EXPERT SPEAK officer before , now be prepared to interface with other personas including the chief information officer ( CIO ), chief digital officer , and chief innovation officer . The language of business services has evolved from long-term returns to shorter demand-based consumption and outcome-based returns .
Channel partner solutions and services therefore need to integrate laterally with other enterprise application solutions . Cloud-based application interoperability , OT-IT gateways , Digital Twins , manufacturing execution systems and cybersecurity policies are now as important , if not more so , than the upgrade of the 10-year old SCADA control systems that is on your quotation list .
With your customer now likely to be a digital-first C-suite executive , it is necessary that your credentials showcase technical proficiency as well as the skills of a trusted advisor . The key consideration for this new breed of corporate partners is likely to revolve around delivering the plug-andplay infrastructure that eases their Digital Transformation . This comes back to ensuring the customer is well supported on their cloud journey as they build bridges between industrial and digital .
As channel partners begin or advance in their cloud skills development , they need to progressively move through a checklist to guarantee great customer experiences and complete satisfaction .
Key questions to understand customer requirements
What is the customer ’ s cloud adoption strategy and progress in cloud adoption ? Is the customer looking for choice and flexibility ? What is the business value that cloud will need to deliver in the short and medium term ? Do you know the IT decision makers and their technology expectations ? Do you have an OPEX-based service price list to combine with the vendor ’ s ?
Key questions to select the most ideal vendor offerings
Does the enterprise application vendor offer all flavors of cloud ? Are the solutions suitable for the target markets you operate in or plan to ? Does the vendor have a cloud partner programme and specialisation ? Does the vendor offer training programmes for your cloud enablement ? Is the vendor incentivising your cloud services ?
Given that the cloud is not a short-term strategy for either the customer , the channel
With your customer now likely to be a digital-first C-suite executive , it is necessary that your credentials showcase technical proficiency as well as the skills of a trusted advisor .
partner or the vendor , it is important to grasp that it ’ s a joint partnership effort and all stakeholders can benefit over the medium and long term . Technology and innovation are very important in the customer ’ s digitalisation journey , and trust , partnership and the human journey are the keys to success . •
As every organisation moves towards becoming a cloudfirst business , channel partners must make a similar transition – or risk being left behind .
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