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Is It Time to Modernize Your Channel Partner Program?

March 21, 2018 | By Kathy Freeman Contreras

  • B-to-b organizations often struggle to establish partner programs that can support their channel strategy and growth objectives
  • Many partner programs have not been transformed or adapted to address new and expanded routes to market, or to consolidate/simplify disjointed programs
  • Suppliers must modernize their partner programs to incorporate value measures, specializations and competencies

More and more, I hear from leading b-to-b channel organizations that they are looking to redesign or re-architect their channel partner program. An organization’s channel program is the underlying structure from which its partners are managed. Each organization’s channel strategy and channel ecosystem is unique and can include thousands of partners of various partner types, business models, sizes and commitment levels.

Today’s channel ecosystems involve new partner types, emerging and hybrid partner business models, non-traditional partnering opportunities, and expanding and contracting partner value. The structure of many historical partner programs cannot support the organization’s channel transformation as it adapts the business to meet evolving channel strategies. Many organizations struggle to modernize their partner programs to address new and expanded routes to market, consolidate and/or simplify disjointed programs, and incorporate best practices (e.g. value measures, specializations, competencies). The need to formalize a structure from which to manage these partners – allowing for tier-level status to be awarded on the basis of the partner’s relative value and commitment to the supplier –  has become an initiative of extreme importance for most channel leaders.

At what point do you need to consider modernizing your channel partner program? Here are five key triggers:

  1. The organization is new to the channel or entering it for the first time with no established partner program in place
  2. The partner program has not been updated in the last three years
  3. The channel ecosystem includes new or modified routes to market/partner types
  4. Partner program performance in decline – e.g. lack of profitability by program tier level, top tier partners not growing
  5. The current partner program is no longer competitive, resulting in a negative and lasting impact on partner satisfaction, commitment and loyalty

Please join us at SiriusDecisions Summit 2018 in Las Vegas May 8-10, as we unveil a new framework for modernizing your channel partner program along with other key models, frameworks and best practices for marketing, product, sales and channel professionals. Click here for more information and to register

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Kathy Freeman Contreras

Kathy is a passionate marketing and channel professional with nearly 20 years of global experience in defining market and channel strategy and deploying related programs. Her expertise is in devising partner marketing strategy, assessing channel/operational readiness, building global channel programs and driving channel success in accelerated timeframes across strategic alliances, system integrators, solution/service providers, distribution, original equipment manufacturers, independent software vendors and developer partners.

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<p>Best-in-class channel marketing and sales leaders build, manage and grow a successful indirect business. The SiriusDecisions Channel Operating Model supports this effort by enabling leaders to establish or assess, by function, the key processes and activities required.</p> Access Model