- Technology buyers today want to work with vendors that deliver more than point products—they want integrated solutions backed by services and support.
- For technology vendors, establishing a robust, mature partner ecosystem is essential for meeting buyer expectations.
- The foundation for a mature partner ecosystem requires a few key steps, such as setting clear expectations, simplifying processes, and incentivizing the right performance.
Technology buyers today are looking for more than another standalone product. They recognize that adding discrete tools to address individual problems will lead to management complexity that drains their resources. Instead, they want solutions that are already integrated with the other tools in their stack, backed by a partner they trust, and supported by people who understand their business.
This shift in buyer preferences is a key reason why partner ecosystems have become so important for technology vendors. To deliver integrated solutions with supplementary services and support, vendors must rely on a range of partner organizations.
Of course, quickly signing up a few resellers will not suddenly deliver new wins for vendors. Vendors need a true ecosystem, in which multiple partners—including not only resellers but also system integrators and managed service providers—are working to create long-term value for everyone. Many buyers want that ecosystem in place before they commit to new technology investments.
Partner Program Maturity Is Essential
At one time, simply having a partner program might have been enough of a signal for technology buyers. The presence of a program could boost buyer confidence by demonstrating that there were other companies that could sell, configure, and support a vendor’s solutions.
Today, buyers expect more. They can tell the difference between a channel that exists on paper and one that is genuinely mature. A mature channel has clear goals, the right mix of partners, and foundational programs that scale.
The vendors succeeding in the market are the ones building maturity by scrutinizing their existing channel ecosystem. They are asking themselves essential questions, such as:
- Do we have the right programs and partner mix in place?
- Where are the gaps, and what will it take to close them?
- Are our internal goals, objectives, and KPIs aligned with what the ecosystem needs?
As they answer these questions, they are building a new vision for their ecosystem. That vision is built to benefit multiple partners as well as their own organization. With this mutually beneficial approach, they can move forward with a channel strategy whose profits compound over time.
Buyers See Where Vendors Are on the Maturity Curve
The maturity of a partner ecosystem is clearly visible to technology buyers. They can easily see whether co-marketing and co-selling motions are well integrated. Reviewing marketing content might be a first indication of ecosystem maturity: Do vendors and partners have the same messaging about their solutions or services? Is there a clear path for learning more and engaging with sales teams, no matter where buyers begin their journey?
Buyers can also quickly determine whether vendors and their partners are aligned with their product roadmaps and service offerings. Are vendors and partners developing new solutions together? Have they successfully deployed those solutions and achieved tangible, real-world benefits for their customers? Can those customers rely on vendors and partners for ongoing management or support?
The maturity of an ecosystem is also obvious to partners. The maturity level often becomes clear as a partner collaborates with the vendor and other partners in the ecosystem. When conducting strategic planning, is everyone able to see the bigger picture, looking beyond individual company targets to define shared sales objectives, marketing investments, and training or certification requirements? Is there a plan to move from simple co-selling toward jointly developed solutions, shared marketing content, and collaborative go-to-market strategies? Like customers, partners are continuously evaluating their options—and they are frequently drawn to more mature ecosystems.
Laying the Foundation for a Successful Channel Business
Building a channel business must start with a solid foundation. That foundation should be aligned with a two- to three-year vision for the ecosystem—it should not be focused solely on this quarter’s targets.
A few practices can help technology vendors establish that foundation for their long-term vision. solely on this quarter’s targets.
- Setting expectations. Vendors should establish clear goals and performance expectations with their partners. Doing so will build trust for collaboration.
- Making it easy to do business. Partners want to work with vendors that simplify processes—from developing shared go-to-market plans to registering deals.
- Providing clear and frequent communication. By sharing their business vision and evolving strategies with partners, vendors keep those partners committed and engaged. This open communication enhances trust.
- Incentivizing the right performance. It might seem obvious, but incentive programs should reward behaviors and outcomes tied to strategic objectives. Incentivizing the right performance benefits all parties.
- Analyzing both successes and failures. Vendors should continuously measure performance, and analyze both wins and losses. Communicating insights to partners and internal teams can help optimize channel strategies.
- Establishing a project management office. Having a function dedicated to aligning organizations, facilitating execution, and measuring progress can help teams stay focused on their core roles.
What Winning Looks Like
From the partner perspective, winning ultimately means consistent, incremental revenue growth. But with a robust, mature ecosystem, partners can also gain deeper domain expertise and expand their service offerings.
For technology vendors, a successful, mature partner ecosystem will enhance competitive differentiation and provide new avenues into market expansion. Vendors might be able to reach new geographic regions or new verticals. Strong partnerships can also accelerate development of new joint offerings and reduce the burden of planning and executing go-to-market strategies.
But to realize those benefits, vendors need to do more than launching a new channel program. They need to establish a multi-partner ecosystem and then invest in its development and maturity. Those investments—in time and effort—will pay off for all ecosystem participants.
A: Technology buyers are looking for more than discrete products that can address individual requirements. They want integrated solutions, backed by expert services and responsive support. Meeting those expectations requires technology vendors to develop a true partner ecosystem.
A: Buyers want to know that vendors and their partners are deeply committed to developing integrated solutions, streamlining deployments, and ensuring reliable solution operation for the long term. Hastily assembled partner programs are no longer sufficient for addressing buyer concerns.
A: A few practices can help vendors establish a foundation for a partner ecosystem. For example, they should set clear expectations with partners, simplify processes, facilitate frequent communication, and incentivize the right performance. Establishing a project management office can streamline collaboration while analyzing successes (and failures) will help optimize strategies.
