The Importance of Selling Support To End Users

In addition to providing details on the technology, it is becoming increasingly important for vendors looking to sell in the channel to emphasize how they can support the end users. Datadobi’s Steve Leeper, Market Development – Office of the CTO, explains the importance of selling support to end users along with solutions. 

Channel partners face a growing challenge in a world where IT consumption of cloud services is increasing. For vendors looking to sell through the channel, it is becoming just as important to emphasize to partners how you can support end users in addition to the technology itself, particularly when it comes to data migration vendors. 

End users need a trusted partner to provide guidance and assistance as they choose to build private and hybrid-cloud solutions and adopt public cloud services. Working in an environment devoid of services and support will lead to trouble and end up in some pretty unsuccessful outcomes. If end users believe that the vendor is simply refreshing the environment from time to time and are not bringing new, innovative solutions to the table, the relationship with the channel partner will fall apart.  

Partners must be comfortable with having conversations that may veer from the extended storage vendor messaging that they have been used to. As companies look to continue expanding their use of the cloud and migrate data to new repositories either on-prem or off, support will become a key factor in business decisions. Below, we discuss the qualities channel partners should be evaluated from their vendors to help end users migrate from anywhere to anywhere as demand for cloud services increases. 

Gain Knowledge About Different Alternatives 

Managing data is not a one-size-fits-all approach. There is an overwhelming amount of options for organizations to store or protect their data, making a complex decision out of which environment a company should utilize. 

One key to supporting end users is gaining knowledge about the different alternatives to help the project’s specific requirements. Customers no longer want to just refresh lock, stock, and barrel; they want to have insights that assess the value of their data in their organization. Once the customer understands the value, the vendor should recommend the action to take with the data. 

Customers need to be able to make smarter decisions about data management at an enterprise scale before they take action to migrate, protect, or archive their data in a data center or in the cloud. Without the knowledge to back the solution, a channel partner could end up recommending a vendor who picks a solution that dilutes the value of the data. Channel partners need to look for vendors with insights to complete data management at an enterprise scale.  

Learn More: Running a Database-as-a-Service in Kubernetes

Customers Require Assistance Beyond Talking To a Chatbot

Today’s enterprises continue to scale globally, despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. Along with the knowledge of data management best practices, vendors also need to have the support and operations teams with a presence in the geographies where end users are located. Customers who require assistance need support beyond a chatbot or other low-level resources located in faraway places that cannot immediately help the customer.  

Customers need direct access to industry experts that can provide proper guidance at the exact moment it is needed. Channel partners should evaluate whether or not a vendor has the manpower in the geographically-strategic areas the end users they serve are looking to grow into. 

Learn More: Intelligent Automation Could Be the Missing Key To Your Digital Transformation Success

Know Your Vendors and Choose Them Wisely

No one has a crystal ball, but channel partners should be working with vendors who have long-term goals to adapt to the needs of the market. A clear vision creates a solid understanding of which end users can benefit from a solution the most. Just as channel partners need to understand the goal of an end user, they also have to know what their vendors are planning for in the future to better serve their customers. 

Typically, there is little interest on the part of the vendor to provide cross-platform data mobility capabilities. Channel partners need to provide solutions that are aligned with a long-term vision and understand that the ever-changing world of enterprise IT will not be the same six months from now as it was today. 

Adaptability shows drive, creativity, and perseverance. Vendors with those attributes will outlast lower-ranking competitors. Channel partners who work with vendors that have the vision and ability to adapt will end up making long-lasting partnerships that last through ebbs and flows of trends in data management technologies. 

The word “support” in and of itself may not be the first thought that comes to mind for channel partners looking for companies to work with. However, the value of the investment for vendors that have made support a priority will come back to benefit the end user — and the partner — tenfold. As options for cloud services expand, channel partners can remain relevant by partnering with vendors who have the knowledge, team, and vision to support end users.

Did you enjoy reading this article? Let us know your thoughts on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We would love to hear from you!