MARKET REPORT Analytics
“I don’t subscribe to COVID-19 being anything more than the mythical summer dip that most
organisations are facing.” Marcus Cauchi, Sales Trainer - Sandler
The brutal truth?
Marcus Cauchi says “According to Forrester, 150k partners are going
under worldwide, that means there will be a lot of customers that
need support. Get out there and prospect, look at your competition’s
key accounts and cherry pick. Those customers will be uneasy if their
MSP is fi nancially unstable. I know it sounds cruel, but all is fair in love
and war in sales. Speak to people about what they are concerned
about, think about what those businesses are going to change as a
consequence of COVID with remote working and virtualisation etc.
You will be able to draw on more people who aren’t travelling around,
or stuck in airports, internal meetings or stuck in the air. That is all
dead time to a large extent. Now, instead of being able to speak to 2-3
customers a day you can speak to 6-8 because everyone is at home.
We are seeing a huge increase with our tech clients that are increasing
their touch points. You can speak to recapture accounts, existing
accounts, growth accounts, and then warm prospects all in one day.
Aim to have 6-8 effective conversations a day where you speak to a
person after getting through the gate keeper.”
which vendor to work with
we’d encourage resellers to
ensure they can support right
throughout the sales process
and beyond. Look at whether or
not they can assist you with presale
and marketing activity, will
they join customer meetings
and product demonstrations,
if they have the right industry
knowledge and accreditations
and who are providing the
right commercial proposition
to help you compete in the
market. Lastly, in this time of
COVID, how are they changing
their o ering to support your
business throughout this time.”
Worboys continued, “In
2019 we surveyed our channel
partners on the marketing
activity they were doing in their
business. From that survey
we discovered that 90% of
Gamma’s channel partners
declared that they’d bene t
from marketing support or
guidance from us. With a
lack of resource and lack of
time cited as key hurdles for
channel partners in terms of
formulating their year-on-year
marketing plans, the channel is
a prime example of a business
environment that is sales rich
and marketing light.
We are seeing KPIs, leads and
conversion numbers become
increasingly competitive and
so a higher focus on sales
numbers is inevitable. But a
focus on generating sales and
pro t margin is great, until the
day that we run out of leads.
We would encourage resellers,
particularly in the current
climate, to have a proactive
marketing strategy in addition
to a exible and reactive sales
approach.”
Marcus Cauchi, Sales Trainer at Sandler
What does the future hold?
e media has been speculating
as to how much of the current
working situation will stick
once things get back to
‘normal’. No one has a crystal
ball but the smart money has to
back a future which is heavily
reliant on the UC tools we are
all becoming accustomed to.
I asked my experts what the
future will look like for the
Channel.
Gibbs said “Again, bright!!
Potentially far less travel,
more time to build prospects
and more time to build
relationships. Imagine coming
out of a period when everyone
has had to su er old technology,
that couldn’t ex and you are
the person that holds the key to
the cloud!”
ED SAYS…
The Channel will be a different place in 12 months. Those that survive will be those
that embrace the situation and continue to help their customers survive, whatever
that looks like. Although there is a clear opportunity here there is an ethical balance
everyone should be thinking about also. Sell customers what they need, and
then support them. It’s that simple. If the statistics are true, there will be a lot of
customers in need of an MSP or partner going forwards.
Simon Whatley, Director of Sales
Operations at Tollring
help out there, what are some
of the vendors out there doing
to ensure they stay active and
adapt to the ‘new normal’?
Whatley commented, “Our
partners have been rm in that
they also need to strategise for
when they emerge out the other
side of the disruption, and at
the moment, the main way this
is manifesting is in training.
We’ve responded with a series
of webinars, and additional
resources and training courses
both for partners and their
end user customers. is has
been particularly helpful for
organisations which have
furloughed employees, as
they are still able to complete
training during that period.”
Worboys added, “ e
supplier you choose to work
with can be instrumental in
your success. When deciding
32 | Comms Business Magazine | June 2020 www.commsbusiness.co.uk
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