Don't Be Channel Program Oblivious

By Brendan Kinkade, VP of channel management and global alliances, FalconStor

What are some of the less obvious differentiators among the various channel programs out there?
One of the less obvious differentiators among various channel programs is program integration. A well-integrated program is more efficient and doesn’t create additional cycles. As partners well know, time is money and spending time navigating a complex partner program is not the best use of their sales team’s time. A partner should consider how easy it is to get the tools they need, to get the support they are seeking, and ask themselves if the program supports them in closing deals more efficiently.

Partners should seek vendors that allow them to access the right sales materials and tools — including efficient  lead-management tools — that can help them through the sales cycles quickly and productively.

In some partner program portals, lead registration can take hours — and those hours can be used more effectively actually interfacing with customers and selling products and services. Partners should investigate if the program provides the right components to help them utilize resources efficiently and create a positive profit at every stage of the sales cycle.