For many years, the relationship between channel partners, vendors and customers has straddled two sometimes contradictory positions of transaction and value. The two are not mutually exclusive but building value on top of – or beyond – the transaction hasn’t always been as easy as it sounds.
Nevertheless, at the recent EMEA Canalys Channel Forum, Rachel Brindley, senior research director at Omdia, told attendees: “We are seeing a rapid shift as programmes move beyond the point of transaction. Our research shows that there are over 400 programmes that are no longer purely transactional. A new paradigm has emerged.”
According to Brindley, a points-based approach, heavily reliant on gaining specialisations and demonstrating support of the customer through the product or service lifecycle, is now becoming the norm.
Given that the shift from volume to value has been discussed and promoted for several years, what, if anything, has changed in recent times?
Olly Carter, senior channel sales director for Forescout, believes the shift isfinally real: “The big change is that customers don’t just want to buy technology anymore. Instead, they want to buy outcomes, confidence and trusted expertise. The partners who can bring that all together are the ones winning.”
Citing Forescout’s own experience as a 100% channel vendor, he notes that the partners making the biggest impact aren’t the ones shifting the most boxes: “They’re the ones who really understand a customer’s environment, bring clarity to risk and stay involved long after the PO is signed.”
Paul Holden, EMEA vice-president of sales at CallTower, says part of the trend is attributable to a shift in customer expectations from partners due to the acceleration of digital transformation, hybrid work models and the demand for seamless, scalable solutions. “Customers are no longer just looking for products, they’re seeking outcomes – solutions that address their unique challenges, drive efficiency and enable growth. This shift has placed a premium on expertise, innovation and the ability to deliver tailored solutions,” he says.
James Anderson, channel director, international at Abnormal AI, acknowledges there has been talk about the shift from volume to value for years. “But the difference now is the intensity of scrutiny on outcomes,” he says. “Looking at the channel today, value isn’t about asking whether a transaction happened, instead it’s asking whether a relationship made the customer more efficient, helped them to generate revenue or reduce risk. Although this hasn’t changed conceptually, developments such as AI and the rise of cloud marketplaces have made it much more visible, measurable and non-negotiable.”
Phil Skelton, senior director of international business at eSentire, says that channel partners have always had to offer additional value to stand out in the market: “Without that specific knowledge or expertise, they could not stand out over competitors. What has changed over the past year is that more of our channel partners have moved beyond simple value-add transactions to offering more defined value-add programmes and services that can be carried out over time.”
The big change is that customers don’t just want to buy technology anymore. They want to buy outcomes, confidence and trusted expertise
Olly Carter, Forescout
Partners are getting involved earlier and educating customers, jointly identifying goals and matching solutions for them. “They are much more active in providing specific proof of concepts that match the outcomes customers want to achieve, through to assisting with procurement, rather than relying on what vendors might deliver,” Skelton adds.
According to Danny Hemminga, vice-president of EMEA partner sales at Tanium, the shift to value isn’t new but the definition of value has significantly evolved in recent years: “Customers want more than a product on a price list; they’re looking for trusted advisers who can deliver measurable outcomes and help to solve complex IT and security challenges. Value today is about long-term, trusted partnerships built on resilience, visibility and tangible business results.
“Partners are rethinking what success looks like. The strongest partners are delivering expertise, innovation and growth, alongside the technology they provide. In the past, vendors typically equated value with sales volume, while partners focused on margin and customers on cost-efficiency. Those are now converging around a shared goal, achieving measurable impact and results.”
Questioning the true meaning of value
But in the shift from volume or transaction to value, what are customers looking for in terms of value from the relationship? And is there a difference in perceptions of what constitutes value between vendors, partners and customers? Who is adding value and what is it?
Marc Botham, global vice-president of channel and alliances at Jamf, believes that value to customers “is when vendors and the channel have a collaborative partnership that meets customers’ needs today and builds solutions to address them. This is achieved when the channel’s understanding of the customer and industry is combined with the vendor’s product development and market research.”
But he admits that value for partners and vendors can differ depending on how to reach the common goal on behalf of the customer or even what success looks like, adding: “This is why continuous dialogue, listening and building value together are key in ensuring mutual success.”
Abnormal AI’s Anderson states: “There is a perception gap in the channel where customers care about outcomes and time-to-value and vendors are more focused on consumption. On the other hand, partners care about customer satisfaction and relevance, profitability and annuity. Real enterprise value for employees, shareholders and customers is created when those three interests overlap around a customer outcome.”
Tim Goodwin, director international channel partnerships at Rapid7, claims that the definition of value has always been fluid in the channel: “Every vendor, partner and customer has a different idea of what it means to them. Due to this, there’s a real challenge in not only articulating what value means to different stakeholders, but also making sure it’s aligned to drive mutual growth and trust.”
Dan Tomaszewski, executive vice-president of channel at Kaseya, agrees: “Everyone will perceive value differently, and they should. Everyone will have a different answer to the question, ‘What does success look like?’. Perhaps success is being more profitable, or more efficient. Company maturity is a factor here as well, as mature companies will have very different needs than newer ones. Having a complete portfolio and having staff who can reach all these different areas will allow an MSP [managed services provider] to meet these varied needs and bring the right value.”
Customers often have their own ideas about value; understanding these through discovery questions helps partners or vendors meet their needs
Phil Skelton, eSentire
Skelton at eSentire believes that customers get value from long-term partnerships with companies that think about the long haul with them, rather than simple and single transactions. “They appreciate partners who help them research, evaluate and implement products, while also offering ongoing strategic advice,” he says. “Too often, they see partners that only cover their own solutions and vendor partners, when what they really want is advice that is not afraid to cover the whole picture.
“Integration is crucial, as most customers prefer to evolve existing systems rather than replace them entirely. It’s easy to pitch ‘rip and replace’ as the simple solution, but that is often not the best approach for the customer.”
He agrees that perceptions of value differ among customers, partners and vendors: “Customers often have their own ideas about value; understanding these through discovery questions helps partners or vendors meet their needs. A common frustration occurs when partners present multiple vendors to a customer without guidance, which adds little value to the buying process.”
Ben Pammenter, UK sales director at Conscia UK, suggests that value is measured against what technology enables you to achieve. The vendor develops technology in anticipation of customer need, but partners “bring this to life”. Vendors rely on partners to grow and protect their reputation in the market, so the success of each is intrinsically connected.
“Previously, customers valued technical expertise which would help them identify problems and offer an appropriate solution, he says. “While still important, this is often not enough. Today, technology offerings need to be both technically sound and practically relevant. [Rather than implementing solutions] that drive operational change, technology should be designed to support and simplify existing workflows: the real value comes from partners understanding and enhancing them, rather than changing them.”
A risk of lock in?
Brindley’s believes that a points-based approach reliant on gaining specialisations and demonstrating support of the customer through the product or service lifecycle is becoming the norm. This prompts the question whether the growing requirement for partners to commit to specialisation and skills risks“locking them in” to a particular solution set and strategy.
Pammenter is ambivalent: “I don’t think having a particular specialism risks locking people in, but it isn’t a measure of true value. It demonstrates a level of technical competence but, without the expert insights into the client’s environment and their desired outcomes, that technical knowledge isn’t bringing any game-changing insight. Value isn’t driven through technology alone; it comes from identifying what that technology needs to achieve…with so many technology offerings available, there is no ‘one size fits all’ – partners limiting themselves to just one vendor will risk missing out on the bigger market picture.”
A big part of the value for clients comes from the partner’s ability to remove complexity – at some point, you will need to back a horse, says Pammenter, adding: “Over time and through experience, partners identify what works; they build clear propositions around proven offerings and provide clients with a tried-and-tested solution.”
Skelton at eSentire agrees that encouraging partners to focus on specialised skills within certain solution areas can boost their market value and help them stand out. “However, this approach may also limit their flexibility when suggesting solutions to clients. By committing to a specific technology stack or strategic direction, partners might find it harder to adapt quickly to changing customer needs, technological advances or shifts in the market.”
Richard Eglon, CMO at Nebula Global Services, believes that the true value is about relevance: “It’s about understanding what the customer needs to achieve and building an ecosystem that supports that, regardless of which vendor’s logo is on the box. That’s why I believe, and always have done, in a vendor-agnostic approach to deliver the desired outcome for the end client. It gives partners the freedom to integrate the best-fit solutions from across the tech landscape, rather than being boxed into a single vendor’s technology strategy or certification path. Yes, specialisations have their place, but when it starts to limit choice and flexibility, it stops being valuable.”
For partners, the real danger isn’t being ‘locked in’ to a vendor, it’s being locked into a vendor strategy that doesn’t align to what the customer is trying to solve
James Anderson, Abnormal AI
Abnormal AI’s Anderson acknowledges that there is a move by large vendors to consolidate stacks that need specialist partners to help customers navigate them, but he warns: “When it comes to value, this specialisation only contributes when it maps to a customer problem, rather than because a vendor mandates it. For partners, the real danger isn’t being ‘locked in’ to a vendor, it’s being locked into a vendor strategy that doesn’t align to what the customer is trying to solve.”
CallTower’s Holden says that partner specialisation and skills are critical to delivering value, but stresses that it’s essential to strike a balance: “Over-specialisation can indeed risk ‘locking in’ partners to a single vendor’s ecosystem, potentially limiting their ability to offer the best solutions for their customers.”
For his part, Hemminga at Tanium says that while knowledge of a specific vendor’s technology is important, customers increasingly define value by how well a partner understands their unique business needs and challenges. They’re looking for advisers who can interpret complexity, connect the right mix of solutions and remain accountable for outcomes long after deployment.
“In many cases, the technology can’t be the differentiator – customers expect it to work,” he states. “A partner is set apart by its ability to translate that technology into measurable business advantage. That means knowing when to challenge assumptions, anticipate risks and align solutions with strategic goals, not just technical requirements.”
Eglon at Nebula Global Services says: “The most impactful and ‘valued ’partners are those who know their customers inside out, not just their tech stack, but their business goals, pain points and growth ambitions. These partners don’t just deliver solutions, they deliver outcomes. They’re not just implementers, they’re enablers. And in today’s technology channel, that’s where the real value lies. It’s not about what the vendor wants to sell, it’s about what the customer needs to succeed.”
