There is no one-size-fits-all in successful modern partner programmes. The need to cater to an expanding channel ecosystem means the way vendors can no longer rely on a blanket engagement strategy – and this includes how they communicate with partners.

There is no one-size-fits-all in successful modern partner programmes. The need to cater to an expanding channel ecosystem means the way vendors can no longer rely on a blanket engagement strategy – and this includes how they communicate with partners.

For example, one traditional way in which vendors have communicated with partners is through newsletters that may or may not be of any relevance to the partner – they just take up space in their inbox.

From Netflix and Spotify to online grocery shopping, we expect a degree of personalisation when we consume products and services in our personal lives. This personalisation engenders loyalty and provides for a better user experience.

So why do vendors cling to such an outdated way of communicating with partners? Particularly given the huge changes the channel has undergone in the last two years.

“We learned that what we have always known can be subject to change – but we can still be successful. More importantly, we learnt new things and discovered new ways of communicating and consuming information,” says Glenn Robertson, CEO, Purechannels.

“We believe that the way vendors and distributors communicate with their partners needs to move on – because the way we consume information has moved on.”

Viewpoint: Embracing partner choice

Glenn was speaking this week at the launch of Viewpoint, a new platform to help IT vendors more effectively communicate with their channel partners. The platform reflects the need to tailor content based on the partner’s requirements, and a growing recognition of the importance of the partner experience (PX).

Glenn says Viewpoint has evolved beyond traditional partner comms to ensure vendor updates and other content is based on partner preference. The platform allows vendors to create, curate and aggregate all types of content in real time when it’s relevant, and allows partners to access and consume it whenever and however they want.

Partners can choose how they are notified when new vendor content appears: either by email, text message, or desktop and device notifications. Viewpoint can also deliver vendor news and content to partners directly via user enabled Slack channels.

“We are going beyond newsletters and the one-directional push of vendor content. Viewpoint embraces partner choice, enabling them to consume the content they want, when and how they want to,” says Glenn. “It replaces the single dimension of vendor-push and celebrates the multi-choice model of the partner-pull.”

Glenn says that by offering choice based on partner need, vendors will increase interaction, engagement and start to see a positive impact on the partner experience.

Last week we spoke about how important it is that vendors realise that often they make up only a small part of the vendor’s world. The ability to tailor business plans, rebates and incentives and communication to a partner’s needs and preferences will be essential to maintaining a profitable relationship in the future.