The need for better channel training still appears prevalent, judging by survey results conducted during a recent CAM 101 training. Almost 91% of attendees said their company’s level of channel conflict was either moderate (75.5%) or severe (15.1%). Only 7% said their companies had no channel conflict within their organizations.
Bixler details six tips to manage the inevitable issue of channel conflict, instances in which a vendor’s direct sales team competes with its own partners or two partners are competing for the same opportunity. While it’s unlikely to eliminate channel conflict, it can be significantly minimized through a balanced, fair process that satisfies all parties, he said.
“If you have zero channel conflict, it means you don’t have the coverage you need. It means you have white space that no one is covering,” he said. “A little conflict is healthy as long as it’s managed well.”
To minimize channel conflict, vendors should:
Establish a clear understanding of the rules of engagement
Commit to and deliver consistent application of those rules
Remember that customers make the final purchasing decision
Define a target audience and solution mix with partners
Communicate sales pipeline opportunities early in the process
Focus on consistency and credibility
While establishing those processes, it’s important to remember that not all partners are the same, that partner models are evolving, and vendor/partner relationships are also changing.
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