compliance – and their company's future – to chance. As their trusted advisor, you have the power to help them change the game.