10 Ways Channel Partners Can Up Their Game in UC
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Understand the Business Drivers
45% of businesses do not have an integrated solution for voice, video and data. Among those businesses, only 11% are considering it. To leverage this business opportunity, channel companies need to understand the client's needs on the business side. -
Build Relationships Beyond IT
89% of IT managers don't see new UC tools as a priority, and do not see a return on their initial investment. Channel companies need to train their sales forces to have more conversations on the business side; otherwise, UC will always be driven by IT departments that don't often think about what the benefits are for the business. -
Making More Than One Use Case
58% of employees said they're not consulted on the tool's usefulness post-implementation. One-third don't receive training, and of those who do, 50% said they get less than 30 minutes. Channel companies can broker improved communications between IT and business. Most times, IT and business, such as marketing and sales departments, speak very different languages and have different concerns. -
Setting Up to Succeed
77% of employees said their organizations do not consult with them before selecting a new office communications tool. Channel companies can help facilitate a dialogue about the needs of the business and employees in advance so there is a greater chance of success. -
Making the Right Tech Decisions
72% of employees who are consulted feel their communications tools make them more productive, compared with 54% of those who are not. Channel companies need to dig deeper and take the time to understand what their clients' employees need, how they go about their day-to-day activities, what would make their jobs easier and what tools would make them more productive. -
Driving Higher Usage and Adoption
71% of employees said, at most, they use half of a communications tool's features. It's not a question of rolling out the technology and presenting the features and functionality. Channel companies need to help companies evolve their training for usage and adoption to help employees understand how the technology fits into their day-to-day life. -
Don't Underestimate the Value of Training
38% of employees said they have access to communications tools they don't know how to use and will never use. Channel companies can fill this void by educating the client on what the value is on training from a usage and adoption standpoint. If employees don't get properly trained, they don't adopt, and therefore, companies don't see a return on investment. -
Realistic Expectations
44% of IT managers found it difficult to implement a UC solution. Many IT departments have unrealistic expectations about the technology, and most try to go after best-of-breed solutions and pair together multiple vendors. This results in a big increase in the types of skills they need to implement the solution, along with making ongoing support much harder and very difficult to budget. Channel companies need to start the discovery process around what the business is trying to achieve. -
Building Soft Skills
54% of IT managers said they seek the help of third-party solutions providers for UC implementations. Channel companies need to provide softer, nontraditional skills, such as helping clients determine measurable success of business requirements and objectively evaluate different options available. -
Cradle-to-Grave
Four out of five IT managers said less than 25% of support calls are related to malfunctioning communications, while two out of three think UC solutions are easy to manage post-implementation. A channel partner's role goes beyond just getting a UC solution up and running. They should have the skills to help determine the right solution, implement the solution and then manage the solution.
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Why Metrics Matter to the Channel There are big opportunities for channel companies in unified communications (UC) and collaboration, according to a recent study conducted by Softchoice, a North American technology solutions and managed services provider. A key finding reveals that 45 percent of organizations do not have an integrated solution for voice, video, and data. Among the 250 IT managers and 750 line-of-business employees surveyed, the study found that the majority of employees aren't involved in decision-making on technology, which has a negative impact on adoption, productivity and job satisfaction, and as a result, IT managers don't see much of a return on the investments on the tools, making them hesitant to invest in new ones. Erika Van Noort, Softchoice's director of consulting, shares her views on several key findings and how channel companies, including resellers and solution and service providers, can help organizations implement UC by first understanding their business needs, and increase their user adoption and usage through better communications and training.