What two qualities do channel partners value the most in a technology vendor? Afton Lucente, Director of Field and Channel Marketing at NWN Carousel, looks for vendors that keep the lines of communication and evoke trust. Here are excerpts from her responses to a brief Q&A on the importance of these qualities to the business:
Q: What causes the most friction in vendor-partner relationships?
A: Miscommunication.
“It’s hard enough to stay on the same page with people in your own organization, let alone with multiple vendors. As a systems integrator, we represent many vendors with multiple solutions that often compete. This can sometimes cause complications.
That’s why from a marketing perspective, it’s important to constantly build relationships with the sales and marketing teams within the vendor organization to ensure all are marching towards the same goal and communicating along the way. I always make it a point to keep my channel counterparts informed of progress, even if it doesn’t directly involve them.”