B2B Channel Incentive Programs In The Technology Industry

One of the most important business processes for technology industry (TI) vendors is to manage an indirect sales channel, which some vendors see as only an augmentation to their direct sales efforts. Forrester interviewed 11 leading TI vendors about their channel strategy, with a focus on channel incentives and the resources involved to manage channel incentive operations. One major finding is that TI now has a high level of complexity in its incentive programs, which causes both partners and vendors alike to invest too much time and resources in doing business together. Forrester has calibrated several benchmark parameters across the industry to help vendors understand their current position among their peers. TI vendors should address their channel management processes more strategically and manage partners in a more proactive manner that is more aligned to their own business strategy. They also now have the opportunity to apply modern social marketing methods to partner management processes and develop partner communities that better reflect the TI dynamics of the 21st century.