Why Right Now Is The Perfect Time for a Channel Digital Transformation

Lessons from the Edge Podcast Series Episode #1

Kicking off our first episode in our new podcast series, Lessons from the Edge, Jennifer Judy, Senior Director of Global Partner Experience at Poly joins Impartner CMO, Kerry Desberg, to discuss why now is the perfect time for a digital transformation in your channel. Jennifer offers tips and tricks for leading a large transformation and seeing positive results like onboarding thousands of partners, all while going through an acquisition. Here is a quick recap of their insightful conversation:

Is a Digital Transformation Necessary?

If you have many prospects arriving on your doorstep during this pandemic, chances are that they have not gone through a channel digital transformation. Now more than ever our clients need a robust partner program, they need their partners to be the boots on the ground, they need you to be present for your partner community and they need automated solutions to help manage their partner program. Now is the time to evolve, especially if you’ve had a reduction of staff, and get reenergized to hit the ground running. It’s no longer about surviving but thriving, scaling and prospering once we come out of this stage in time.

The Keys to a Successful Digital Transformation

Identify your overall objective, what do you want to walk away with at the end of this transformation? Evaluate the steps that you’ll need to take when you’re looking for a vendor to support those initiatives, then devise that multi-tiered plan. Once you figure out your strategy, realize that you don’t have to be all in at once and that it can be a phased approach. You don’t have to do everything at once, chip away at it and enjoy those small victories. Whether that is launching something new or adding new features and components, keep the rolling wins going. Be present and share, presence is so critical during a global pandemic and you don’t want to lose that relevance with your partners.

Transform Your Channel Program

Having a PRM allows you to simplify, gain traction and transform your channel. PRM platforms are facilitators that help you get to where you need to be. Work with cross-functional groups and figure out how a PRM would amplify what you’re trying to achieve. Do your due diligence and figure out how PRM solutions integrate with your IT and make sure they are a partner with your IT organization. Validate your content, clean up your assets and make sure you enable the PRM system’s robust search engine. Make sure you understand your partner community and define your objectives for each audience in your channel. Figure out where your ROI is and build your business plan on where you’re going to see the moving of the needle from a revenue perspective. In this time and age, your PRM platform needs to help you stay adaptive, relevant and transformational.

We’re proud to work with some of the top corporations and the brightest channel leaders worldwide. Hosted by Impartner CMO Kerry Desberg, the Lessons from the Edge Podcast Series features Impartner’s customers and brings to life valuable lessons and key insights from these top channel pros. Tune in and don’t miss an episode!

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