Five Key Takeaways from the 2022 Channel Futures MSP Summit

With Nuspire’s recent announcement about the launch of our enhanced partner program, our team was excited to join other technology and security companies at this year’s Channel Futures MSP Summit. Nancy Warehime, Director of Partner Programs at Nuspire, attended the event and provided a recap of her five biggest takeaways:

Great client experience starts with great partner experience

Companies must not only deliver industry-leading products, but also, they must enable their partners, beginning with a seamless partner onboarding process and ongoing strategic alignment. Partners are inclined to work with partner programs that care about their success, simplify the engagement model and are committed to building business long term. If you aren’t focusing on elevating the partner experience, chances are that some other company will.

The way customers are buying is rapidly changing

Customers are engaging with companies later in the decision-making process and want to leverage digital, not traditional channels. Broad partnerships will enable more touchpoints across the sales cycle.

The shift to the ecosystem model is transforming the channel

Partners are expanding outside of their traditional core business and creating more integrated offerings to remain competitive. Expertise and resources are harder to come by, so competitors are now becoming collaborators, with more innovative and agile business models (i.e., marketplace-type platforms) to accommodate their clients’ hybrid work environments.

Business leaders need a business partner, not a technology vendor

Companies are leaning into partners for expertise in solving business challenges, especially given the considerable skills gap we’re seeing in cybersecurity. Sellers need to be savvier and understand the industry drivers in addition to how the latest technologies work together. A deeper industry knowledge coupled with robust partner support can be a powerful differentiator for partners looking to exponentially grow their business.

Services are the next big opportunity

Partners are expanding their offering to include more subscription-based products and services. Top areas of focus include hybrid networks, cloud, UCaaS and security solutions. Companies that offer in-depth partner training programs and strong relationship support will be the most successful.

Closing Thoughts

The past several years have spurred a reimagining in how partners and clients collaborate within the channel. While “partner” evokes the idea of relationships, the type and depth of relationships needed for success has varied depending on whom you talk to.

Now, it’s clearer than ever that a true partnership isn’t just a revenue sharing model. It’s about genuinely understanding each other’s businesses and offering a strategic vision for long-term growth. Today, organizations are not only seeking out partners who offer an entire ecosystem of powerful capabilities, but also, they know they need to bring partners closer into their operational processes to spark true innovation.