4. Stay In Close Contact With Your Channel Account Manager

Solution providers need to uphold a close line of communication with their channel account representatives to keep abreast of what’s happening with vendors.

For instance, solution providers need to keep a wary eye on the impact a change in vendor focus will have on margins, as well as what marketing development funds and incentives the vendor will focus on in its future roadmap.

One big thing to look out for is whether channel programs will be impacted at all when a vendor changes focus. For instance, BlackBerry this month announced a new enterprise partner program surrounding enterprise software services, with features that enable partners to better take advantage of the company’s shift to services.