PARTNERS ’ PERSPECTIVE
technology becomes more complex and businesses seek strategic guidance , partners are moving beyond traditional reselling to provide consultative services and act as trusted advisors .
By offering insights into technology trends , assisting clients in developing IT strategies , and providing tailored solutions , partners can deepen client relationships and differentiate themselves in the market . Channel companies should focus on building advisory capabilities and positioning themselves as strategic partners to their clients .
To leverage these trends , channel companies need to be agile and proactive : embracing consolidation opportunities , fostering flexible vendor relationships , investing in AI competencies , and enhancing their advisory services . This strategic approach will enable them to meet evolving customer needs and maintain a competitive edge .
Channel partners will turn to vendor consolidation , with one platform providing multiple solutions
The channel industry faced testing challenges this year in the shape of tightening economic landscapes the world over , global supply chain disruptions caused by geopolitical issues , continued pressure to modernise and be ever more sustainable , as well as the ongoing skills shortages that hamper the ability of businesses to achieve optimum performance .
Channel strategies constantly need to evolve to maximise selling opportunities that follow market trends , and the increasing demand for end-to-end solutions on a single platform is picking up momentum – presenting a good selling opportunity for the channel .
From a cost and time perspective , it is much more beneficial for a business to only have to deal with one vendor on one platform , rather than having to communicate to several vendors across several channels of communication .
End-to-end solutions on one platform prevent communication and data silos from continuing , making the process far more streamlined and providing more control over costs . If a customer is compiling end-to-end solutions with several vendors , just one cost fluctuation , such as the cost of living crisis , can affect margins hugely and see them deteriorated rapidly , as individual vendors alter their pricing .
2025 is sure to see the tides changing again for the channel , with customer expectations increasing and AI adoption showing no signs of slowing down , but also many channel partners and vendors will turn to consolidation where one platform can provide a multitude of solutions , rather than several vendors providing different solutions .
As the market , customer expectations and the channel itself all evolve , channel partners will lean on vendors more for high-level strategic thinking , and thought leadership . This puts a responsibility on the vendors to empower their channel partners with the sufficient knowledge and strategy needed as to how products and technology innovations are positioned , and how trends , such as AI , may impact business moving forward .
Such expertise helps channel partners provide a better experience for their end customers , and ultimately help them sell more effectively .
Traditionally the relationship between vendors and channel partners has been
very transactional , with vendors simply informing resellers when products need to be sold and when , but this relationship will become far more consultative , and channel partners themselves can adopt the role of trusted advisor .
Across all industries and businesses , AI is an unavoidable topic that is having a profound impact . Focusing on customer experience though , especially within the contact centre space , it has been traditionally quite hard for new companies to break into the market with the barriers
Clare Rafferty , Head of Channel Partnerships , Netcall
26 www . intelligenttechchannels . com