Why Partners Are Tech Disruptors: Vonage, IBM, 8x8, Others Weigh In
We asked vendors, partners and an analyst about the difference partners make in the channel ecosystem.
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Kathy Mazza
Head of Channel Sales
Ooma
"Partners are technology disruptors for both their customers and their suppliers, as customers are often reluctant to make big investments in new technology without guidance from trusted advisors such as channel partners."
She believes that because customers are confused by an overwhelming number of choices and don’t trust vendor claims, adding "suppliers can appear disconnected from end users."
"Partners can close the gap by pushing for product roadmaps that genuinely meet customer needs — acting as catalysts for change who accelerate technology adoption by their clients and push suppliers in the right direction."
Jim Regan
Channel Leader
Vonage
Regan acknowledges that with all the changes going on in the industry, partners are an indispensable resource.
"Many of these new changes aren’t elective, which makes the experience and established trust of the partners so critical, but now more than ever, partners have to stay on top of this constantly evolving landscape to be seen not only as technology advisors but as thought leaders."
Kate Woolley
General Manager
IBM Ecosystem
No one vendor can do it all, according to IBM's ecosystem general manager. “The reality is that no one vendor can meet all the needs of clients today, which is why partnership is more important than ever in bringing solutions to market faster and enabling our clients to succeed."
Citing AI, Woolley said, "we’ve heard a great deal of excitement from clients and partners, many of whom get challenged by the cost and expertise barriers to implementing accurate, scalable and adaptable AI."
Woolley noted that partners play a pivotal role in bridging the skills gap and building solutions on top of trusted AI technology "to accelerate adoption across a variety of enterprise use cases.”
Michael Quince
Interim Channel Leader
8x8
It's not always glamor and glitter, according to Quince, who told Channel Futures, "to me, the real disruption — as is so often the case — comes from the steely work ethic of the professionals often operating in the background."
It’s with both boots on the ground, working on solutions with end customers that partners make the real difference, Quince said. “They understand a customer’ back story, organization, challenges and business needs uniquely.
“Channel partners are also the best and most qualified to own the customer relationship, as they can deliver valuable insight and impact on the customer experience, which is where the real disruption happens."
Chris Dickson
North American Channel Leader
Avaya
Dickson said that partners play a crucial role in the technology supply chain as they transform how technology is distributed, consumed and integrated into daily lives.
"Partners have a deep understanding of local and regional nuances, including vertical-specific expertise, allowing them to customize technology solutions to meet specific needs,” Dickson said. “This personalization can lead to innovative use cases, tailored solutions and niche market opportunities.”
Steve Forcum
Director of Program Management
Sippio
"I’ve often used the difference between a bartender and a mixologist as an analogy to describe the ongoing evolution of the channel partner from a value-added reseller to a trusted advisor. Whereas a bartender serves their customers bottled beverages sourced from a distributor, a mixologist leverages knowledge of assembling various ingredients to create a specific cocktail.”
Forcum believes that in today’s SaaS and cloud-centric economy, organizations look for partners to deliver outcomes, not technology. “Partners have become trusted advisors who drive tangible, measurable and impactful business transformation across a growing technology portfolio and now get measured by revenue growth and expense reduction directly attributable to the implemented solution."
The more forward-thinking, knowledgeable, and adaptable the partner is in their approach to conducting business, he said, "the more successful and ultimately disruptive they become in the evolving technology landscape."
Robert DeVita
Founder and CEO
Mejeticks
"A trusted advisor can help to shorten the technology buying timeline significantly and get new tech deployed for customers more quickly. Our job is to constantly evaluate new technology and new vendors that will drive business, cost or technology improvements for our customers."
Rarely, Devita said, do partners see an enterprise customer with a headcount aligned to investigating and mapping out new technology.
John O. Cooper V
Managing Director, UcaaS, CCaaS, CX, AI
Procure IT
“Partners leverage real-world insights and experience to give clients a competitive edge, ensuring they achieve the best results,” Cooper said.
It’s this understanding of what works in practice that enables partners to refine requirements and help customers select the best tech and collaborators, he said. "In addition, partners excel in negotiations, securing the best pricing and terms for clients, and they have a wealth of experience in hundreds of negotiations, meaning we know how to achieve the most favorable outcomes.”
Michael Agri
President
North Atlantic Consultants
According to Agri, getting it right the first time is what makes partners tech disruptors, adding, "providers are notoriously bad at implementation and ongoing support, so we fill that gap.”
Because partners are independent, Agri said, they "share the best providers, practices and pricing."
Cynthia Ferrell
Owner
TeamKC Telecom
"No single product or vendor can cover every base, which is where partners come into play, injecting innovation into their collaboration with customers because that's their forte.”
Cynthia Ferrell
Owner
TeamKC Telecom
"No single product or vendor can cover every base, which is where partners come into play, injecting innovation into their collaboration with customers because that's their forte.”
Partners have long been technology disruptors involved in nearly every step from presales to implementation and daily management. That spans technologies from SD-WAN to security to unified communications and collaboration tools. These folks have been the backbone of many large organizations and accounted for most of their sales.
Most organizations we spoke with acknowledge the pivotal role members of the channel play in their success. In many cases, they account for over 80% of sales. Then there’s the role channel partners play as educators — just one of the many hats they wear while working to earn new business and retain the customers they have have.
InFlow Analysis' David Smith
It’s this gift for shape shifting that David Smith, founder and principal of InFlow Analysis, says makes partners unmistakable tech disruptors in their ecosystem. They’re able to leverage integration capabilities, customization expertise and value-added services, Smith told Channel Futures.
Channel partners also leverage their domain knowledge and vast customer relationships to drive innovation and transformation, Smith said. “This is something I've seen firsthand in the spaces I cover, such as the broader digital workplace and specifically in communications and collaboration and contact centers where partners are vital for AI (artificial intelligence) adoption, as it can be daunting for organizations."
Smith said that in the communications and collaboration channel partners tend to play what he called a "particularly important' role in disrupting the technology ecosystem. “This is because they help customers in the digital transformation process — that is to say the transition to new cloud-based solutions, such as Microsoft Teams and Zoom — while also helping integrate these new solutions with their existing systems and workflows," Smith said.
Find out what other channel leaders had to say about partners’ roles in tech disruption.
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