Talking about expectation management with the cloud providers.
Today, I had a great conversation with a friend in one of the cloud providers. Our topic was on how to move consulting partners up the value chain – call it the partner life cycle – to become relevant to tech vendors.
A key point was expectation management. Many ISVs and consulting firms come to tech vendors with cupped hands. This happens on two dimensions:
Sales focus: The expectation is that leads are developed by the vendor and immediately hotwired to the consulting firm or ISV: Ka-ching $$.
Technology access: The expectation is that very close engagement with vendor’s engineering professionals to solve problem sets, build solutions or partake in future tech highways is automated.
In Foxlove, we feel this is very short sighted and possibly presumptuous. Why?
If you were meeting new friends, you normally wouldn’t expect or even want them to offer you a dinner invite or coaching service straight away. More likely, you would prefer to have some conversation first to get to know each other and explore if there are joint interests. Maybe you even want to proof yourself a good new friend.
Put yourself into the tech vendors shoes.
Microsoft, AWS, Google, Oracle, SAP, Salesforce etc. have tens of thousands of partners in each region.
To stand out and engage strategically you must be clear on what your interests are and where your focus lies. Explore how you can meet their benchmarks and start communicating what you stand for. Commit to the steps they lay out for successful partnerships, even if they feel tedious (Talk to us if you need help!). There is a reason, and it is a good opportunity to poof yourself.
You have many ways to start meaningful partnerships with tech vendors. It is important to find the one that lets you tell your story, identify your focus and therefore your stakeholders. Naturally, and with dedication, you will be successful. It also helps you internally to gain buy in and understanding.
Get in touch, assess your focus and start your strategic journey with your partners step by step.
Ramona@Foxlove-Strategy.com
Comments