Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Opportunities in the Channel

The Biggest Challenges Facing Sellers in the Channel

In today’s crowded market, resellers often struggle to differentiate themselves, both in terms of their technology offerings and their approach to sales. This competitive environment frequently results in a race to the bottom, as resellers feel compelled to compete on price rather than on the value they bring to the table.

To break free from this cycle, resellers must focus on identifying and addressing the underlying pain points of their customers. A slick sales process won’t suffice if every action, document, or presentation mirrors the competition. Instead, by tailoring their approach, resellers can unlock opportunities to demonstrate the true value of their offerings and shift the conversation away from price comparisons.

Collaboration with vendor partners is also essential. Together, resellers and vendors can create compelling value propositions that integrate product benefits with unique reseller services such as professional solutions architecture, support, and professional services.

Understanding the Customer and Their Pain Points

Salespeople must adopt a mindset of curiosity, unafraid to ask probing questions and eager to gain a deeper understanding of their customer’s world. By becoming well-versed in the customer’s industry, salespeople can uncover their key priorities, objectives, threats, and obstacles for the year ahead.

An open dialogue is critical for discovering what truly matters to the customer. The challenge lies in identifying these critical pain points and presenting tailored, impactful solutions that address specific needs. This approach not only builds trust but also fosters lasting partnerships.

Adapting to a Digitally-Enabled Sales Environment

In today’s digital sales landscape, buyers often come to the table well-informed, having already conducted substantial research and evaluations. This shift requires salespeople to move beyond pitching features and benefits to becoming guides who help buyers navigate their purchasing journey.

This involves identifying and engaging key internal stakeholders, resolving potential roadblocks, and co-creating a mutual plan to achieve the buyer’s goals. By positioning themselves as trusted advisors who provide value beyond the product, salespeople can differentiate themselves and build stronger, long-term relationships.

The use of digital tools and analytics also plays a key role in this transformation. These tools allow for greater personalisation, enabling salespeople to deliver relevant and timely guidance that aligns with customer needs.

The Role of Technology in Sales Techniques

Technology is a game-changer in modern sales. With much of the selling process now conducted remotely via platforms like Teams, Zoom, and Webex, the ability to build rapport has evolved. While virtual meetings present challenges in relationship-building compared to in-person interactions, they also increase accessibility and enable ongoing engagement.

Sales leaders can harness technology for training, leveraging tools like call recording and AI-driven analytics to identify effective and ineffective practices. These resources can be used to upskill teams, showcasing real-world examples of successful strategies.

AI analytics also uncover upsell and cross-sell opportunities that might be overlooked and provide valuable insights, such as competitive intelligence gained during conversations.

Key Opportunities for Sellers

Resellers should prioritise integrating analytics as part of a broader service package. Analytics enhances the customer experience by enabling organisations to monitor and optimise their communications in real time.

By bundling analytics with their communications solutions, resellers can position themselves not just as technology providers but as strategic partners driving business outcomes. For example, analytics can help customers track call quality, user engagement, and collaboration metrics, improving productivity and reducing costs.

This integration elevates the perceived value of the solution and fosters deeper, more strategic relationships with customers. It also ensures sustainable margins, positioning resellers for long-term success in a competitive market.