Whether you call them resellers, channel partners or VARs, if your business model and success is contingent on retaining and attracting resellers (resellers is my naming convention for the purposes of this article) you doubtless know that they are a very vocal group. To a lesser or larger degree, you are reliant on resellers for selling your products and maybe implementation services, too. From a bottom line standpoint you're giving up margin. Additionally, to a certain degree, you're also relinquishing your products' branding since your resellers may frequently be the only face your company has to the customer and prospect. smsf advisory services pty ltd
Cutting through the clutter of your reseller feedback and complaints (and, let's face it -sometimes whining), is no easy task. There is no science to evaluating and managing all these communications from your channel and it's hard to make any truly sound business decisions based on a potentially qualitative but somewhat nebulous set of feedback. For instance, your sales managers may give you isolated, anecdotal examples of what a couple of channel partners (or maybe even just one key channel partner) are hearing from your customers. Remember: at the end of the day, whether you sell direct or through a channel partner, the customers who buy your products are YOUR customers. smsf advisory
A Reseller Advisory Board can be an invaluable springboard for tapping those closest to the sale on what your customers and prospects are saying about your products, getting critical advice on upcoming releases or strategic business decisions as well as enhancing channel relations.
You may already have a Reseller Advisory Board or are thinking about creating one. From my own personal corporate experience in highly-dependent reseller revenue models, there is a right way to getting the maximum desired results and some noteworthy traps to avoid.
At this point, it is important to note that a Customer Advisory Board is a very different animal than a Reseller Advisory Board. Most notable is that a customer rarely has a hidden agenda in the way that a reseller might. If conducted correctly, a Customer Advisory Board will almost always be a productive exercise with honest, actionable feedback. Reseller Advisory Boards can provide the same gains to your company's external knowledge set but are far more susceptible to pitfalls.
Avoid these pitfalls when establishing your Reseller Advisory board:
Picking/electing too many of your more "popular" resellers for your Advisory Board: Don't default to your most vocal resellers or those that make up your classic 80/20 revenue production. Likewise, don't be tempted to solicit resellers that you know will give you "nod" feedback. Mix up the audience. Change the advisory board members every year. A caveat; you may want to retain one or two key resellers who have continually participated and provided meaningful feedback. smsf advisory services
Pick reseller partners who follow the rules of engagement (register leads, pay you on time, and don't have an overly aggressive personal agenda). Make the appointment to the Board somewhat official (without legal obligations).
A "soft" agenda: Your Reseller Advisory Board meetings should not be a dog-and-pony show. Carefully consider the issues you and your partners are facing together. Be honest - if a product release is seriously compromised, the agenda should address that. Ask them for their opinion on how to proceed. The right agenda and invited company participants is key.
Cutting through the clutter of your reseller feedback and complaints (and, let's face it -sometimes whining), is no easy task. There is no science to evaluating and managing all these communications from your channel and it's hard to make any truly sound business decisions based on a potentially qualitative but somewhat nebulous set of feedback. For instance, your sales managers may give you isolated, anecdotal examples of what a couple of channel partners (or maybe even just one key channel partner) are hearing from your customers. Remember: at the end of the day, whether you sell direct or through a channel partner, the customers who buy your products are YOUR customers. smsf advisory
A Reseller Advisory Board can be an invaluable springboard for tapping those closest to the sale on what your customers and prospects are saying about your products, getting critical advice on upcoming releases or strategic business decisions as well as enhancing channel relations.
You may already have a Reseller Advisory Board or are thinking about creating one. From my own personal corporate experience in highly-dependent reseller revenue models, there is a right way to getting the maximum desired results and some noteworthy traps to avoid.
At this point, it is important to note that a Customer Advisory Board is a very different animal than a Reseller Advisory Board. Most notable is that a customer rarely has a hidden agenda in the way that a reseller might. If conducted correctly, a Customer Advisory Board will almost always be a productive exercise with honest, actionable feedback. Reseller Advisory Boards can provide the same gains to your company's external knowledge set but are far more susceptible to pitfalls.
Avoid these pitfalls when establishing your Reseller Advisory board:
Picking/electing too many of your more "popular" resellers for your Advisory Board: Don't default to your most vocal resellers or those that make up your classic 80/20 revenue production. Likewise, don't be tempted to solicit resellers that you know will give you "nod" feedback. Mix up the audience. Change the advisory board members every year. A caveat; you may want to retain one or two key resellers who have continually participated and provided meaningful feedback. smsf advisory services
Pick reseller partners who follow the rules of engagement (register leads, pay you on time, and don't have an overly aggressive personal agenda). Make the appointment to the Board somewhat official (without legal obligations).
A "soft" agenda: Your Reseller Advisory Board meetings should not be a dog-and-pony show. Carefully consider the issues you and your partners are facing together. Be honest - if a product release is seriously compromised, the agenda should address that. Ask them for their opinion on how to proceed. The right agenda and invited company participants is key.
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