“Software and hardware providers should be doubling down on their partner ecosystems,”

says Thierry Depeyrot, executive VP at Bain & Co.

In an interview with Channel Futures, Thierry reflected on the state of the economy and shared his belief that,

“The channel is important. It has become even more important as we deal with uncertainty and try to grow despite the challenges ahead.”

He’s optimistic that a downturn creates an opportunity “to rediscover the value of the channel” as a “variable resource.”

As companies face the downturn, he warns them to steer away from looking at things too transactionally. A few points of discount won’t save you. “It’s a lubricant…” but you still need to have a foundation for “the right way of doing business, the right enablement and support and engagement.”

TL;DR:

• A downturn is an opportunity to rediscover the value of the channel.
• Keep a positive-sum mentality, and don’t give in to the temptation to become over-transactional.
• Double down on your partners as a long-term game.

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