Channel Coach: Tell Suppliers What You Want

When you encounter situations requiring sales support, sales engineering, technical support or customer service, don’t hesitate to ask for help. You may find a prospect that needs a product or service that the provider has developed but needs a place to field trial. Your “find” may be just what they need to test before a final launch.

Your service provider is vested in your success. Happy end-user customers make for happy partners and happy partners sell more of the service provider’s products instead of the competition’s products. Think about all the people and suppliers you use from day to day both personally and professionally. Most people return to the same providers again and again when they receive good service and support.

Evolving technology is rife with challenges and products may develop problems that require a little more time and effort to solve. You’ve developed a relationship with your provider, so tell them what is happening and what you need. Remember those phone numbers you acquired during your visit? It’s time to use them. Start by following the escalation process until you get results, keeping the “chain of command” in mind; don’t use a sledgehammer when a tack hammer will do.

Evolve to Evergreen

In our practice, we work with both partner and provider clients. Many of these clients have had long-term relationships with the people on both sides. As business and technologies evolve, people change companies and roles. The relationships you build during your career are a valuable resource enabling you to find prospects, close deals, support clients and solve problems. A key to all successful business relationships is communication. Asking your prospects what they need, coaching your employees to best they can be and telling your suppliers what you want will go a long way to ensuring your success.

Five Keys to Building a Successful Relationship

• Visit the supplier’s headquarters and meet with the management
• Learn the “escalation procedures”
• Invite the supplier’s people to your events and attend theirs
• Ask about new products and new enhancements for your prospects
• Exchange ideas and make suggestions to your supplier regularly

Bill Taylor is president of Corporate Ladders, a management, sales and business development consulting and coaching firm specializing in technology, telecom, Internet, health care and financial services companies. He can be reached at +1 201 825 8296 or wbtaylor@corporateladders.com.

Got Questions?

Ask the Channel Coach. Send your questions to wbtaylor@corporateladders.com. Please include your name, city, state and a phone number where you can be reached. First names and locations only will be published.