Skip to main content

Channel vs Direct


"First, open a trouble ticket via the 800 number...work directly with the engineers to make sure you don't have a breakdown in translation. Then get the trouble ticket number to my team, and we will break out the whips and bullhorns."

The above is an example of a repeated script, used throughout my entire career. Roughly 15 years working in the Telecom/Carrier world, on the Direct sales side of the house. I am now on the Channel sales side of the equation. Nothing has changed in the above scripted response.

I spoke with a client the other day, a division of a rather large company here in town, and he seemed baffled by the channel sales model. He posited the following:

1.) "Won't the carrier get mad because I bought if from you instead of them?"

 2.) "How can you represent multiple carriers all at once, and still have my needs in mind."

 3.) "Since they have to pay you too, will the service cost more?"

These questions were exceptionally ill-informed, and quite easy to dispel. To wit:

1.) "No. we are an extension of the carrier, and a cheaper one;  they do not have to house us, pay the light bill, pay for our benefits, etc." 

 2.) "Does your direct team truly have your needs in mind? They have only one offering, with no ability to step outside of any limitation they as a carrier may have. I turned away a lot of bad-fit business when I was a direct rep, but not everyone will."

 3.) See response #1

 I then went on to explain the Channel Sales approach, in an easy to grasp way. My insurance agent has his own shop, represents multiple providers, and has the ability to pick the best fit from all offerings. My car insurance is different from my AD&D provider, etc. It's that simple.

The most obvious change is in the ability, after years of using the term, to have a comprehensive offering. I've always used a consultative sales approach, but was often left turning clients away based on a weakness of my company. I no longer have that problem.

****Check back soon to hear how I went from Sales Guy to Consultant. (Hint, it was a LOT easier than I ever thought it would be.)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Patron Saint of Salespeople

St. Lucia or St. Lucy is the Patron Saint of salespeople. Her story?? She stood strong in her faith and was persecuted because of it. She was hooked to a team of oxen, but could not be moved. She stood strong in her beliefs. Then she had her eyes cut out and was stabbed in the throat. Nice metaphor. In October, I missed my 'quota' for the first time this year. My 2010 personal goals allowed for this (plus one actually), but I was attempting to pitch the sales equivalent of a no-hitter. I missed. Even though I am still at roughly 150% YTD Even though I am guaranteed to go to President's Club (they've already listed it under 'taxable gift' on my last paystub). Even though I will almost assuredly be in the Top 10 nationwide..... Even though I have not been dragged away by a team of oxen, I still feel my eyes on a plate. But, I'm the one doing the gouging. There is no one as critical of me as me. Self-flagellation....works well with the Patron Saint/Catholic mot
Post a Comment
Read more

Telecommoditization: Part 2 / Fungibility

Fungibility is a fun word. I look forward to beating several CIOs and IT Directors over the head with it. Fungibility seems to be the defining word for what makes a commodity. The nut-shell definition for fungibility is "the same regardless of who creates it." Every telecom provider has a multitude of differences, therefore they are not fungible. Since most people tend to LOVE to talk about the negative, let's focus there. Ask any IT professional about their telecom provider. They will generally grumble and whine (typically these people hate their lives) and tell you about EVERYTHING that is wrong with their telecom providers. Each story will have different issues and problems. Each will show the weaknesses of a given provider. Logically this shows that we (telco's) are all different and not fungible. Also if each provider has different weaknesses, we must have strengths. There is an old telecom mantra "Everybody sucks, we suck less." In future blogs I will
3 comments
Read more

One-Quarter Cleansing Cream

In 1955, the now legendary Ogilvy and Mather advertising firm began their campaign with Dove. "One-quarter cleansing cream" is, to this day, a corporate tag-line for Dove. The company was profitable in its very first year, an extreme rarity in personal-care products. Ogilvy and Mather stress their ad campaign and the Dove tag-line they created as being responsible for such success. Dove's ubiquitous tagline was created when David Ogilvy, the dynamic mind behind Ogilvy and Mather asked the question "Well, may I know the formula?" When the good people at Dove explained the ingredients, Mr. Ogilvy found out that the soap he was hired to advertise was only three-fourths soap. One-fourth of Dove soap was a compound with the generic name of "cleansing cream". Mr. Ogilvy saw this as a major differentiator and helped create a brand that became a household name. His trademark pursuit of an exceptional story to tell for his clients, created an approach that
Post a Comment
Read more