channel

What Makes a Good Master Agent?

June 29, 2010

The Technology Channel Association (TCA) hosted a conference call today about What Makes a Good Master Agent.

The main factor is of course money. Commissions. Collecting them. Mediating commission disputes.

Posted in TCA, agents, channel, commissions

As Switch & Data Becomes Equinix

June 7, 2010

Equinix announced on May 4 that it completed its $683.4 Million acquisition of Switch and Data.

What it didn't announce (yet) is that the channel program for Switch and Data has been shuttered. The employees were let go yesterday.

Dany Bouchedid, CEO of COLOTRAQ (a collocation specialty shop), "I can't say that it's a surprise."

The termination clause in the Switch and Data agent agreement allowed the new owners to walk away from its agents easily.

Bouchedid asked me what happens after Telx's IPO? Telx has a very agent friendly program, according to Bouchedid. Equinix is just one of the players in the collocation space.

Posted in agents, channel, data center

Rules of Engagement

May 18, 2010

It's a sometimes funny CBS sitcom, but to Agents in the Telecom Indirect Channel, Rules of Engagement are the sometimes written policy from carriers about Channel Conflict.

What is Channel Conflict?

Channel Conflict is when an agent and a direct account exec are battling for the same account. It helps if there is a written policy in place.

Posted in agents, channel, politics, telco, telecommunications

Lit Building Strategy

May 17, 2010

Rob Powell at Telecom Ramblings has his lit building chart updated. Top 5 most lit buildings is TWT, L3, Optimum Lightpath, FiberTech and XO at 3000.

So L3 tried to sell mainly on-net via the channel. They would light any building within 400 feet of a fiber route.

Posted in CLEC, agents, channel, fiber, sales and selling

I Want To Work With You

May 10, 2010

I hear that a lot: "I want to work with you." What they really mean is: "Please sell for us." or "Please bring us deals."

It's actually getting funny. I had a VoIP provider call me recently. I tried explaining that I work with VoIP Providers - many of them.

Posted in agents, channel

TCA Looking for a Few Good Agents

April 21, 2010

Posted in TCA, VAR, agents, channel

Big Changes at the Big Bell

April 20, 2010

The agent that dragged me into Telecom back in 1999 sold his telecom agency on New Year's Eve. He was a Gold Partner for many years but met with me in November because he saw the writing on the wall. Things were constantly changing behind the wall of the Big Bell, but this time it was going to be disasterous.

2009 marked huge changes with 50 hours of training; separate divisions walled in; and a major push into mobility. And a major shift in commissions to a one-time upfront payment. In 2010, it got worse.

One of the biggest problems with the Bell program has always the numerous promotions and how they are applied.