CRM - January 2008 - (Page 33)

the view from the customize is another. The list can go on and on, but it all boils down to opportunity management—making it so easy and profitable for them to work with you that they’d be hurting themselves not to. “Partners aren’t 100 percent dedicated to you,” Dickie says. “If you don’t make it easy, they’ll sell something else.” other side of the fence All partnerships are fraught with conflicts and complications. Your channel partners don’t have to love you—but they do have to feel as if the relationship at least benefits both sides a little. Resting on the notion that partners remain steadfast out of loyalty or desperation is a surefire way to end up with “channel conflicts” that have nothing to do with salespeople stepping on toes. Several CRM vendors have some version of a Business Partner Advisory Council (BPAC), which, at its best, can serve as a sounding board for new features being developed, and a venue for airing feedback—either constructive or simply critical. Brenda Brinkley, of Texas-based Epiphany Inc. (not to be confused with the software firm acquired by Infor), has been a partner with NetSuite since 2002 and is a member of its BPAC. She says that the most important trait that partners look for from a vendor is “a good product that’s a great fit for the market,” but, she adds, true partnership runs deeper. “We have to feel there’s a real, long-term value,” she says, adding that “the ability to have relationships with product management and to be more than just a partner who sells [the product] is huge.” But no marriage is perpetual bliss. Some missteps are simply vendor-side growing pains. “The relationship has had some rocky moments as NetSuite has ironed out their program,” Brinkley says, adding that it’s very good right now. Other problems are more endemic. NetSuite, she says, “still has and will not get rid of what I call ‘a conflict model’—having a channel and direct sales force in 100 percent competition with each other We’ve found ways to work around this, but there are still times when it’s painful.” Business-solutions firm MTSI has partnered with Siebel since 1998 and with Oracle since 1999. Now, according to MTSI President Balasubramani Ganesh, the firm is focused on providing implementation and integration services on various Oracle/Siebel applications. Ganesh says that he wants a partner to “examine how we can better service the customers and add more value to the customer [to] solve real-life, real-time customer problems,” and cites communal benefits that a successful vendor-partner team can derive in demand generation and in setting up customer advisory councils. “We’re [also] looking for better ways of creating opportunities for our clients and prospects to network,” he says. “Ideally, [the relationship] should be transparent to our customers,” he adds. “The best scenario is that we go in as a single team—not [as] two different companies—and help resolve problems.” In a perfect world, he says, there would be more transparency through a combined approach. “Success” doesn’t always mean parity or equality, though. In the end, the results are all that matter: “We’re able to leverage each other’s sales and marketing strengths,” Ganesh says. “We’ve been able to help each other out and take care of customers together.” —Joshua Weinberger SOLUTIONS Just as with driving a car, the best way forward is to focus down the road, not on what’s right in front of you. “Take your eyes off of the immediate,” says Ed Kless, senior director of partner development and strategy for Sage Software, a company that sells its CRM products almost exclusively through channel partners. “The question has changed from, ‘How can we help you close business this month?’ to ‘How can we, as a publishing organization, make your business better?’” So, while it’s important to invest in PRM technology, the real investment is in PRM itself—the concept, not the coding. “It’s not a technology problem, it’s a relationship problem,” Kless says.“Our goal is helping partners with strategy. You’ve got to have great products and support already—it’s the ante for being at the table.” If channel programs exist to help partners, you should provide any help you can. Pricing programs, hiring assistance, and training courses that go beyond the scope of your product all can help bring your partners closer to you. Kless notes that it’s no accident his title is about partner IF YOU HAVE CHANNEL PARTNERS—OR YOU’VE EVER BEEN ONE OR BOUGHT FROM ONE—CHANCES ARE YOU’VE development and strategy. Sage offers sevGOT A GOOD STORY TO TELL. SHARE IT WITH US BY SENDING AN EMAIL TO EDITOR@DESTINATIONCRM.COM. eral programs to its partners, he says, including a leadership academy and a consulting academy, because it’s strategically sound to develop partners’ ability to excel. partner programs—Salesforce.com, for give information to the competition.” In closing, Dickie reiterates the im“Focus on expanding their business,” example, just introduced a social netKless advises. “Software implementation working feature to its platform. “A lot of portance of having a living, breathing, is an accidental industry. Nobody comes learning inside a company happens evolving program as opposed to a static out of school saying, ‘I want to imple- around the water cooler; you don’t have portal where the “partner stuff ” goes to ment CRM products for a living.’ We that with the channel,” Dickie says.“Build die.“Products and partners have ups and teach the basics of what it means to be a that water cooler—the partner social net- downs; you must constantly reevaluate work—so that chan- them,” Dickie says. “Not just for one consultant to influnel partners can post, channel—every channel. Not as a oneence decisions and While it’s important to invest discuss, and build a time event, but continually.” ask great questions.” in PRM technology, the real community. They’ll Social media is investment is in PRM itself— discover that it’s an another area of exContact Senior Editor Marshall Lager at the concept, not the coding. asset, not a place to pansion for the best mlager@destinationCRM.com. www.destinationCRM.com CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | JANUARY 2008 33 http://www.destinationCRM.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CRM - January 2008

CRM - January 2008 Contents Front Office Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point Facebook's About-Face On the Scene: Oracle OpenWorld 2007 CRM Market Set to Double Customers, Meet your Makers Required Reading Oh, Behave! Fine-Tuning the Channel Listen Up! The Master Piece Flying High on Customer Service Let's Get Digital The Big Rigs Get Revved Up Putting Asia in Your Pocket Secret of My Success Connect Re:Tooling Pint of View

CRM - January 2008

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