Here, at ONS, we understand the importance of the managed service you provide for clients’ businesses and the competitive nature of the commercial environment in which you operate. When you focus on the quality of service, growth will follow, but how do you meet this growing demand?
A reliable Channel Partner, committed to supporting businesses like yours, is what you need to deliver the quality of service to your clients that will cement your relationship without significant upfront investment in more people, new technology or larger offices.
In Part One of this look at how you find the ideal Channel Partner. We considered contract flexibility, the need for a responsive service desk, a dedicated Account Manager and an efficient onboarding process – all of which you will find at the heart of the ONS service offering.
In this concluding part, we consider more ways to recognise the ideal Channel Partner for your business but if you already have a pressing need for additional support or have questions about the ONS service, please get in touch with us today on [contact details for a named individual].
Considerations when seeking a Channel Partner – Part Two
Security is critical – Outstanding security across your clients’ networks is more important than ever, with little sign of a reduction in cyber threats, ensuring almost every organisation in every sector is likely to be attacked at some point through Email scams, phishing attacks or hacking attempts.
To defend against these threats, it is essential that your Channel Partner places security at the top of its priorities. For peace of mind and to make the right choice ask any potential partner about their security practices (including their certifications) and how they can support you and help you better protect your clients’ businesses.
Scalability is key – The quality of your service will bring growth, attracting new clients or through delivering new services to your existing clients. The trick is resourcing this demand successfully, which is when a Channel Partner can step in on flexible terms to enhance your own team or deliver new services to your clients on your behalf.
Question your Channel Partner about their growth ambitions and ensure they align with the growth you have planned for your business; strategic or organic. This includes scaling existing systems or supporting more users, all of which will save you the trouble of switching partners in the future.
Services on offer – There are many areas of the managed IT service to consider, from systems and networks to service desks and unified communications. You need to assess Channel Partners and find those that not only support the services you provide for your clients but offer the additional services that will stop your clients looking for support outside your relationship.
Whether it’s a global aspect to a break-fix service or a new Wi-Fi solution that your client needs implementing, you need a Channel Partner that can help you in the relevant areas, demonstrating experience and expertise in delivering the additional services you and your clients need.
Credibility on Display – You not only need a Channel Parter that offers the support you need but one that understands their role and respects the relationship between you and your client. They will not only have the broad range of services and technical expertise you need but be a reliable business you know you can trust.
Look at their reviews and testimonials from other Channel Partners who operate in similar fashion to you to determine how well established they are. Look for specific references to familiar challenges and check if they have qualified individuals, awards or certifications to prove their expertise.
Solutions and Integration – When seeking the perfect Channel Partner, ask what systems and tools they use and whether they have the experience and expertise to integrate their service delivery with your systems to provide a seamless white-label service to your clients.
Assess their existing processes and understand their reasons for using the systems they have chosen. When they detail the reasons and benefits of their chosen tools you will not only get a better understanding of their systems but also whether they are people you can easily collaborate with.
Culture and Ethos – Once you have assessed Channel Partners based on the points raised above you should also get a really good feel for the culture and ethos of the businesses offering to support you and whether they are compatible with your own organisation.
The technology, experience and expertise should be a given; the final piece in the jigsaw is making that connection with their team. Will they step up when problems occur and strengthen the relationship you have built with your clients? Do they speak your language? Do they understand the role of a Channel Partner and do you trust them not to try and pinch your clients?
Choosing the right Channel Partner
The considerations detailed in these blog posts should help you find the right Channel Partner, such as ONS, and help you recognise that you can meet growing demand or a competitive threat by creating a strong partnership rather than making significant investment in your business.
We believe ONS can fulfil your needs and protect you against losing clients to your competitors who offer more. The right Channel Partner will provide the additional support and services you need to take your business forward with confidence.
If you feel you need additional support or services, whether now or sometime soon, please get in touch with us today on [contact details for a named individual] and we’ll explain how we can help.