MSPs and channel partners are inundated with calls and emails from companies looking for them to resell their services.
Examples include broadband, SOC-as-a-service, UCaaS, Collaboration and Cybersecurity solutions.
Another class of vendor sells traditional solutions such as firewalls and routers but in the cloud as VNFs, allows an MSP to resell these services virtually to their customers.
In short – it is bewildering being a reseller these days.
The decision to carry a new product or service comes with a commitment – it isn’t very different from being married. If you break up – there are similar challenges to splitting from a spouse.
Who gets custody of the customers? How do you split assets, etc.
Sure, much of this could be spelled out in the vendor contract but things can always get messy.
In an ideal world – you want a checklist of things to look for before bringing on a new vendor.
We wanted to get vendor feedback to share with you – dear readers. So we reached out to Patrick Graves, Vice President, Channel Sales at TetraVX to get his thoughts.
You may recall we covered the company last year – discussing how they smooth UCaaS complexity.
Here are thoughts from Patrick:
- Communications – Is the Provider able to offer the communications mechanisms (email, text, WhatsApp, chat, portal, etc.) to help the Partner stay closely engaged with the Provider’s team, before, during and after the sale?
- Presales Support – How is the Provider engaging with the Partner before the sale? Are they providing the resources to help the Partner be successful?
- Delivery – Are they able to meet any delivery requirements the channel partner might need if they are leveraging that Provider’s resources?
- Support – Is the Provider’s Post-sale support capability up to snuff? Is the Provider committed to an outstanding Post-sale experience for the Partner and their customers?
- Ongoing R&D Commitment – Is the Provider making the right investments to stay competitive in the Partner’s space, thereby ensuring a long-term, mutually beneficial relationship?
These are very good points. We would add Air Cover – the ability of the vendor to ensure there is customer awareness of their products and services. Typically this is accomplished via marketing activities.
We hope you find this list helpful.
Learn about the latest in everything MSPs need… UCaaS, the Channel, IT, IOT, Edge, Cybersecurity, AI, SD-WAN, and the Future of Work at the world’s only MSP Expo, part of the ITEXPO #TechSuperShow, Feb 12-14, 2020 Fort Lauderdale, FL.
