Losing Business To Their 'Partner'

Most vendors don’t know where to draw the line between their customer and partner relationships. Vendors should support – not steal or monopolize – their resellers’ current or potential customers. Respecting boundaries, and clearly identifying mutual goals and responsibilities when it comes to quotes, follow-up calls, price negotiations and managing the full sales cycle is the key to building and maintaining a healthy and successful business for both vendors and resellers. Vendors need to understand that that they are not the whole solution a reseller provides to a customer; they are just part of it.

In short, relationships, transparency and choice are the key to successful partner programs. Vendors must place an emphasis on making it easy and profitable for resellers and eliminate the frustrations.

Mike Dalton is the senior vice president of worldwide channels and international field operations at Unitrends.